AT84 Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 This is what Practice gully looked like this morning Quote
quikclimber Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 After a recon' on Wednesday I went back Friday and Saturday for two laps up the practice gully. Here are some pictures in no particular order. There were three other parties climbing it Saturday. In all, there were about 7 pitches of low angle ice and a few steeper steps. The main flow became wetter further up until it became un-climbable. Quote
geosean Posted January 7, 2015 Posted January 7, 2015 It's a little late, but we climbed the NEB on Chair on the 4th. It was just below freezing most of the time we were there. The route was in good shape, I've never been there but it seemed maybe a little thin...? The whole east face was pretty much climbable snice and verglas to about 55 degrees. P.S. if you haven't been there before (like us) the summer trail takes you almost right to the base of the climb (rather than postholeing all the way in from Source Lake. Quote
R. Ding Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 2 pitches were climbed this weekend at Millennium Wall (if anyone else has the Washington Ice Climbing book, we think it was probably the third Millennium Wall?). Thanks to Craig for finding and leading it! Quote
pnwdevin Posted January 17, 2015 Posted January 17, 2015 Climbed alpental on thursday. Lots of running water underneath the ice with very thin friable conditions. No reliable ice protection to be found on any of the flows. Quote
Nate G Posted January 20, 2015 Posted January 20, 2015 (edited) What are conditions looking like in Lillooet? Trying to decide whether to head north or go east to Banks Lake? Edited January 20, 2015 by Nate G Quote
Rafael_H Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Lillooet: https://westcoastice.wordpress.com/ Banks Lake: don't forget the rock shoes Quote
G-spotter Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 If thinking of Lillooet this weekend, might want to consider the forecast high of PLUS 12 C for both Saturday and Sunday when the warm front is forecast to roll thru http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/bc-28_metric_e.html Quote
glassgowkiss Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 Looks like shit for the next week or so. Even Marble Canyon will be above freezing for the next few days. Cache Creek is predicted to have 13C during day and 6C at night on Sunday. Quote
G-spotter Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 On the plus side snowmelt will make for fat ice when it cools down again. I hope. Quote
maurop Posted January 21, 2015 Posted January 21, 2015 I was up at rambles center yesterday, with decent conditions lower down from an inversion. Higher up it was thinner and dripping, and still looked like it was forming up. The forecast doesn't look promising for the weekend. Quote
glassgowkiss Posted February 1, 2015 Posted February 1, 2015 This is one of the worst ice seasons on the coast I can remember. Quote
Alex Posted February 1, 2015 Author Posted February 1, 2015 I agree Bob. For both skiing and climbing!! Quote
G-spotter Posted February 1, 2015 Posted February 1, 2015 I heard there were some bitching alpine climbing conditions the last few days. Now over. Quote
Buckaroo Posted February 2, 2015 Posted February 2, 2015 It's a little late, but we climbed the NEB on Chair on the 4th.... P.S. if you haven't been there before (like us) the summer trail takes you almost right to the base of the climb (rather than postholeing all the way in from Source Lake. Only because it's a low snow year. Normal winters the summer trail is a lot of avalanche hazard. Quote
glassgowkiss Posted February 2, 2015 Posted February 2, 2015 I heard there were some bitching alpine climbing conditions the last few days. Now over. Yes, I have heard. Wasted one day because a partner bailed last minute (yeah, you know who you are). And then this friggin job thing. It helps to have windows longer then 2-3 days if you are a working person. Quote
wayne Posted February 3, 2015 Posted February 3, 2015 Bob, did you hear about this? Second Ascent added 2 new photos — with Will Hinckley and Braden Downey. January 17 at 1:04pm · Edited · From the guys that brought you "Fast & Light in the Alaska Range" did it again on one of Washington's formidable beasts. Last week Will Hinckley & Braden Downey climbed what is known to be the #secondascent of the Polish Route on Colfax Peak with difficulties of run-out sections up to WI6. Will states, "It's by far the best ice line I've been on in Washington and it's definitely deserving of more traffic." Quote
genepires Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 well, at least in the long long term forecast, next winter should be "normal". http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/multi_season/13_seasonal_outlooks/color/churchill.php Quote
mmeyers Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 yeah, but here's the forecast for this season released Jan 2014 http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/archives/long_lead/gifs/2014/201401temp.gif http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/archives/long_lead/gifs/2014/201401prcp.gif not that I'm going to give up hope for next season. Quote
genepires Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 mr glass is half empty. though yes, any forecast beyond 3 days is suspect. certainly a 10 month forecast is as good as a lottery ticket. But I prefer to live in optimistic denial of reality. Quote
DPS Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 But I prefer to live in optimistic denial of reality. I think this is called a 'willing suspension of disbelief', something all PNW climbers have mastered. Quote
obwan Posted February 13, 2015 Posted February 13, 2015 Alex (and glassgowkiss) - I'm in, if there are any more winters this mild - my ice gear will last forever. Quote
Alex Posted February 14, 2015 Author Posted February 14, 2015 I haven't sold any of my ice gear or my ski gear yet. I've gotten some amazing sailboat racing days in, and some mild weather cragging days for January. Best thing about WA is that whatever the weather is, you can usually craft a plan. Quote
obwan Posted February 19, 2015 Posted February 19, 2015 Maybe we should head to the East Coast, as it looks like another Ice Age is beginning. Quote
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