Climbed on the 2nd flatiron Monday morning. Call the Copps was not well formed, but we still found enough (sn)ice to fill a few hours before work.

video: zclipped.com/?p=120

Yesterday, 1/8/10, Silk Road was in "okay" with less ice compared with photos on the site from 1/07. The bottom 150' was melting pretty decent. Mostly snice. Lots of smearing crampons on rock. Front point(s) took a beating. The left finish seemed fragile enough that my very experienced partner didn't hop on it. We finished right which was still challenging.

Kip on P1 fat snice. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 9, 2010

P2 looks much, much fatter than it climbed. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 9, 2010

Tom assessing the left finish. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 9, 2010

The easy, upper part of P3. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 9, 2010

We thought about giving NE face of Notchtop a run, but there appeared to be a ton of unconsolidated snow obscuring most of the ice pitches. I thought I could make out a fracture line from a recent avalanche, but it was hard to tell. In any case, we changed our plans and just hiked up Flattop for grins.

CAIC reported several avalanches in the Northern Mountains this week.

Climbed Ingram falls near To-hell-u-ride yesterday. 2 hr approach with some avy hazard to top of climb. We rappeled in and climbed out in 2 pitches. 1st pitch was very steep and brittle with poor pro. 2nd pitch was excellent quality. Classic route!

Ingram Falls. Submitted By: erik wellborn on Jan 10, 2010

Nice, E

We had a blast around Ouray & Eureka, as well.

Here's to the breezes that blows through the trees'es
& freezes the ice way past our knees'es

Has anyone been out to the short ice climbs near Moffit Tunnel?

Are they in, hows the hike?

BoCan lower falls are beat to death. I think you could leave the tools at home and still lead. Someone's funny OSHA line about the ladder is appropriate here.

Routes looked mighty thin too compared to historical pictures too.

I am going to officer's gulch this week-end.. Any one have an update on ice and avy conditions.

Martha this past Saturday was leaner than spring conditions. Little to no ice in the first two pitches, a body length on the third, none on the fourth and the finish had enough to take two screws. The snow was fun and consolidated in some areas, and a sugar, sloughing, mess in others. Still a fun outing.




To the party passed on the trail up, I owe you a six pack. Did not see you guys come up, probably for fear of being in the cross hairs. Smart move, you did not miss anything. Contact me through here for that six pack.

Third pitch. Submitted By: jbarnum on Jan 17, 2010

No ice at the start. Submitted By: jbarnum on Jan 17, 2010

Fourth pitch. Submitted By: jbarnum on Jan 17, 2010

Good climbing with you Jim.

I personally was pleasently surprised by the amount of ice we found in Martha - I wasn't expecting any. But then again I like climbing steep snow. This was my first time on the route and I thought it was lots of fun. We experianced everything from good ice, to snice, unconsolidated snow, good styrofoam, and of course lots of fourth class moves on rotten rock.




Jim enjoying good styrofoam neve on the second pitch.



Jim following the fourth pitch, which was pretty thin but loads of fun.



The "crux" pitch which offered up some decent pick placements and fun stemming moves on the rock.



Just to say we did...



Good ice-bouldering was found on the decent down the camel Couloir.


Things actually looked pretty decent up there. The second pitch on Alexander's looked good, thin above that though. Columbine and Peacock were definately in, and the Loft ice is looking pretty damn good and the bowl above it a little less threatening.

Cheers.

How was the snow in the wide part exiting Martha at the top of the couloir?

Chris,

The exit was just easy snow climbing. Plenty filled in. I dug a quick hasty-pit up there and no slab was visible, it was actually quite consolidated and the traveres and decent of the Camel Couloir was pretty painless.

Officer's Gulch - less than typical snow levels. 1" fell today.

The Shroud - in & blue.

Tony's Nightmare - in & blue.

Unnamed Gully - in & blue. Bit of upper ice.

Gordon gettin' off the couch. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 19, 2010

Gordo Bro gettin' off the couch. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 19, 2010

Wide, but high. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 19, 2010

3 Tiers. Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 19, 2010

Does it have ice? Submitted By: Leo Paik on Jan 19, 2010

Has anyone been up to, or taken a close look at N. Face of Notchtop recently. The avalanche danger has moderated for the time being, and hopefully there has been a little freeze/thaw on the crux pitch.

Any info. would be appreciated.

Timberline Falls in Loch Vale is in climbable shape. The main flow is 100' of WI3 and the right side is two bulges of about the same rating. Both can be TRed with a 70, maybe a 60 if you're more clever with anchors than we were. Nice ice, nice setting, modest approach.

Kelly Cordes was skiing up in that drainage today. You could ask him.

Dougald
coloradomountainjournal.com

Thanks Stich and Dougald!

Time to become popular with the West Slope crowd (sorry guys, but I give the the goods from the East Slope too)...

Rifle is going off (uh, no pun intended). Before going though, it's best to be solid on WI5 and ready for thin/scary/semi-detached top-outs. Ain't no TR crag.

It's OK Kevin to talk about the west slope ice as long as its in the guide books.
All the other stuff SSSHHH!!!!!!
Here's a couple pics from Rifle yesterday.

Kevin and me on Soul on Ice. Submitted By: Stephen Berwanger on Jan 24, 2010

Kevin and me on Stone Free, Ice Palace on right. Submitted By: Stephen Berwanger on Jan 24, 2010