By randy88fj62
Mar 5, 2012
| Hi everyone,
I’ve been ice climbing on top rope this season in Lee Vining. I’m looking to use these skills and try some routes in the Sierra that require ice tools. My background is 4 years of beginner to intermediate trad. The hardest route I have done in the Sierra is the Swiss Arete on Mount Sill last year. I currently lead up to 5.9 (i.e. Superslide in Yosemite and Calculus Crack in Squamish.) I live in LA and I have no vacation time so no long weekends at the moment. I welcome route suggestions and any other advice on working my way into ice climbing. All my training in the different disciplines of climbing is for mountaineering. I love peak bagging via fifth class routes. | 
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By FrankPS
From Atascadero, CA
Mar 5, 2012
| The book, "Climbing California's High Sierra" (Moynier and Fidler) has many classics, some involving alpine ice. A couple of day trips would be Dana couloir and the North Peak couloir - both alpine ice. Check out the book. |
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By ALH
Mar 6, 2012
| I know a few. North Palisade U and V notches. Mt. Mendel coulior (spelling) was the best in the Sierras BITD, 60 deg ice if it has not melted. |
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By Cory
From Boise, ID
Mar 6, 2012
| Wow that looks like a cool book! I didn't know it existed!
One more route to consider: Feather Couloir
It's several pitches of low angle ice that would be a good choice if you're just getting into leading the stuff . . . and the summit view is incredible! |
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By J. Albers
From Colorado
Mar 6, 2012
| Cory wrote: Wow that looks like a cool book! I didn't know it existed!
Yeah Cory, it is a really cool book. And the author, SP Parker, is a real nice guy and a long time Sierra guide, so buying his book helps support the dissemination of useful information all year (ice reports and such...I usually try and keep in touch with them over the summer and trade condition information with Sierra Mtn. Center which he operates). |
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By randy88fj62
Mar 7, 2012
| J. Albers wrote: Yeah Cory, it is a really cool book. And the author, SP Parker, is a real nice guy and a long time Sierra guide, so buying his book helps support the dissemination of useful information all year (ice reports and such...I usually try and keep in touch with them over the summer and trade condition information with Sierra Mtn. Center which he operates).
Funny that you mention SP. I just took his avi course a month ago. I'll have to pick up the book now. |
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By Dobson
From Butte, MT
Mar 7, 2012
| Ice Nine on Mendel is a great route that had enough ice last year to be fun. I wouldn't recommend it until you get a few more years of ice leading under your belt, though. The climbing isn't technically difficult, but you need to be prepared for things to be funky. I had a surprisingly hard time leading the 5.7? WI2 pitch, and I'm usually comfortable leading 5.10 WI5 in the winter. |
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By jack s.
From Kamloops, BC
Mar 7, 2012
| You should absolutely hop on U notch in September. It would be a good place to hone your skills a bit. The route is fun, easy, but does ice up a bit in late season. Be sure to run it out in the couloir to avoid taking 23 hours to climb it. |
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By George Bell
From Boulder, CO
Mar 7, 2012
| The Dana Couloir is fun and has a short approach. It doesn't seem to be listed as a climb on MtnProj. Approach is from Tioga Lake. |
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By Guy Keesee
Mar 10, 2012
| Go climb Diamond Peak... Its a good weekend climb. This year is pretty thin, but this is a great spring climb.....Not really water ice climbing but steep snow 45-50 degree. You only need the tools so you can travel light. Saturday approach, dawn start on one of the snow chutes on the east face a little rock scrambling to the summit. The setting is really fine at the summit. You can easily get back to car by late afternoon.
Have fun. |
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