[TR] Frenchmen's - its thin and in - 12/1/2010

[phil_tatman]

Trip: Frenchmen's - its thin and in -

 

Date: 12/1/2010

 

Trip Report:

Decided that ice climbing was more important than a college education and met up with jpark for a lap on Frenchmen's. Its lookn better than it did in the picture I took on Sunday, but the center is by no means even close to forming. We climbed the splash-form on the left side and the top is realy thin- I bottomed out a 10cm screw.

 

If you look at the top 10ish feet of the climb, notice that ice has bridged over the running water. The upper ten is feet of the climb is just a thin "cone" around the actual flow- from what I saw atleast. I put in a vthread and we rappeled ten feet from the top.

The climb its self is really fun. The slpash-form is really cool and unique. Its like shallow mushrooms with daggers hanging from the bottoms. I makes from some really cool movements on ice.

 

This is me leading:

 

one more look at it from bellow:

 

Gear Notes:

Placed 2 16s, 2 13s, and bottomed out a 10 (yikes!).

 

Approach Notes:

Park anywhere and walk to base

[phil_tatman]

Forgot that add what everything else looked like too:

 

Fugs: no ice at all

Arctic Grail: first 30ft still good, with the last 20 looking better

Red rain: still looking thin.

[iamgr8er]

nice pic. Thanks for the TR

[Craig Pope]

cool! does look bigger than Tues. looks like you climbed the right side. nice! fun fun!

[phil_tatman]

OOOps, it is the right side. Sorry guys. NO left side.

[DyP]

boo-yah.

[jpark42]

This isn't to say that the left wouldn't go. You'd just need a pair of brass big ones.

[phil_tatman]

Not to mention getting wet as well.

[dan_e]

Jpark and I climb Frenchman Falls today. We started at 0-dark-30 and geared up at the car for a quick walk in approach. Jpark noticed that a road skirts the base of the cliffs the last time he was there, this made for a speedy approach and it appears others have been doing the same.

 

We started the approach at first light. While walking in we noticed the climb was showing some signs of thinning, however the top appeared to be fully closed. The temp when we left the car was 32 degrees and it stayed that way pretty much all day. Our only concern was sun, the forecast said partly cloud so we hoped for the best.

 

I managed to climb to the first step before the sun decided to peak out and JP was doing his best to talk me out of continuing. Fortunately it was a decent spot to wait and see if the clouds would roll back in. A few quick prayers to Shiva (our ice goddess) and the clouds thickened. Fortunately the sun stayed behind the clouds for the rest of the climb. We would have bailed if the sun stayed out.

 

We belayed at the good stance about 30-40' from the top (the start of the fragile upper ice dome). I brought rock gear and I was happy to get in a tri-cam for the exit move (no chance for a screw since the ice was only 1" thick in places). A few quick moves on the rock and left of the most fragile ice led to a beautiful, thick frozen stream! Usually the top-outs in areas like this are horrendous so this was truly a delight!

 

PICS

 

Bottom of the Route

 

Lower Section - mushrooms galore!

 

Me nearing top of pitch one

 

Jpark on the Flora filled top out

 

Gear Notes: 13cm and 16cm screws (thick ice can be found). One tied of column and one red tri-cam in a pocket around 4' from the top.

 

Approach Notes: You can park on the right just as you start to see the Coulee or at the left pull-out a bit further down the road. Walk along the cliff edge until you meet the stream when it crosses under the road. Follow the road to the base of the climb (about 20 mins).

 

Descent Notes: We were in no hurry so we decided to walk off (the rappel is off a fairly stout Sage bush). Hike up the gully to the top, not far from here the road appears. Walk out on the road or along the cliff edge until the angle lessens. This is just above where that stream crosses under the road. It's actually a nice way to get back the car.

[Plaidman]

I looked at this yesterday and it looked like it was melting out. Not as fat as in the photos above.