Slip Sliding Away 

Climbed Slip Sliding Away earlier today and it was pretty good. Very warm in Ouray and at the climb, things are wet and need some cold weather. Most of Skylight area climbs are really thin. Also, Lake City is in and ready to go.

Greetings, I'm fairly certain that the FA of "Slip Sliding Away" was Kevin Donald, Duncan Ferguson and International Alpine School students the winter of 75/76. I do not remember seeing it in shape when Jeff Lowe, Kevin Donald and David Brashears did "The Skylight" in 74/75, anyway I named it after hearing the song while sitting in the Outlaw restaurant later that evening.Best wishes Kevin Donald

I believe Jeff Lowe and Kevin Donald did the first ascent of this short little climb in the winter of 1974 -75 while scouting the Ouray area for locations to run our Intenational Alpine School classes. We discovered the School Room on this trip as well. Kevin

I recommend doing this as a single, long pitch if you have enough gear and a 60m. Rope drag was not a problem and you get a nice, big, tree belay at the top. Plus, the top is in the sun after late morning.

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" video says the climb depicted is Slip-Slidin' it looks a lot more like Slippery When Wet.

This last March we also did what sounds like a new line up and left from the tree belay. Some ice formed up on a three step rock tier to above the trees. It was around WI2+ M2. The tough part was the snow field you top out on up top of the pitch. Watch for avi conditions. We rapped off of a telephone pole down the gully I believe is the optional third pitch listed above here. Super fun climbing on this 3rd pitch with some trickiness to the gear.

Anyone know route and FA info of the mixed/bolted route just right of the main ice flow. Feels about M6 WI5, chain anchor at the top. Highly recommended.