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Banks LK


Paul_detrick

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yup. I soloed Devils Pbowl sunday. There is a bit coming in at Banks. Notably, The Cable is almost completely formed, and Zenith coming along nicely....

 

here are some pix, Sunday Nov 3:

 

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Devils Punchbowl

 

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Punchbowl, mid pitch

 

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Zenith

 

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The Cable

 

[ 11-03-2002, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]

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Paul,

 

Are you sure we need some water inorder for things to get fat? We havent had any water yet, and things are looking fat already...almost as fat as I have seen I in February.

 

I'm inclined to think that the ice in Banks is a result of dynamics in the ground water table that are independent from the amount of percipitation in that year. I'm no hydrologist, but perhaps the variance we see in the amount of ice from year to year has more to do with water stored in the water table from whenever...be it last year, or 100 years ago. Maybe it has more to do with how much farmers in the area have been irrigating throught the summer.

 

It seems to me that what we need for the ice to continue growing are high preasure (cold) weather systems rather than low preasure systems that bring lots of precip, and warmer temps. pehaps consistant cold/dry weather contributes to the "fattness" of the ice more than than wet weather systems with fluctuating temps.

 

Of course the opposite would be true for ice climbs that from from freeze thaw surface water cycles.

 

This is an interesting topic, I've allways wondered why draught years have produced some of the best ice conditions in areas like Hyalite canyon, and Banks.

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As a hydrologist I say you need to know the recharge and discharge rates of your aquifer to determine what effect climactic conditions will have on groundwater seepage rates.

 

Radioisotope testing to determine average age of discharged water would be the simplest way to find out. [You could test oxygen ratio or tritium decay - then again if Banks is anywhere near Hanford your results could be skewed [laf] ]]

 

[ 11-04-2002, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: Dru ]

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Lambone, thats actually an easy one. Most Banks Lake climbs are spring fed, so you are right about the very recent conditions not being critical. Cold temps are a must, though, since the climbs face West, not North, and see sun in the afternoon.

 

Most columbia basin climbs are still surface water flows though, so things like Champagne need desert snow to form.

 

Contrast the spring fed nature of Banks to strobach, (which I have also tried in early season) where most climbs are meltwater fed. A dry year like this means not much happens up there, even though its at 4500 ft, N facing, and in the shade all day. Without snow that stuff is just anemic.

 

In the cascades now, its so dry that anything other than a perennial stream wont form. Limits one to things like Alpental and Drury in dry years. Has to get colder for those perennial streams to form too, since the volume is usually too much to freeze in just 2 weeks...

 

Alex

 

[ 11-04-2002, 07:29 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]

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Thanks everyone, keep the reports coming.

I'll do the same.

 

These ice topics have been a breath of fresh air, reminiscent of the early days of this site. Perhaps the non-climbing sprayers just haven't found them yet?

 

Anybody seen the condition of the broad ice wall or the gully ice pitch off to the side of the muir snowfeild at about 9,200 ft. lately ? They always get water. [big Drink]

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quote:

Originally posted by Jens:

Thanks everyone, keep the reports coming.

I'll do the same.

 

These ice topics have been a breath of fresh air, reminiscent of the early days of this site. Perhaps the non-climbing sprayers just haven't found them yet?

 

Anybody seen the condition of the broad ice wall or the gully ice pitch off to the side of the muir snowfeild at about 9,200 ft. lately ? They always get water.
[big Drink]

Dude you can't mention non-climbing spray and muir in the same breath... what are you trying to do, tempt people? [laf]

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I must confess I don't know shit about the water table around banks lk. But I do know( from past years) what we need when I drive thru there. There is not as much water coming off all the routes as in past years, drauht or something else I don't know. This is the earlyist I have seen Ice form, at least to the size it is now. Pray for the cold to stick around and we could have a great season.

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The recent temps on the east side have either nudged, or in some cases set records for low temps this early. This is why the spring fed desert 'cicles are forming early. Drury looks patchy from the road, but historically, it very rarely comes into condition before December. If it stays cold another week or two, this could be one of those very few Novembers when it comes in. We've had single-digit lows in the cold-sink canyons around der Worth for the past week. It has been my experience that we get quicker ice formation when it warms into the teens and snows a lot...

if it should stay cold, keep an eye on the Entiat canyon, and Tyee Falls (good permanent flow, north facing protected hollow)

 

[ 11-05-2002, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: haireball ]

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yeah all two routes at banks should be killer!!!!

 

[laf][laf][laf]

 

i am counting like 6 people headed over.....

 

6 people x 180ft of ice(excluding death cicles) = a chopped down flow....and pissed off selfish locals......

 

+

 

one route formed well enough for more then one party to climb

 

+

 

4 hours of driving

 

+

 

not easy free camping and or hotel expense

 

=

 

one laughable weekend at banks!!!

 

bring your quick draws and boldering pad too!!!

 

ya gonna get bored quick!

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quote:

Originally posted by erik:

yeah all two routes at banks should be killer!!!!

 

[laf][laf][laf]

 

i am counting like 6 people headed over.....

 

6 people x 180ft of ice(excluding death cicles) = a chopped down flow....and pissed off selfish locals......

 

+

 

one route formed well enough for more then one party to climb

 

+

 

4 hours of driving

 

+

 

not easy free camping and or hotel expense

 

=

 

one laughable weekend at banks!!!

 

bring your quick draws and boldering pad too!!!

 

ya gonna get bored quick!

Ditto exactly

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quote:

Originally posted by thelawgoddess:

yeah; better stay away from banks lake. go get lost.
[Roll Eyes][Razz]

k, then.......they are steep and thin......i would rather rock climb, then climb on choss ice.............correct me ice guys.....but there are not too many moderates out there are?? last time we were over bashing, the moderate ran out fast....and ya had to sack it up for some reall fun stuff......

 

u will see me on the big blue soon enough......

 

have fun and bring your draws and crashpad.........and your helmet.....

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quote:

Originally posted by erik:

k, then.......they are steep and thin......i would rather rock climb, then climb on choss ice.............correct me ice guys.....but there are not too many moderates out there are??

steep and thin sounds fun ... on tr. one word: ropegun. [big Grin]

 

[ 11-05-2002, 11:39 AM: Message edited by: iceguy ]

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quote:

Originally posted by thelawgoddess:

quote:

Originally posted by erik:

k, then.......they are steep and thin......i would rather rock climb, then climb on choss ice.............correct me ice guys.....but there are not too many moderates out there are??

steep and thin sounds fun ... on tr. one word: ropegun.
[big Grin]
ice aint shit unless u lead......

 

i havent been climbin ice that long....(5 years??) and i have already watched two people deck out at banks......and almost had the same fate myself.......

 

ditto ray....

 

dont chop down the baby ice, you will not give the rest of us anything to climb when it is safe.....

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quote:

Originally posted by erik:

quote:

Originally posted by thelawgoddess:

yeah; better stay away from banks lake. go get lost.
[Roll Eyes][Razz]

k, then.......they are steep and thin......i would rather rock climb, then climb on choss ice.............correct me ice guys.....but there are not too many moderates out there are?? last time we were over bashing, the moderate ran out fast....and ya had to sack it up for some reall fun stuff......

 

u will see me on the big blue soon enough......

 

have fun and bring your draws and crashpad.........and your helmet.....

If I bagged a trip every time there was a concern about volume of people I'd never go climbing, Its the way of the world now.

 

BTW, I'm not the only one going so back off all you haters. I'm climbing with a friend that can lead the harder shit, and beside I just want to scope out the area.

 

So if you can think of a better place to go Ice climbing fill me in......

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