Photographer is Bruce Hunter. Climber on the left...
Description
This is quite a nice little creation in the lower Ice Park. A fun TR or a decent lead if the ice is solid on the hanging pillar. Vertical, technical, sustained, quality. Find this gem downstream from the lower bridge of the Ouray Ice Park. It is easily viewed from the metal viewing platform below the bridge on the E side of the canyon. To TR, walk down past the trees above Popsicle to the next bulge of ice, perhaps 80 feet beyond Popsicle and its big tree. It is upstream from the 5 mph sign. To lead this, hike down the path downhill from the viewing platform and find this hanging ice above a rock face halfway up the wall. Or rap in.
Do not mistake this for the wavy, overhanging crack (no bolts) of Super Dave, tricky M7+, just upstream on the next rock face.
From the bottom of the canyon, climb an easier bit of ice to a great ledge at the base of a short rock face with a vertical, cracked system (and 4 bolts), then pull on small edges, a few decent pick slots, and then reach R to the hanging ice. This is the middle line of bolts on this cliff. A bolt lies tucked in just behind a bit of ice on the R. Pull on to the ice creating a short overlap/overhang. Then move up vertical ice for perhaps 20 feet to the top. Save a bit of gas for the top bit of ice. Much easier top with the hooks created by traffic. Pinkpointing probably shaves a bit of difficulty. 90 feet. Fun, fun, fun. A treat.
Oh yeah, if you are going to lead this one and are setting up from below, beware that there is a pool of water with thin ice. Peter & Lisa watched someone go in to his waist just before he hopped on to this route.
By Jason Nelson From: Ouray, CO Nov 17, 2004 rating: 5.11c
This route has more like 6-7 bolts (when they're not being covered by ice). A great introduction to mixed climbing as the pick placements are quite positive. This route is great even without any ice (starting from the ledge). I've climbed this as a pure rock route as well (without crampons and tools) and it's about 5.11+. The route to the climbers right on the same wall is Seamstress (M9ish).
It seems there is some confusion on this website as to which mixed route is which. There are 3 closely spaced bolt lines on this buttress. Somebody with more experience in the Park please comment to clean this up- thanks.
1. Tic Tac: It is my understanding that Tic Tac is the middle line. It starts with a very easy ice ramp to a stance. Then, begin with a couple bolts with perfect pick placements that my grandma could hang, then reach a small overlap which is flanked on the right by some thinnish ice. With ice maybe M6, without ice at top M7ish.
2. Seamstress: To the right of Tic Tac a few meters. Never done it. The pictures posted under Seamstress are actually Tic Tac?
3. Other route left of Tic Tac: Never done it. What is it? A nice iced up corner with some bolts a few meters left of Tic Tac.
Tictac is the center line here. The line on the left was added about 3 or 4 years ago. It is only around M6 or so, but I found it a bit more technical with tool placments then Tic Tac. There is a Steinpull and some other weird stuff in the middle of the climb.
Seamstress is on the right. The photo on this page above shows climbers on Tic Tac (L) and Seamstress (R). Seamstress is a great climb. If you are not a bad ass, it takes somme beta work as you do a lot of hooking on small niches that are hard to see from below them. Great techincal tooling and foot work.
By Jason Nelson From: Ouray, CO Feb 12, 2009 rating: 5.11c
The route to the left of Tic Tac was put up by Mark Miller last year (early 2008) and is called Circling Vultures. It's in the same grade range as Tic Tac. The name is derived from people getting ready to climb the route while Mark was putting the last of the bolts in.
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