Colchuck Lake ice/conditions?

[scottgg]

Anybody been up there recently? Thoughts on Dragontail's north face routes? Is any ice still sticking around above the lake's eastern shore?

Gracias!

[tvashtarkatena]

If you just want to crag on ice, the North Stuart Basin has much more of it than Colchuck. We spotted at least six good flows; 3 water ice and 3 glacier ice at base of the Ice Cliff Glacier. It's quite cold up there and the ice is in excellent shape and of various difficulties up to WI 5. Go get some.

 

Based on our experience a few days ago, north facing routes are dusted with unconsolidated snow, with little or no neve or ice to sink into between rocks. Not great mixed conditions: too much snowfall recently. Couloirs are deep slogs right now. I don't know about the runnels on TC, however.

Edited April 7, 2008 by tvashtarkatena

[jpark42]

Me and my partner did TC on Sat and the ice conditions were a little thin. That being said there is a ton of short ice climbs that are in around Colchuck, in fact thats what we were planning on doing if TC didn't work out. As for the snow conditions, I would avoid most the routes on the North face unless you want to slog your way up waste deep powder in the couloir. It was super deep in spots when we were up there but a lot of snow was been blown into the couloirs on the north face when we there.

[scottgg]

Thanks guys! How'd the ice directly below Jaberwocky Tower look? Feel free to post any relevant pictures.

[jpark42]

I am not familiar with Jaberwocky Tower so I cannot say what the conditions look like. As for pictures, my partner took all the pics so I am waiting to hear back from him. As soon as I get the pictures I will go a head and post them.

[kevino]

There was a fat blue flow below sherpa when I was up there a couple of weeks ago.

[ivan]

There was a fat blue flow below sherpa when I was up there a couple of weeks ago.

it was still big and beautiful a week ago too