2009/2010 Washington Ice

[AlpineMonkey]

Went out and climbed Careno Left today. Left new webbing at anchor at top. Great condition. Didn't bring rock gear, but you could really get some good stuff in with a small rack, I'd recomend that. Was to chicken to jump on Careno Right, but it would go. Rainbow Falls still looks good too.

 

Careno Left

 

 

Careno Right

[wayne]

duuuude

[AlpineMonkey]

Did I say something wrong...or are you just in aww at all the fatty ice with 5 min approaches.

 

It was nice to be able to climb a route real quick on the way over to the W. Side for Christmas. At this point, its hard to find enough time to climb all that's in, so you got to squeeze them in whenever you can.

[Alex]

There is still frozen ice in the Alpental valley, we were up there today and it was def cold enough.

[AlpineMonkey]

 

Leavenworth vicinity - 12/27/09

 

Ice still kickin' in this side of the state.

 

Today Kyle Flick decided to spend his 27th wedding anniversary with me. We first checked out Chandelier Falls. Everything looked good, until we got below the climb and a large piece fell out of the top, which was baking in the sun. We high tailed it out of there to Gill Creek Falls. It's In and a great climb. Don't waste your time going to Chandelier Falls if it’s in the sun. Got him home at a nice early hour to still have time to spend with the wife.

 

Chandelier Falls

 

 

Gill Creek Falls

 

[Longshanks]

Some of the climbs at Strobach (motherload area) are in, but they look a little thin compared with the guidebook photos. Many pillars have yet to touch down (do they ever?).

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2009 by Longshanks

[AlpineMonkey]

That is quite possibly the worst looking ice I have ever seen at Strobach, ever... Did you climb anything.

[Longshanks]

Yep. Did Sad Ce'Bu. The route was indeed much leaner than I expected, but very fun, with good pro. There isn't much snow up there at all. I'm guessing the climbs are a bit starved for water.

[mickebob]

12/28/09

 

Stayed close to the west side this weekend. Alpental IV was in poor shape, but we did top rope it! Go Liam!

 

Sunday 12/27/09

Went up to Tinkham Rd. Humpback Mtn. There were quite a few lines to climb. ranging from WI2 - WI3.

 

think cold thoughts!

Edited December 29, 2009 by mickebob

[Pete_H]

Rolf and I were up there (Humpback) on Sunday as well. The main flow is two high-quality long pitches - WI3 and WI2, respectively.

 

There is another wall with some quality harder ice routes and mixed lines. We climbed a technical WI4 / 4+ and a shorter WI3+, that had an akward section in which I ripped a tool and took a whipper onto a screw. Bad form.

 

There's a lot of other cool shit on that wall. I'll post some pic's tonight.

 

Were you the team that was still up on the main flow as it was getting dark? If so, I hope you guys had headlamps.

[jordansahls]

Went in to try and climb some of the ice around Lake 22 with no luck. There is almost nothing left from the last few weeks. Attempted to climb some mixed lines, but the rock is as crappy as the rotten, melted patches of frozen water that pass for ice.

[Alex]

Thanks for going in and doing the legwork. When I see the pics I think: it IS only December!! These climbs are all snowmelt fed and as you say, there isnt much snow up there to feed them. I think they actually look pretty good considering about 3 weeks ago there was literally nothing.

 

Pic 1: Sad Ce'bu/Right Stuff, Dropline, unclimbed, Ponderosa Pillar (behind tree), Bleeder Project

Pic 2: unclimbed, Ponderosa Pillar, Bleeeder Project, Ice Dreams, Tower of Power.

Pic 3: First on the Left.

 

I might add that Dropline looks particularly good this year, and should be pretty fat if conditions hold.

 

Some of the climbs at Strobach (motherload area) are in, but they look a little thin compared with the guidebook photos. Many pillars have yet to touch down (do they ever?).

 

 

 

[Pete_H]

Humpback main falls and right upper wall

 

 

A cool-looking mixed pitch

 

 

The pitch Rolf led (WI 4 / 4+)

 

 

[mickebob]

thanks for the kind thoughts, we followed your footsteps up the bushwack! We saw you rappelling down after your first climb.

We climbed the right face main drip. It was hollow in places but enjoyable.

we were heading down right before you. tried to cut across the hillside towards annette lake but was cliffed out near the john wane. Not any faster than straight down.....

