The 2011-12 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

Rob Griz wrote: Too much time at the desk on the computer, not enuf in the mountains... Here is your local translation: little snow + lots of wind= heavy snow loading on leeward aspects (where most of 10 Mile climbs lie) + human trigger= U die UNF?!

Hah! Clearly, you don't know who you're talking to!

Buck wrote:Anyone been up to Silver Plume in the last few days?

We were up there today. A little slushy baking in the sun - but a few good lines were in to play on!

Wolf Creek: eastside Chain Station-In, High Tea-In; westside Alpha Male-In

Buck wrote:Anyone been up to Silver Plume in the last few days?

Just there yesterday. It was a bit wet, water running under the ice. Not bad climbing if you are delicate.

Went up and climbed Alexander's Chimney again to un-bail.
There was much less ice this time. This is what I did to get to broadway.

Traversed Broadway to get to Keener's. Got to the Notch, then took crampons off and climbed easy terrain up and right to the summit.

Alexander's Chimney to Broadway with no ice on last pitch. Timmy Pearl photo, 2007.

I stole this photo from Timmy Pearl and drew on it.

Anyone seen CCC lately?

Anybody been in Glenwood Canyon? How does it look? Im guessing not so good... Hidden falls possibly?

Any Redstone updates? Thanks!

nothin in ccc

kdavis105 wrote:Anyone seen CCC lately?

Checked it this noon. Coors and lower pitch of Mickey's still have virtually no ice.

funkyicemonkey wrote:Anybody been in Glenwood Canyon? How does it look? Im guessing not so good... Hidden falls possibly?

I was out there today. Glenwood falls was starting to fatten up but it looks like the the warm weather has taken a toll on what was there. Hidden looks fat from the road, but the tyrolean is gone due to the high runoff last spring so take your waders.

Climbed the east face gully on the first flatiron this morning. Verrrry thin ice. The ice doesn't reach the ground, so we traversed into the gully from the right side. Bring your sharpest picks and a ropegun.

Did the Third Flatiron this morning. Ice thin but doable. Probably enough for one more day before she melts away. The face comes back into the shade around 12:15pm.

climbed avocado gully in redstone today... thin but in, ice is super sticky - read: wet, only about 8 inches wide at the top of the 2nd pitch, bomber

Laura C. Mack wrote:Has anybody seen the conditions going out to Jewell Lake, West Gully/BLS area? I was told that there was a fallen tree that was causing access issues. I guess the trail was not passable and alternate ways around were a no go as well.? An update would be greatly appreciated, or a contact with the Park Service so that it can get fixed. Thanks!

It is not so much a fallen tree as hundreds of fallen trees up to 3 feet in diameter. They start above Mills and Jewell Lake so you can still access Jewell Lake. The route is very much impassable on skis and somewhat passable on snow shoes but expect to take a lot of extra time going up there. There is no way the park service will be able to clean any of it until the spring/summer.

What do avy conditions look like around Martha/Flying Dutchman? Anyone been up there recently? The CAIC website just has a general "Moderate" for the entire front range. Any specifics are appreciated!

Robert Buswold wrote:What do avy conditions look like around Martha/Flying Dutchman? Anyone been up there recently? The CAIC website just has a general "Moderate" for the entire front range. Any specifics are appreciated!

The Chasam lake cirque is pretty dry. Went up lambs slide on Sunday, and there was decent layer of snow low down, but up higher it was either bare bulletproof snice or that with a 3" layer of old wind slab clinging to it. You could see where that slab had fractured and slid, but it looked old. We stayed away from it as much as possible, and didn't witness any active instability, but it's something to be careful of. I assume Dutchman would be the same, but since Martha is a completely different aspect, I can't speak to that.

Has anyone climbed the Fang yet?

Gandalf's Beard is nothing but snow covered rock with a tiny amount of ice on the top pitch, as of a few days ago. This climb will likely not be coming in this season unfortunately - at least not anywhere near what it normally is.

There has been a high of the low 40's the last couple of days in Ouray. Needless to say it was really t-shirt climbing weather. Ice park is open and is doing alright. Skylight area is good in parts, extremely wet in other parts. Bird Brain is "in" along with the Ribbon. Snowpack is rather interesting. I don't think I'd get on the Ribbon now but that's just me. People are still getting on it. The Talisman is not looking so good. Only the top pitch looks kind of formed. Needs to get colder.