Water Ice to keep an eye out for?

[sdizzle25]

Naturally, I get in to technical climbing when i move from Idaho to Eugene, Oregon, so after spending my teen years snowshoeing past beautiful WI 3's and 4's i will be spending the winter at sea level drenched in rain.

Antyways, where is the good water ice that might (read: probably wont) form in S.W. washington this year? I know there is stuff by Leavenworth, is there anything good in Rainier National Park?

I know theoretically something might form in Oregon, but i will sheild myself from heart break and not get my hopes up

[Farrgo]

Try Strobach long mostly dependable season. The Gorge freezes for 3-4 days each year. Cooper Spur ice will probably be in shape in a week or so (already some forming last week).

[ColinB]

I'll second Strobach. It has some good stuff that comes in regularly. The approach takes about 2 hours and isn't that bad (hardly any bushwhacking). Everything from WI3 to 5+/6, mostly single pitch stuff.

[wayne]

There can be good ice on Hood, so I have heard

spider , North Face Routes,etc

[ColinB]

There can be good ice on Hood, so I have heard

spider , North Face Routes,etc

 

Yeah, but I hear that it takes 10 years for it to come into condition.

[Lucky Larry]

I'll second Strobach. It has some good stuff that comes in regularly. The approach takes about 2 hours and isn't that bad (hardly any bushwhacking). Everything from WI3 to 5+/6, mostly single pitch stuff.

Where is Strobach or is this hush hush? Just up in 3 sisters and the snow/snice was excellent before the sun hit. I kind of blew it though cause I only had one tool w/me but it was exciting even if I only did maybe 200ft of 45 degree; but did a lot of lower angle training anyway.

[Farrgo]

Buy the WA Ice book or just type Strobach into Google. Definitely some stuff to be had in Central and Eastern Oregon... gonna have to dig a lot deeper for that info though.

[Alex]

We have a number of TRs from Strobach on this site, and we even have YouTube videos posted from Oregon Field Guide some years ago, too....

[vert]

Hey all, ice season in eastern Oregon is coming up soon. My work season is drawing to a close (hopefully) for the fall and winter so i will be able to climb! Ice in the elkhorns usually forms in November and i need partners. Climbing around here that time of year is great, often a day in the mountains on the ice followed by a day in hells canyon on the limestone. Give a shout back here or through the site mail box and i will do my best to reply promptly.

 

Cheers, Mark Hauter-

[Bob Loomis]

Hi Mark,

 

I was intrigued by your reference to the Elkhorn range in Oregon having technical ice as early as November (sorry if I am reading wrong and you are referring to alpine ice). I searched online for some further references and found nothing concrete. By freeway I am about 6-7 hours from Baker City on a good day, so in the winter, I might have to add an hour. I am in Spokane, so the same driving time investment gets me to some super good venues in Canada.

None-the-less your reference is potentially interesting. I wonder if you might share for all our benefits some more specifics about the ice climbing in the Elkhorns. Perhaps it is all well knowm and I am the last to know, but perhaps others might be interested as well. I can see the folks in Portland, or even up around Seattle being interested.

Things like approaches, technical grades, multi-pitch or single pitch, etc., would all be good information. I will understand if you prefer to keep all this a local secret, but would be very appreciative as to any specifics you might want to share.

 

Cheers and Safe Climbing,

Bob Loomis, Spokane, WA.

[kevino]

Bob,

 

Mark has several photos uploaded under his username, without too much assumption, perhaps these are photos of the climbing in Elkhorn range. If so, looks great!

 

As a fellow Eastern Washington resident, I too look forward to a response from Mark.

 

-Kevin

Edited September 19, 2010 by kevino

[ColinB]

Eastern Oregon ice TRs:

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=426628

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=518874

[vert]

Those photos are probably from the strawberry range. The climbing out here is not well known Bob and if i lived in Spokane I would definitely keep driving north and east. Most routes are single pitch/long approach and everything is water ice and usually thin. The route in the strawberries is the tallest to date at 120 meters. It is quite hard though and only been climbed twice in thirteen years. In the elkhorns, there are four locations that form good ice almost every year(one year it was dry as a bone everywhere). Rock creek has two parallel flows beneath bucket lake that are good early season 2/3 outings and can reach 300-400 feet before they get buried. Pine creek has more. Easy routes above the reservoir and hard lines at the head of the basin. I plan on being up there this fall/early winter working on new mixed routes; a few lines left! The road into pine creek is rough. When things are right I will try to keep updates coming. Rock creek road is easier to get in on and ice can also be found not far from the trail head up and left. The hike to bucket lake area takes two hours give or take along the rock creek lake trail. Like I said, nothing spectacular but good remote climbing just the same. Feel free to get a hold of me for directions. I posted directions for pine creek on mountain project a while back; right onto ben dier then right onto pine creek road not left.

 

Talk to you all later, mh-

 

 

[Bob Loomis]

Hi Mark and "ColinB",

Thanks to both of you for supplying information about the ice climbing in the Elkhorns to the greater ice climber community. Judging from the replies, when I combine driving time and approach time it looks like it wounld not make sense most of the time to go to the Elkhorns from Spokane. None-the-less it does look like it would make sense from someplace like Portland, etc.

As an aside, the picture sure looked good.

 

Cheers, and safe climbing,

 

Bob Loomis, Spokane, WA.