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Location: CO : Boulder : Boulder Canyon : The Bihedral Area : The Bihedral (Upper Tier) : High Hard One (5.9+)
By: Kevin Craig When: Aug 8, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: This is a good route if you want to see what 9(+) slab is like. Bolts at the top are placed at a very safe (i.e. close) distance. Nice movement: arm-stemmy-down-pressury-body-tensiony-tiny-dish-smeary. Fun! (and I don't consider myself a 9 leader). "Nice job and thanks!" to whoever equipped this route.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed
By: Kevin Craig When: Jun 21, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Was up in the Chasm Lake cirque on Sat. 6/20. The plan was to try The Window, but the 85+ degree in-town temps Fri. and lack of a hard freeze on Friday night was taking its toll on anything ice-like. Ended up doing most of Fields Chimney (mixed conditions) before rapping off as the last bit of ice was rotten, wet and poorly bonded. Bits and pieces of ice were falling on us from above all day. **IF** we were to get a couple of cold nights, the whole area would be going off, but it doesn't loo... more >>
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : Redgarden Wall : Redgarden - Tower One : Daedalus (5.5)
By: Kevin Craig When: Jun 21, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: If you climb the discontinuous crack system above and slightly right of the big tree for P3, BEWARE! There is a HUGE DEATH FLAKE on the right just above the small pine tree that is growing in the crack about 20' down from the ridge crest. This appears to be a very obvious and good "hand-hold" but is VERY LOOSE. This is the crack system to the right of the line shown for Daedalus in the beta photo. If someone pulled it off or if it came off naturally, it would probably kill anyone on any of t... more >>
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Location: CO : Alpine Rock : Chimneys of Treasure
By: Kevin Craig When: May 9, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Looking in TOPO! State Series maps for Colorado, it looks like the Wilderness boundary runs along the Treasure Mountain - Treasury Mountain ridge and the Chimneys of Treasure are north of the boundary i.e. not in the Wilderness. I could be wrong though and boundaries often change.
Appears that this whole area is part of the White River National Forest, but as we all know, there can be substantial in-holdings within NF boundaries. OTOH TOPO! does not show any large areas of mining c... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Wild Basin : Hidden Falls : Hidden Falls (main) (WI4)
By: Kevin Craig When: Mar 29, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: For anyone else who isn't quite done with ice yet, Hidden Falls main is still in good shape for leading (as of 3/29) at the standard grade. Trail is well-packed - take a left just before the second auto bridge (just before the Ranger Station)
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Telluride
By: Kevin Craig When: Feb 20, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Hiked up to the Silver Pick today. Thin (12-18" maybe) column at the bottom and about a 3" gap between the pillar and the "stalagmite" of ice at the base. No ice anywhere on any of the other "Silver" climbs in Roberts' guide. Access to lower Bear Ck Canyon appears to be problematic if we went the right way. Minimal trail w/ lots of postholing, and the creek is unfrozen so you can't walk up it. Didn't try for the upper canyon.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Ouray (Ice/Mixed)
By: Kevin Craig When: Feb 18, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Ditto on Lee's comment on the Vic. We've stayed in one of the condos there for XMas - New Years for 6 or so years now plus one or two other weekends and this was the LAST YEAR. VERY POOR customer service and the new owners/managers are VERY "casual" about dealing with any complaint - even something as serious as NO working smoke alarms in the condo; I found it in a cabinet and had to buy a battery and install it myself! No drapes in one of the bedrooms ("oh well, that window doesn't... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Silverton
By: Kevin Craig When: Jan 17, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Yesterday (1/16) P3 and part of P5 on Stairway were *pouring* water. As wet as I've ever seen it. Basically a solo. Otherwise, the climb is not nearly as fat as in past years at this time of year, but still a good romp.
P1 of Whorehouse has a big horizontal crack about 3/4 of the way up (1/17). We didn't notice it until after we rapped so obviously it's still climbable and is probably healed, but be aware. Right option for the last pitch is much thinner than a couple of weeks ago and pret... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Vail Ice
By: Kevin Craig When: Jan 7, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: From driving by on Sunday 1/4, Firehouse, Spiral Stairs and the Pumphouse all looked fat. The Dez is in but looks to have a Fang-like overhanging curtain at the top. The Fang is not connected but both halves were there.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Telluride : Ames Wall : Ames Falls (WI4)
By: Kevin Craig When: Jan 5, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: Left side of Ames Falls is in good shape for leading as of Jan 2. There's a nice ice-covered rock ledge with a tree at the bottom for the belay. Top-out is mainly rock and a tad tricky. No rock pro, but I got a good screw in pretty close to the final moves. Right side is flowing LOTS of water and not connected at the bottom.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Silverton : Eureka : Whorehouse Hoses (WI4-5)
By: Kevin Craig When: Jan 5, 2009 | view comment >> |
Comments: WHH is in good shape. P1 is 3+ on the left and 4-5 on the right; some iffy ice about halfway up and the whole curtain "bongs" for the last 20m or so, as usual. Remember, this pitch is 68m from base to bolts.
P2 is the usual walk/simul with a small hole through to the flowing water. Snow was pretty safe as of Jan 3 though it picked up 2-3 inches of fresh during our climb.
