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2011/12 Washington Ice Conditions


kevino

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FYI

 

I don't know if it is allowed to be climbed anymore or not, but, that little flow within the Alpental ski area (off to skier's right, just down from the top of the first chairlift) is in. Probably in WI3/3+ condition, and readily able to be protected by screws.

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Climbed the chair lift climbs on Sunday and the ice is in, though in challenging conditions. Climbed the center line which I believe is considered WI4. As for climbing it, you can climb it but it's best to check in with ski patrol if you plan on skinning up in area. Even better have a ski pass and do a couple of laps while waiting for others to climb it.

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Matt and I went to Snow Lake on Saturday... on the way here's what we saw

 

Chockstone Falls - IN

Flow Reversal - IN SUPER FAT - looks like WI 3+ or 4-

Source Lake Line - IN FAT

all the other stuff scattered all over the valley looked fat

 

At Snow Lake we climbed this thing... 50m WI-5 ... see [url:http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1055602#Post1055602]trip report here[/url]

 

Copy_of_403836_10100644172719775_27435629_51686825_693625961_n.jpg

 

421922_10100644172535145_27435629_51686824_844855178_nb.jpg

 

Edited by jstreet
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Climbed a good portion of Drury Falls on Saturday and it was pretty fat but covered in annoying snice. The first half of the approach was cruiser with snowshoes on crust and the upper half was wallowy so we ended up bailing halfway up the main flow to make it back to cross the river in daylight. This rain might have consolidated stuff more though if anyone else wants to get on it.

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Thanks for the report. How did you get across the river?

 

Climbed a good portion of Drury Falls on Saturday and it was pretty fat but covered in annoying snice. The first half of the approach was cruiser with snowshoes on crust and the upper half was wallowy so we ended up bailing halfway up the main flow to make it back to cross the river in daylight. This rain might have consolidated stuff more though if anyone else wants to get on it.
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As reported, some things were in in Ltown on Saturday. Sadly it started raining in the afternoon, and rained hard during the night and on Sunday morning. Apparently it was raining at 6000+ in the canyon. Tried to go mixed climbing on Carino, figuring at least that meant rock gear instead of screws, but couldn't justify it with how warm it was. Drove up the road to look around, and got up to where the road ends just in time to see a massive avalanche come down Hubba Hubba, maybe the biggest I've witnessed in Washington. Would have killed anything on the approach slopes above the treeline, and brought down some of the ice. Someone said that it had slid like that an hour earlier too. The first pitch looked really fat though, so hopefully it will survive the coming warm weather.

 

Drury looked a bit rain affected today. It was t shirt weather in town. Hint: think higher.

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We crossed in a canoe just upstream of the Drury Falls drainage (just up from a small island). The road is plowed a bit wider there so we pulled off and unloaded and parked a few hundred yards farther west. It was an easy paddle from one eddy to another across. Getting back the ferry angle is not so good and it looked a bit tricky so my partner brought chest waders and forded the river then hauled me across in the boat. Pretty easy and no one got wet (except the waders). Probably could have paddled it but I haven't got much whitewater experience so we played it safe.

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death picnic is still in good shape. p1 is same as three weeks ago, but p2 is MUCH more sun-affected. decent hooking, but some pockets are less stable.

 

beta tip: on this go i followed advice from wayne's TR and made the belay one tier higher. it had much better ice for an anchor, took out the steepest part of p2, made transition easier, and offered a more stable stance.

 

IMG_9887.JPG

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Friedrich on p2:

IMG_9934.JPG

 

 

"banquet" looks more "death prison camp lunch".

IMG_9898.JPG

 

 

looks like the route got some traffic in the past few weeks. if you were on it, and used my ropes (raps, aiding, whatever), please let me know. they look alright, but i need to know how much additional wear they got. thanks.

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Hubba Hubba left and right were also in pretty fat last Thursday. Right is a bit snicy with a pretty thin finish but better than I've seen it for a while. Gives you some options if you get up there with other parties. A single 60 will get you down (barely) from the left tree at the top of the right flow.

 

Pics here since google moved the "link to" option and I can't find it to embed the photo: https://picasaweb.google.com/104708573545176184583/HubbaHubba#

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Shipman, Wicheta, Flick,and I climbed a fun WI3 flow tucked up against the upstream edge of Eightmile Buttress on Saturday. Thin in spots, but pools and blobs that accepted screws. Funnel was fat on Sunday,& right hand line was as described above. Amazingly, we had the whole place to ourselves!!

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