Lambone Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 I went up to Crystal (first time up there) to get some freshies today and noticed some potential for good ice right off the road. It was on Highway 410 about 1-2 miles past The Dalles Campground, and about 4-5 miles before the turn off for Crystal. There are some obvious steep slabs directly across the river that you can easily see through a clearing in the trees. Looks like you'd have to ford the river to get over there... Anyway, there is some ice, but it didn't look climbable now. It had just the right amount of running water to produce some wide 50m 3+(ish) flows and some steep pillars tucked in gullies and trees. Looks like there would be a good amount of ice there if it were only cold enough... This assesment was made in about 30 seconds while driving past at 50 miles an hour. Does anyone have more info on this spot? To anyones knowledge has it ever come in?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 Are you referring to the climbs near what I believe was the girl scout camp? The left-hand of the two has a waterfall in a corner system, and the right-hand is a smoother wall, directly facing the river. They are two long or three short pitches high. I haven't seen them come in for a few years, though I don't drive up that road much in the winter. In years past, they used to form at least once a year and in the early 80's there was a front page newspaper story about a body recovery there, with a huge picture and a rescue leader saying that the falling ice was more dangerous than any of the fire he'd taken in 'Nam. In about 1983, I climbed the right-hand one, with a climber named Steve Mascioli who died on Mt. Hunter a few years back (anybody know him?). It was probably about WI 3+, a little thin at the top where a hanging cedar branch drooped just low enough so we didn't need to do any dry-tooling. And yes, the river crossing was a ford. It was a cold day and I didn't recover feeling in my toes until a pitch up the climb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 I am going to set up some topropes on it next time Lammy drops around. Then I can drop a coil down on him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 dkookum falls like mattp said only forms rarely and even moe rare solid enough for it to climb.... you can either ford the river(we did) or you can park at trhe dalles campgroiund and hike up the trail back to it(long). the biggest problem with the area is that it is about 1000-1500ft anove sea level so good luck in trying to catch it unless you live up there. we got a call from a friend who lived in greenwater and worked at crystal......its fun, but not worth much effort cause 90% of it will be wasted.... crystal rulz though doesn't it bone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted January 28, 2002 Author Share Posted January 28, 2002 Yeah, thats kinda what I figured...oh well. And yes, Crystal kicks ass...for a Washington ski aea that is. Got a couple runs of waist deep fluff, the rest of the day was spent hanging out on the groomers with my lady...it'll be worth it someday, by the rate shes learning she'll be better than me by next season! Caveman,Alex Lowe once threw a coil on my head without yelling rope first. If you could do it then you'd only have two degrees of seperation between you and "the mutant." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 A brown coil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Parker Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 I've climbed just about everything there at least once. They are awsome routes. I have photos somewhere. There was a great freeze around Christmas in 1990 and they also formed the next year too. They usually only last a few days and need a good long cold week to form. I always keep my eyes peeled, but it's been quite a few years. Getting across the river is one of the cruxes! We duct taped our gaitors and ran across a shollow section using ski poles for balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_Martin Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 Skookum Falls can be seen across the river 8.2 miles east of Greenwater on Highway 410. One may access these climbs without getting wet via Road 73 which can be found about 6.2 miles east of Greenwater. Drive 73 a short distance across the river and park at the Skookum Falls trailhead, trail #1194. With a updated map of the logging roads in the area one may be able to get within a few hundred yards of the top of the falls and rappel down them. Unfortunately many of these roads have gates on them. Three falls make up the Skookum Falls area. The furthest to the left is a high volume waterfall and seldom freezes solid. However the two falls to the right have a much lower volume and freeze during cold snaps. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 Until Mr. Parker comes up with a better image, here it is (sorry for the poor quality): [ 01-28-2002: Message edited by: mattp ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted January 29, 2002 Author Share Posted January 29, 2002 Yup thats the one, there is about half as much ice there now, and lots of running water. I don't see how someone could get two long pitches out of that... There also looked to be something cool to the left tucked back in the trees. I caught a glimpse of some kinda pillar that looked fun, couldn't see the lower portion though. Anyway, cool...its allways fun to spot unfamilair ice...and its one more reason to go back to Crystal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertm Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 On a related note: Has anyone seen the pillar that forms above the Nisqually glacier bridge on the way to Paradise? Its hard to say how long it is but it looks like a full pitch and fairly hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_Martin Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 There are three routes above the bridge near Paradise. The first lowest on the right is a two pitch 3+, the route left of that is a 5, and up the gully on the rocks below the Muir snowfield below Obseravation Point there is ice with a number of variations... However this last is a long approach whichever way you look at it. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Parker Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 Originally posted by Lambone:I don't see how someone could get two long pitches out of that... If you notice, the ice goes all the way down behind the trees. Two pitches for sure. There also looked to be something cool to the left tucked back in the trees. I caught a glimpse of some kinda pillar that looked fun, couldn't see the lower portion though. Not in this photo but further left and not connected to this patch of ice is a climb that goes up into a gully like formation. It's fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_Martin Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 They're short pitches. The route is about two hundred and twenty feet. I'm reffering to the routes above the bridge near Paradise. Jason [ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Jason Martin ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 Here's the flows on the escarpment above the Nisqually River (another poor image, I'm afraid). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted January 29, 2002 Author Share Posted January 29, 2002 A friend of mine climbed one of those earlier this season. He said it was a scary slush fest. They look cool in that pic though...can you see them from the road? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 That picture was taken from the Nisqually River bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted January 29, 2002 Author Share Posted January 29, 2002 It looks kinda south facing...dat true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted January 29, 2002 Share Posted January 29, 2002 It faces NW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 30, 2002 Share Posted January 30, 2002 sounds like you need to get out more, 'bone! [ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Alex ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted January 30, 2002 Author Share Posted January 30, 2002 Yeah...whats your point. Don't we all. [ 02-01-2002: Message edited by: Lambone ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djd Posted February 2, 2002 Share Posted February 2, 2002 About those flows on the escarpment above the Nisqually River, I climbed some of them in the late 70's and or early 80's and from what I can remember, they were always very thin, crappy ice and the 'trip' back to the truck was a pain... I also did some stuff on the flows near Crystal long ago. Again, sketchy stuff. I think partly the reason I don't have fond memories for this area, is because I lost a friend in the area a long time ago.... Be carefull if you go and good luck. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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