The 2011-12 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

Wow - Thanks for that very informative photo of AMU, you've done the community a tremendous service!

Kevin Landolt wrote:Wow - Thanks for that very informative photo of AMU, you've done the community a tremendous service!

Vail Ice Update

An update from one of our guides...
He went and did Deep Freeze yesterday in nuclear winds. He said it was hard to stand at times. Pretty much no wallowing at all to the base, seems like the winds have stripped lots of the snow.

They climbed a long mixed pitch to the left of the usual first pitch (which is not in) then some scrambling up to the catwalk. No snow really all the way to the Deep Freeze gully. Good easy snow/ice to the start of the 2nd pitch. Also, there is no longer a fixed #1 camalot on the crux pitch.

Looked like the routes in LV are coming in nicely as well.

I was at Firehouse Vail, again yesterday afternoon and the warm temps have not helped. I did solo West Slabs, but the top was running with water and almost bare. The freestanding pillar to the right was looking very weak, chandeleery and pock-marked. However on the positive side the walls all had lots of new seepage lines I had not seen before from the snow melt. Im thinking that conditions currently favor the night or morning and a delicate touch.

The trail going to Black Lake is blocked with downed trees from the wind storm they had on the 12NOV.

Steve and I tried to get past the downed trees today 26NOV to climb at West Gully & Stoneman but turned back after an hour of wandering thru the wreckage.

Climbed North Face Notchtop yesterday. Fairly typical ice conditions for the last few years. Attached is a photo of the face and a short slide show on the day. Was in Vail last week - Pumphouse and Spiral are already hacked out and stepped even as small as they are this early. Doesn't bode well for getting them to fully form up (yea, I know, I was climbing on them too). Two weeks ago I was at Black Lake and the West Gully and Stoneman were great - Stoneman is about as big as I have ever been on it. The slabs were in but slightly on the thin side from what I could see.

Definately be ready for a pretty spicy runout without the fixed #1 at the crux of Deep Freeze, that's for sure. Scary but wildly awesome. Some other things are in around that area but I'll leave the adventure up to you.

silverplume is not in, very wet and forming, climbed it yesterday 11/26

We climbed All Mixed Up yesterday in great "Winter like" conditions. The ice offered many options. It was 6 degrees at the start of the day and didn't warmed up much with the wind. No avalanche conditions seen, but plenty of new snow. We broke trail for anyone lucky enough to follow in our footsteps before the wind covers them. First pitch is thin and dinner-plating, but takes short screws. The second pitch on the left required Alan to use some rock gear on mixed. The third pitch was thick WI 4.

Wolf Creek: Remus, Solo Romo and Sheeps clothing are all in. Alpha Male is FAT. Didn't see much climbable ice on the north side of the pass.

Vail: Rigid Designator climbed well. The fang fell out late last week but as of yesterday had about 25 ft gap that it was trying to close. Other climbs in the area looked pretty good too.

Kevin Landolt wrote:Wow - Thanks for that very informative photo of AMU, you've done the community a tremendous service!

DNF was really wet even though it was 17 degrees.

Not sure if anyone is interested, but the falls above Peacock Lake on Long's look very blue and very in. I took my partner up for her first view of the Diamond about a week ago (11/23) and was salivating at the ice. Incidentally, the ice flow below my chin started to form up. Please only use passive pro on me. =p

yes, in the sense that if you led on a 70, you'll be able to lower back down.

ozman wrote:Wolf Creek: Remus, Solo Romo and Sheeps clothing are all in. Alpha Male is FAT. Didn't see much climbable ice on the north side of the pass.

Just checking if any one knows conditions in RMNP, specifically Martha and Alexander's. Thanks.

looking for any info on avacado gully

Does anyone know if anything has formed in the Hallett Chimney?

Nik Mirhashemi wrote:Does anyone know if anything has formed in the Hallett Chimney?