Alpental ice conditions

[Z-Man]

Anybody been up to Alpental and seen the ice drip lately? How's it look?

[fleblebleb]

Mighty drippy?

[eric8]

which one? you talking about the one off the ski run. I don't know about that one.

I was up there a week ago and there was a couple somewhat decent spots more or less off the source lake trail. Most everything I saw had running water been hide it though and the freezing level is around 10,000 feet right now. i would say its probably mightly drippy right now

Edited January 7, 2003 by eric8

[JoshK]

I think I'll probably be up there tomorrow some time. If I do go, I'll post a report.

[Alex]

I was in the valley yesterday, here's what I saw

 

Alpental Falls (1) only 1st pitch formed, second forming and spitting. Alpental 3&4 in and thin/fun WI2 bouldering. To the left of the large drainage where these climbs form, in the woods, I found a 30ft wall of thin ice that might be fun to toprope if you are in the area (but dont make the trip for it!). Its at the same elevation as Alp4, 100 yrds left in mature timber.

"NW Ice Couloir" (??) is in, some people did it yesterday and said it was fun.

 

Its been mighty warm this year.

[Kevin_Runolfson]

I was up today, however I don't know the names to any of the areas. (First winter here.) Where are the different climbs? I passed one climb about a quarter mile in on the Snow Lake trail up off to the left. The route was covered in about a foot of snow so it was tough to see the ice. Found that a lot of it was still very wet and slushy.

[jja]

Alex,

I can never figure out which name matches which ice , I guess I'll wait till the book comes out in Sep.

 

I took this picture on 1/11/03 it's in a cliff band below the east face of chair at the top of the avi slopes that spill down into the source lake area. Does this thing have a name? From a distance it looked like it might go, and that the hidden ramp on the right might be iced up too.

 

-john

 

 

[fleblebleb]

I also don't have any idea which name goes with each drip, but I was up there today and saw stuff that is forming nicely. There was a party of three playing at one spot, they had led and placed screws but told me the ice felt wet and soft.

 

[Alex]

Kevin, likely that was Kiddy Cliff, its fairly climbable after you kick off all the snow off the top. Its usually well trafficked throughout the winter since its on the approach to Source Lake.

 

John, yes, thats Source Lake Line for lack of a better name. FA unknown (but I think I know who first climbed the 5 - it wasnt me) but its been climbed by both its variations: the nasty looking death pillar straight up can come in a little better, at solid scary WI5, while the ramp going up and right is usually a 3 to a belay, then the snow ramp to the final WI3+ or so final curtain. There should be a good pic in the guide when it comes out.

[Ade]

I didn't go an inspect any of the ice up close but there was still a lot of running water to be heard yesterday. I suspect they're a mite wet, but there is ice there if you want to "have at it".