What are some good alpine ice routes?

[rockermike]

I've done N. Face Hood, Liberty Ridge, N. Ridge of Stuart in Winter - all decades ago. But I've been in California for too long what with the all the dry granite and sunny skies. I'm jonesing for some Pac NorthWest alpine ice. Any recommendation? I've heard Price Glacier on Shuksan is good. Any others that stand out?

[kurthicks]

Graybeard, Cutthroat (cauthorn-wilson), Colonial, Baker North Ridge, Baker Coleman HW, Stuart Glacier Couloir, Dragontail (cotter-bebie, Triple Couloirs), Eldorado NE Face & NW Face couloir...just to name a few.

[Blake]

Can you tell us your story of NR Stuart in Winter?

[Sol]

NF and NF coulour on buckner.

NE face of redoubt.

 

 

[rockermike]

North Ridge Stuart. Around 1980. low snow year. soloed just after bad breakup; ha.

didn't do direct start nor headwall finish but spicy enough as it was, including one long sliding fall toward the precipice. Most of the rock climbing up to the rappel notch was covered in reasonably deep snow and no big deal - except for the gully finish just after rappel which was 1" verglass over rock. scared the shit out of me. descended - whats it called? snow something gully - on south side and post holed all the way around back to my camp on north side which required one night out in open air bivy. One of the best outing of my life in retrospect.

Edited March 27, 2008 by rockermike

[G-spotter]

The Home Depot Shaft in North Joffre Creek is reportedly "the kind of thing that people fly to Alaska and spend weeks in a tent to climb"

[rockermike]

I find a Joffre Creek in BC. Which peak is the route on? any beta. google can't find it.

TIA

 

 

(edit) my bad; I see other thread. But to me "alpine ice" means hours or days of work and a summit. ha

Edited March 27, 2008 by rockermike

[G-spotter]

This one will definitely give you hours of work and a spindrift enema to boot.

 

http://westcoastice.com/ & scroll down to the report with pics..

On the other hand, forget it.

[kurthicks]

wow. nice line.

[John Frieh]

to me "alpine ice" means hours or days of work and a summit. ha

 

I think a lot of people define/consider alpine ice as glacial ice... ice that was formed from compression underneath the weight of a glacier @ some point.

 

Sounds like you are just looking to swing the tools enroute to a summit (yes?)... if so the pac NW is loaded with them.

 

Lots of good ones have been listed so far... the amount/quantity of ice on those listed vary greatly (some of them have been skied ) so looking @ a guidebooks would be wise... I'd recommend picking up Selected 1 and 2 or WA Ice or West Coast Ice and see what captures your attention.

 

Some of my favorites or ones I want to do bad:

 

- CA ice (Montana) In right now! Go climb it! Lot of other climbs in this canyon also. CLASSIC route

- Sphinx (Montana) early ice season climb

- Nisqually Ice Fall (Rainier)

- Rolf and Pete's route on Whitehorse

- NW and NE face on Stuart

[John Frieh]

CA ice (Montana) In right now! Go climb it! Lot of other climbs in this canyon also. CLASSIC route

 

Why are you still here? Get in your car and start driving!

[billcoe]

John: FYI: I give Mike 3 (three) as a partner. Wish I'd done more with him when he was around. Solid x 2 and finer company is hard to find.

 

Hola Mike!

[scottgg]

Hard to beat the Stuart Range/Enchantments for spring time alpine ice. Decent weather, reasonable approches and long, interesting route. Check out McClellan Peak, Dragontail, and Stuart....

[Dane]

Ptarmigan Ridge in late Sept or Oct should fill the desire to play on alpine ice