Classic 100 ft ice flow below Notchtop. I've heard that this flow can be twice as wide as it is tall. There is a photo where it is even wider. It can also be anemic, perhaps more so in early to mid-winter. Avalanche conditions can exist.
Park at Bear Lake. Hike toward Lake Helene/Notchtop. Go past and R of Lake Helene. Can be windscoured. Traverse right and down to exit.
Climbed at Grace falls on 1/12/03. The main column is in with some mixed terrain on either side. The area had about 8" of new snow on top of boilerplate. Snow was falling in the pm. Generally high slide conditions. The Odessa Wall is not in yet. The curtain is close to closing on the left side. Large wind loaded snow bowl above the formation. The left side of Guide Wall is in and fat. Right side curtain hasn't closed yet.
On 2/16 we hiked in to Notchtop are and scoped things out. Hot Doggies is big as is the flow to the right. Grace Falls is narrow and thin. We didnt feel it was worth the extra hike up. Guides Wall and Odessa Wall have some ice that could make for exciting leads.
In my opinion, this route is not in good shape right now (23 Jan 07). Climbable? Sure. Safe? Probably Not. I tried to lead it and got about 1/2 or 2/3 up and decided the thin, brittle, aerated, poorly bonded ice and lack of good pro was not worth the risk. So, I bailed off a sling wrapped around a hollow sounding 9 inch pillar - scary! Most of the route was only a few inches thick. Does anyone know when this route normally forms up? We were surprised to find it so thin at this time of year.
Since I've been here ('99), it seems that Hot Doggies, Guide's Wall, and Grace Falls come into shape more in late winter/ early spring. March or April when there is more water flow over the falls seems to make the difference for Grace.
Hot Doggies and New Beginnings can come in during the fall or spring melt/freeze cycles - similar exposure and formation to the Squid and Calamari over on Flattop.
Notchtop & vicinity
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