[YocumRidge]

Alpental Chockstone falls 12/25/09:

 

Alpental Kiddie Cliff 12/25/09:

 

 

Alpental Bryant Buttress left 12/25/09 (crappy but doable for the desperate ones like us):

 

 

Sketchy pro improvisation on Bryant Buttress left 12/25/09:

 

 

 

The Mountaineers Creek drainage is not in as of 12/26/09 (pics taken from the road #7601):

 

 

 

 

Hubba Hubba left 12/26/09:

 

Hubba Hubba right 12/26/09:

 

 

Ice bouldering on Hubba Hubba right P1:

[drdrum]

I was with the party you saw on the left gully as you guys headed down. I was surprised to see so many people up at Humpback. I noticed the ice up there on Saturday driving down from the pass and was planning to go up on Sunday and solo something but got a friend to join me last minute who had never ice climbed.

 

I played a gig Saturday night and didn't get home till 2:30 AM that morning. As such we got a late start and didn't anticipate the approach to take so long, thus the past dark descent. It was great because the moon came out and lit up the open snow slopes below and across the valley - beautiful. Reminded me of many trips in the past in Canada.

 

It felt great to get back on ice after 6 years. I uploaded some photo's I took of the terrain and other party on right flow.

 

Glad you didn't get hurt taking a fall.

Edited December 29, 2009 by drdrum

[treknclime]

What's the best approach for Humpback? From the parking there at the 'T' near the I-90 bridge, does it go straight up through the brush and forest, or ?? I've seen the ice up there, and thought it'd be worth a trip.

[rat]

we found easy travelling starting at the t-intersection you mention. it's mirkwood second growth timber with little/no brush. cross the iron horse trail at mile 2120 (to chicago) and continue up and slightly right to the talus field/avy path below the climbs. it's a little over 1 hour with good conditions.

 

a longer alternative would be via the annette lake trail then west on the iron horse trail to 2120.

 

peter might want to call the upper right wall in his photo the "personal best wall".

 

[AlpineMonkey]

Jens Holsten and I got out for the first time together today and climbed Carino Right and Rainbow Left. Rainbow Left & Right and Carino Left and Right remain in, but temps were getting warm by the time we left. Three other parties were enjoying the Rainbow climbs.

[wayne]

Wow, Great job guys, cant wit to see it on the blogs!

[montypiton]

Got back to that nice little piece just up the road from Bridge Creek twice this week. Thursday, with Dave Allyn, started at the lowest point and climbed SIX pitches, mostly easy, WI2 except for the last which would have made WI3. Dave had never led ice before, but as forgiving as the flow is, we swapped leads, and he cranked his first three leads on water ice. As we exited, heading down to get me to town for a Drs appointment, we noticed above the exit route a SEVENTH pitch that looked longer/steeper than anything we'd done. So on New Years, the infamous Dr. Shipman and I returned to see what the last pitch was like. With the 8" new snow, we missed the first three pitches, but found the fourth, and continued up, also having picked up a "stray" by the name of Matt Hall, who just happened to have tools & poons with him. The three of us climbed pitches 4,5,6, then walked over to 7 and found a nice 100' wall with at least a half-dozen lines on it. Mark selected a nice WI4 rib, which he led in fine style while Matt took photos (apparently what he does for a living!)and I dodged dinner plates (successfully). We rapped the last pitch in fading light, then trundled down to the car, arriving just at dark. A SUPERB day.

As I heard it, the line was first climbed by our own dear RAT, and the first time I climbed it we had Tom HEINZ along, so if Rat hasn't named it, I propose we call it RAT KETCHUP. It must be popular, because Dave and I saw two other parties on Thursday, and Mark and I picked up a third partner today! Anybody have a name for this? Or can we use the one I suggested. If it has a name already, I propose honoring the earliest one.

 

-Haireball

[AlpineMonkey]

I already named it Craig Gyselinck's Route in honor of myself.

 

Denise and I walked below your last pitch when we were up there, but I thought it looked to short and crappy. Glad it turned out good.

[montypiton]

lessee... "guys-link route" name has potential, in a cfcc sort of way...

[AlpineMonkey]

Drove around the desert today looking for ice and nothing is in. By "in" I mean ice and realively safe. There were a couple of idiots climbing under daggers the size of my car on the punch bowl in the 38 degree weather. We waited around for a while to see if they were going to die. Lucky for them only a few of the small ones fell off sending some soft ball size pieces past them. Broken ice the size of 5 gallon buckets were scattered all around the base of the climb. An unexceptable risk.

[Tom_Sjolseth]

We climbed Rainbow Falls L&R yesterday. Rainbow Right above the chains is getting thin and tops out on bare slab.

 

We drove up the Entiat this morning and checked out McCrea Falls which was melting out fast and very hollow. Large chunks of ice were scattered about the base and we decided to bail. We thought about checking out Banks Lake but the temps were pretty warm so we drove home. Drury Falls looked fat on the way home.