Jens Posted December 8, 2008 Posted December 8, 2008 Tvash, two friends from the gym, my wife and I headed up to Lillooet over the weekend for some ice. On Saturday (12/6) we hit Marble Canyon. It was REALLY grim but we found three different pitches to climb. We were extremely carefull not to hack away at ice that was forming and made sure to climb delicately. The new bolted mixed route at the far left end (left of Dale's route)was much fatter than when I led it at the end of last season. It was all ice with no dry tooling, however only one bolt was exposed. The rest of the bolts were buried with ice. The curtain above the overhang was very thick. The Dihedral was all ice but as thin as I'd ever seen it and definitely TR or solo only terrain. The bolted new mixed route right of the dihedral wall was ice for the first 20 feet and then pure dry tooling to the top and in much more difficult shape than when I led it last season. We stayed off the super thin Deeping wall and Icy BC to allow them to form up. Icy BC pitch 2 wasn't touching down. Pitch 3 and the surrounding pitches weren't in. We saw a huge section come off Icy BC pitch 1 during the day. Since it was getting way warm, the lake had opened up, and since we had thrown the rock shoes in, we climbed a couple of pitches of limestone across the highway before dark. The Reynold's Bar Saturday night offered food and Beer. Sunday was freakishly warm. This is as grim as Lillooet gets for December. Quote
Robert Howell Posted December 8, 2008 Posted December 8, 2008 How long was the drive from Vancouver? Quote
Jens Posted December 8, 2008 Author Posted December 8, 2008 I'm of little help, I've never driven from Vancouver. Quote
G-spotter Posted December 8, 2008 Posted December 8, 2008 Jesse and I were at Marble after you left and I think more ice fell off the stuff on the left after you left because it did not seem anywhere as fat as you make it sound. In fact I have never seen so little ice there at this time of year. Quote
Don_Serl Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 maybe jesse could weigh in with a bit fo info about the average temps thru november. my perception is that it has been considerably warmer than average, and certainly way warmer than last year. btw, even in a good season, marble canyon is NEVER ready to go before at earliest mid-dec, and more usually christmas. the rambles are higher and not so steep, and might come in sooner. cheers, Quote
Robert Howell Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 temperatures are supposed to drop way down this weekend and through next week. Quote
G-spotter Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 btw, even in a good season, marble canyon is NEVER ready to go before at earliest mid-dec, and more usually christmas. cough cough... Garry B climbed ice at Marble Canyon on HALLOWEEN a few years ago Quote
marc_leclerc Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 btw, even in a good season, marble canyon is NEVER ready to go before at earliest mid-dec, and more usually christmas. cough cough... Garry B climbed ice at Marble Canyon on HALLOWEEN a few years ago Actual straight ice or thin ice/mixed???? Quote
Don_Serl Posted December 11, 2008 Posted December 11, 2008 btw, even in a good season, marble canyon is NEVER ready to go before at earliest mid-dec, and more usually christmas. cough cough... Garry B climbed ice at Marble Canyon on HALLOWEEN a few years ago OK, OK, i retract my hyperbole - 'never' is a l-o-n-g time! and i'll bet the halloween climb was many years ago, when winter arrived in the interior early in november, rather than a month later nowadays. point is tho, even (local lad) lyle never got on it before mid-november AFTER a big cold snap, and we've not even had a hint of a major arctic outbreak yet this winter. maybe coming this weekend - but that'll just prove my point - MC will 'come in' sometime after mid-dec, as usual. worth waiting for, mind... cheers, Quote
G-spotter Posted December 11, 2008 Posted December 11, 2008 It was reported either here or on Adrian's site so "many years ago" must be within the last 7-8 years... Quote
Robert Howell Posted December 11, 2008 Posted December 11, 2008 Looks like things are dropping way down up north, at least compared to what I am used to. Lillooet forecast Quote
jmace Posted December 12, 2008 Posted December 12, 2008 (edited) maybe jesse could weigh in with a bit fo info about the average temps thru november November Daily average 1.9 December avg -2.1 November Daily avg Max 4.9 December avg max 0.3 November Daily avg Min -1.2 December avg min -5.2 Edited December 12, 2008 by jmace Quote
Don_Serl Posted December 12, 2008 Posted December 12, 2008 maybe jesse could weigh in with a bit fo info about the average temps thru november November Daily average 1.9 December -2.1 November Daily Max 4.9 December 0.3 November Daily Min -1.2 december -5.2 and how did this year compare to those averages? (those are Lillooet, are they?) cheers, Quote
jmace Posted December 12, 2008 Posted December 12, 2008 Normals are from Lillooet Seton BCHPA site at 198 m 30 yrs worth Current data is from new site operated since 97 at 235 m November Daily avg 2008 5.2 December avg so far 2.7 November Daily Max avg 9.1 December avg Max so far 6.4 November Daily Min avg 1.4 December avg Min so far -1 Quote
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