This is the highest of the two largest ice routes in Big Thompson. It is a little harder than the lower falls, and usually comes in later and melts out sooner. A fun pitch, and not as crowded as the lower most of the time.
Protection
Screws.
Toprope Protection
Trees.
Location
This lies about 7 miles downhill from Mall Rd. in Estes Park. Near mile marker 72, on the south side of the river. This necessitates a potentially-hazardous river crossing.
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Feb 14, 2002
This is a wide flow perhaps with 40-50 feet of climbing with a couple trees set back about 85 feet from the base of the main climbing. Pass the lower falls (sometimes dry) on the W side on a trail. Perhaps 400 vertical feet up the drainage. Not visible from the road. There is a short 10 foot step of WI2 to get to the main flow which can be bypassed on the left. The main flow is wide enough to accomodate multiple symbiotic parties. WI2-3 lines. Never vertical. Long slings (approx 48") are useful to sling the big tree. Walk off right. Beware crossing the ice above the 10 foot step without crampons. This area is wind sheltered. Nice place for a first lead. No road noise here. Anyone know if there are other similar ice gullies downsteam above the bits of blue abutting the river?
Was up there this morning. The lowest section (WI 1-2) is melted-out. The middle and the upper are in nice shape. The middle falls are short (maybe 15') of steep (not vertical) WI 2. The upper falls are WI 2-3, depending on the line. The right hand side of the upper falls offered some nice mixed climbing past a shallow cave. A few of the lines have some short vertical sections, but the vertical sections are rarely longer than maybe 12-15 feet.
Pretty fat - maybe the biggest I've seen in a few years. Full curtain varies (small void in middle) from WI2-3. Great after-work romp. Catch it quickly though, weather forecast for this week is springlike, so it may turn to slush.
On the right side there is some crazy, ancient, ice peg thing sticking out, anyone know anything about it? It seriously looks to be about 500 years old.
The peg was there this morning, it was an old pound in ice screw, another climber there today dug it out. And yes, that thing looked even more ancient when it was out.
Big Thompson Canyon Ice
RSS Feed
