Peter Way Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) So this weekend gone we went back up to Rainier and put another line up Nisqually Belle, WI5. The ice is still in good shape, a little bleached on the surface from the a few days of sun last week but no problems protecting it. On Sunday we went 1500 feet higher to about 8000 feet to the cliff face on the right on the Nisqually just below the bottom of the Muir Snow Field, and directly across from where the Wilson Glacier feeds into the Nisqually. This ice I have seen form up often but I've never seen any climbing history on it. We called it Nisqually Vista because of the awesome view. There is a wall of ice 150 meters across and a full pitch tall, we put a WI4+ route up it. Parts of it where very bleached out, it is in direct sun all day. There is still water running over it in a few spots so some of it is hard and fat. Sunday morning it was 15 degrees, if it stays cold up there most of the climb should stay up. By the time we where rapping down however it was hot and it became a shooting gallery. Driving out from the park Sunday afternoon I noticed someone had hiked up to Mikey's, any luck? Peter Edited February 7, 2012 by Peter Way Quote
CaleHoopes Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Awesome job, I was up there this weekend and saw that line and sure did wonder if anyone was getting on it! Damn, wish I was over there with you--- I was campin just above at Anvil Rock. Quote
Yeman Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) Sorry for the belated pictures. Approaching the Belle from Paradise. Closer The lines. We climbed the one on the left the week before. Peter leading. Experimenting with vertical V threads. Derek More ice across the glacier (upper left corner) Sunset Sunday morning approach. The Vista. Looking left. Peter leading away. The accomplice. Edited February 9, 2012 by Yeman Quote
mountainsloth Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 damn, that looks much fatter than I thought it would. looks like some great climbing. Quote
CaleHoopes Posted February 11, 2012 Posted February 11, 2012 Seriously AWESOME! I'd love to do these lines if they ever come in again. Quote
upzmtn Posted February 15, 2012 Posted February 15, 2012 That's so rad! I see those lines on the upper right of the Nisqually every year and have never had the motivation. They look way better than I'd imagined for s-facing volcano ice. Way to get after it!! Quote
lummox Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 a little bleached on the surface from the a few days of sun last week Ice melts throughout at all crystal boundaries. The "bleached" indicates air between crystals meaning poor ice cohesion and worsening structural integrity. Quote
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