Both options for P3 are in good shape. Left option is WI3 with nice new Fixe' bolts at the top. Right opt... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Silverton : South Mineral Creek : Snowblind (WI4)
By: Kevin Craig When: Nov 24, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Just spent the last 2 days in South Mineral Creek and climbed Snowblind, Campground Couloir and Direct North Face. All were in good condition (considering the time of year and dry weather we've had) and true to the grades here. Snowblind crux requires intricate and delicate climbing for WI4, but it's all there. It's still possible to drive to the end of the road or whatever climb you'd like to do. Recommend about half your rack being 13cm screws though longer can be had if you look carefully... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice
By: Kevin Craig When: Oct 14, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Loft ice was in good shape on 10/10. WI3+ish. Used mainly 13cm but got a couple of 16s in (mostly), too. Long walk for a short climb, but hey, it's ice!
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Odessa Gorge : Notchtop & vicinity : North Face (5.7 WI3)
By: Kevin Craig When: Oct 14, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: From the trail on 10/13 appears to be mostly snow on rock - might be a bit of ice in the first steep corner but looks like that's it. Pic here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28304106@N00/2941032404/
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Location: CO : Latest On Book Signing at t...
By: Kevin Craig When: Oct 8, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: I called Neptune's today. According to the person with whom I spoke, Mr. Kor will only be signing copies of "Beyond the Vertical" and the donation is $50.
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Location: CO : Boulder : Eldorado Canyon SP : The Wind Tower : Wind Tower - SW Face : ... : Photo (Copy)
By: Kevin Craig When: Oct 6, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Note, the "To Descent" arrow at the top of the formation in this picture points the wrong way. After finishing the climbing, you want to head climber's *left* to get to the rap bolts in the 2nd or 3rd notch you come to.
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : The Selkirks : Mount Sir Donald : Northwest Ridge (5.4 X)
By: Kevin Craig When: Apr 27, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: No worries. Been looking for a good use for that photo! An amazing, classic line indeed. Thanks for adding the route and getting us started on Canada. Hopefully I'll get some more time and add Uto, a route on Austerity that I've done, and Eisenhower Tower.
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : The Selkirks
By: Kevin Craig When: Apr 26, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: The definitive and most up-to-date guidebooks for the range are "Selkirks North" and "Selkirks South" by David P. Jones. The dividing line for North & South is roughly Rogers Pass. Note that these books do not cover the Bugaboos which technically are part of the Selkirks (the Piche' guide is the ticket for the Bugs).
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Location: International : Canada : British Columbia : The Selkirks : Mount Sir Donald : Northwest Ridge (5.4 X)
By: Kevin Craig When: Apr 26, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: A correction and a couple of notes... According to "Selkirks South" by David Jones, the FA of the NW ridge was by Arthur Bartleet and Val A. Fynn on August 19, 1909. Huber, Sulzer and Cooper (porter) did the FA of the *peak* in 1890 via the SW Face. The SW Face route is no longer recommended due to extreme rockfall danger.
A has been noted many places, this is a VERY long route with no escape options other than the way you came. 2,400 vertical feet at a consistent 45 degree angle (more or... more >>
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Location: International : Canada : Alberta : Bow Valley : Chinaman's Peak aka Ha Ling... : NE Buttress (5.6 PG13)
By: Kevin Craig When: Apr 26, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: On a nice weekend day in the summer, routefinding won't be much of a problem unless you start at dawn. There will be a long line of people in front of you on every pitch of this climb! IIRC all the belays are now (mostly) double-bolted at about 25m intervals. There's a good, if steep, trail down the other side of the mountain. Bring a bandana to survive the dust on the walk back to the parking lot along the road or an attractive climbing partner to facilitate hitching a ride. :^D
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Location: CO : Colorado Springs : Red Rock Canyon Open Space : The Whale : Tempest Toast (5.7)
By: Kevin Craig When: Apr 2, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: A bit tougher and more interesting than Whale Rider. I'd give TT a 7 and WR a 6.
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Location: CO : Colorado Springs : Red Rock Canyon Open Space : Whale's Tail
By: Kevin Craig When: Apr 2, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Rock is considerably sandier/grittier/less frictiony than on The Whale especially the crux of Jason's Argonaut.
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : RMNP - Mixed/Ice : Moraine Park/Fern Lake Trai... : Jaws Falls (WI4)
By: Kevin Craig When: Feb 10, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: On 2/9 the whole right side was filled-in and well-connected at the bottom. Not much of a "mouth" to the formation at the moment - the Jaws are closed! ;^) A couple of good WI5 lines are possible with good pro. Temps were around freezing and the ice wet and plastic on the center and right side, but it stayed cloudy so not much damage to the formation overall. We re-did the v-threads at the top past the rap tree (58m from the bottom) and is probably the easiest place to belay/rap f... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Ouray (Ice/Mixed) : Camp Bird Road : Slip Sliding Away (WI4-)
By: Kevin Craig When: Feb 1, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: Second the recommendation to do it as one long pitch. There is sometimes another pitch that forms up above the tree belay. Wallow up snow to a thin lower angle gully grovel - even when there, the ice is thin and the pro tricky. The climbing is easier than the first pitch however. Worth doing if it's formed and you're there anyway. A seemingly solid dead tree on the left with slings/cord provides an anchor to rap to the initial tree belay. 2 x 60m ropes/raps.
Lastly, though the "On Ice" ... more >>
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Location: CO : CO Ice & Mixed : Silverton
By: Kevin Craig When: Jan 7, 2008 | view comment >> |
Comments: From CAIC:
"Two to three feet of heavy snow has fallen onto much of the Northern San Juan zone. Strong southwest winds are creating large drifts on north through southeast aspects. Highway crews are reporting numerous natural avalanches. Slide paths at all elevations and aspects are running, including locations that rarely slide. In addition to activity on Red Mountain Pass, Molas and Lizard Head Passes have had large amounts of natural activity. Lime Creek is filled with avalanche debris. Larg... more >>
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