Dru Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 Friday: beat the crowds (ha). ICy BC. I led ist pitch. cam led 2nd pitch. guy edwards led the 3rd pitch ( his party ran around the hike up and beat us to the 2nd pitch while we were clinmbing the 1st) and we cheated and made him leave his screws in so we could "pink point " ETHICS POLICE WARNING!!! Saturday: Synchronmicity looked like some ice was missing to get to the ramp so we hit the rambles. did a 2 pitch (3, 4) on the far right then a 1-pitch 2+ in the middle, did not continue further up that routebecause vegiebelay had a party of seven further up the drainage. 6 ppl. on the left line so we hiked out and visited the Tube which was not in. (thin pillar to verglas) saturday night: everyone walked around going "where is ray?" but ray didn't show up so we drank his beer and stole his women & won 2 games of pool when opponents sunk the 8ball in the wrong pocket sunday: Night N Gale. no avvy hazard, snow quite stable. we were the only ones there. long hike to a 30m 2+ pitch (soloed but scary on hollow funky ice) then the main falls were a 60m 3+ pitch to a 65m 2+ pitch. I dunno HOW this route gets 4+ in the guide. nowhere close. if the upper curtain on the first pitch forms a bit more and hides the ramp it might go from 3+ to 4 but calling it 4+ is quite a stretch. as it is if you can lead oregon jack you will have no problems on this route. cam froze a toe and moaned for hours on the drive home. i got a cold and sniffled. it got COLD on Sunday. lots of ice appearing and forming FAST. Quote
Lambone Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 Nice, hey were those pool oponents Locals? If so, your probably lucky that you got outa there alive.(Most of the locals seem super nice though, way cooler than most Seattleites) I'd agree that most of the routes in West Coast Ice seem over rated (or at least the few that I have done.) I suppose you could call syncro a 4+ or whatever...but only about 15ft of it. I could see how Carlsberg could be a 5 in very thin conditions...but wern't conditions very thin this year? I've done 4's in Montana that were just as sustained and steeper. Anyway...what to do? The beers over priced in Canada too! [ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Lambone ] Quote
W Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 i dunno- think it varies from climb to climb. I did Shriek w/Dale on Saturday. Go up there and see if you think the last pitch is a "4+". Same thing with Loose Lady. Serl says Shriek will be upgraded in the next edition of the book as he admits it is typically a major sandbag. Quote
Lambone Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 Fer sure...that one looked damn hard, depending on which line you took. Looked like it'd be a short step of 4 in fat conditions though...it's all relative I guess. But 11 dollars Canadian for a 6er of Lucky's...come on! [ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Lambone ] Quote
Dru Posted January 29, 2002 Author Posted January 29, 2002 well, they cal Shriek of the Sheep a 4+ too... and I ve seen that pillar.... ya right, 5 fer sure! and what about the Rockies, man, Grotto Falls is Grade 2 not 3, same with This House of Sky. I guess everywhere but Montana is underrated. our beer may be pricy but that's what you pay for QUALITY. actually it s cheaper than "good" US beer. $11 for a 6 pack of Lucky's? that must have been off sales at a Beer and Wine store. hit the Liquor Store for better deals like $9.50 for a 6er of Ok Springs Olde English Porter (9% alc/vol) [ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Dru ] Quote
Lambone Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 Can't speak for the Canadian Rockies ya know, but Ice in Montana is definately over rated compared to the ice in Wyoming, right. Ah ha, nice beta on de alcohal sales bro, I'll havta hit it up next time eh! Quote
W Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 We took the "easiest" line, which Dale thought a solid 5+. I just gave it PDH as I moaned my way up it. The curtain cracked through as he led it, also. BYOB over the border next time. Quote
specialed Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 WHAT! and miss out on the Old Style Pilsner. No Way. Quote
Dru Posted January 29, 2002 Author Posted January 29, 2002 Yeah N& G was making weird noises like it was going to dinner plate half pitch-high chunks as we climbed it. SCARY. I think there was an ice layer over snow over ice, and the outer crust was breaking, but was bonded to the snow underneath... it certainly encouraged one to place good screws even though the climbingwasnt that hard. Quote
512dude Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 Dru, I agree with your call on Grotto and House but only later in the season. Go try these routes earlier and you'll find they can be right on. Ice ratings are just like the drinking age in Quebec - just a suggestion. Quote
Szyjakowski Posted January 29, 2002 Posted January 29, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Dru: and what about the Rockies, man, Grotto Falls is Grade 2 not 3, same with This House of Sky. [ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Dru ] Did you make it to the very end of this house of sky??? A few years back, climbed a pitch (60' or so) that had huge mushrooms at the top that overhung way beyond any WI 2 or 3 rating for that matter...also started outa cave...the pitch was what seemed like miles above all the rambling soloable 2-3 ice...unfortunatley the daylight prevented us from ever making it to the end of that damn climb...IS there an end?? Quote
Szyjakowski Posted January 30, 2002 Posted January 30, 2002 c-man you don't work...howw many post have you done?? wheres your little seceret...it seems all the ice at mt baker is buried...and from recent lillooet photos that I saw the ice up there is finally forming up from all the early season sends Perhaps you know of a place out east..hmmmmm Quote
Dru Posted January 30, 2002 Author Posted January 30, 2002 there is no end to that climb. ever. my buddy from Calgary started climbing it 4 years ago and he just called me on his cell last week to say that he is still going! Quote
vegetablebelay Posted January 30, 2002 Posted January 30, 2002 I guess you have to do that one seige-style. Quote
Dru Posted January 30, 2002 Author Posted January 30, 2002 heli drops, and scavenging food from the packs of dead climbers you find along the way, and hunting for local wildlife... (its outside the Park Boundary ) Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 30, 2002 Posted January 30, 2002 Sorry I could not make it Work was a burden on my shoulders... I can t even climb this coming weekend either. Must move All that fat ice I know of a semi-secret climb round here maybe I can hit on sunday Quote
Dru Posted January 30, 2002 Author Posted January 30, 2002 I suggest you drive the moving van from the old cave to the new one by way of Lillooet this weekend to take advantage of primo freezing. Hell by Friday HONEYMAN might even be formed. I bought a 3-pound jug of that Honeyman honey on Sunday. mmmm "Cariboo Golden" it sounds like a strain of weed. maybe Terminal Gravity will tip the secret on how to get it to ferment and make Mead. Quote
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