The Black Dike is perhaps New England's most famous ice climb. For many a winter climber, an ascent of the Dike is a highlight of a season. From the parking lot, locate the obvious, sinuous line of ice up the deep cleft to the right of the Whitney Gilman Ridge. The Black Dike climbs this ice for three long pitches to the top of the cliff.
The approach is the same as for the WG Ridge, though expect it to take much longer if the talus is snow covered. At the WG Ridge, ascend the snowfield to the base of the ice. Belay here. Take your packs with you because the descent does not go back to the base.
Pitch one: This pitch is long, low angled, and sometimes lacking in protection. Climb thin ice, interspersed with snow patches, to a belay off of screws to the right of the famous (or infamous?) rock traverse.
Pitch two: The crux pitch. From the belay, climb up, place a screw, and head directly across the rock traverse. This traverse would be trivial without snow covering the ledges. However, the insecure dry tooling and snow-covered ledges make this traverse exciting. Sometimes, it's possible to bypass the traverse when ice forms straight down the runnel. This would require a lower belay station after pitch one, however.
After the traverse, head up on the ice runnel, past a fixed pin. Though it looks steep and ominous from the ground, this section offers pretty friendly climbing as it is possible to climb the ice, stem off the rock, chimney, or do a combination of the three. Belay off screws at a comfortable stance.
Pitch three: Climb up much thicker ice to the top of the cliff. This pitch tends to be much more moderate than the previous two.
At the top of the cliff, head up and left into the woods along a well traveled trail. This is the same descent for the WG Ridge.
Protection
Short screws, nuts, midsized cams, and maybe some pins.
Although rates WI 5, the Black Dike is a moderate ice climb over interesting and technically varied terrain. The first pitch is an easy, snowy slope that does not protect well. The second pitch involves a traverse up and left into the main tongue of ice that forms the upper section of the climb. In fat years, the ice comes down and the traverse is trivial. In thin condition, the traverse is more challenging. Once the ice is gained, the route moves up to ever thicker and broader flows. The third and final pitch ascends a couple of short vertical tiers.
By Jay Knower Administrator From: Plymouth, NH Feb 11, 2007
Zach and Lee, I resubmitted the route description. I climbed it the other day. Freezing cold. Bitter wind. Brittle ice. It was awesome.
Thanks Jay, much better.... Now I gotta get up there sometime....
By Artem Lebedev From: Plainsboro, NJ Mar 2, 2009 rating: 5.6 WI3-4 M1-2 PG13
In fat conditions, like we encountered, it's barely WI4. There were two really vertical sections, both about 15 feet long (one right after rock traverse, and one on the second pitch). The rest of the climb is not more then 80 degrees - scary looking, but you put pro from good stances. It might be more demanding in thinner conditions, but what we saw was not “sustained WI4-5”.
Agree with Artem. We did it the day after you guys and the first pitch felt like WI2, second WI4-, third WI3. Very short rock traverse. Climbing Dike can really change depending on conditions. Four years ago it was much thinner and half of the second pitch was climbing on rock.
I think you should understand why the WI5 rating was regarded. I placed a few of the pins on it in 83 on a really thin to no ice day with the temperature nearly at zero. The dike was rated WI5 because matured ice climbers didn't want the inexperienced WI3-4 climbers risking their lives on this climb. The weather can change in a 1/2 an hour from nice to severe. I do understand your rating I have climbed this route in three different forms but to let it go as a causal climb is a joke. A rattle snake is a casual snake until you come to close to it. What you might hear rattling on Cannon is your bones when things begin to go wrong. It might be casual on as particular day but in reality doing any climb on Cannon in the winter isn't casual and never will be. Casual approach to climbing on Cannon is asking for it to change your mind and quite possibly frostbite your toes and hands. my opinion or from the peanut gallery a peanut for you elephants to chew on.
By Jay Knower Administrator From: Plymouth, NH Aug 27, 2009
bradley white wrote:
A rattle snake is a casual snake until you come to close to it.
This is a such a good way to describe the Black Dike.
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