The 2011 SOUTHWEST Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

Climbed DNF today. 1st real pitch has pretty good steps, second pitch was wet. Road was pretty good. Sundance (I think) looked good too.

Be careful out there folks. We got hit with a huge slough/"small" avalanche just below the 3rd pitch of Stairway today. Fortunately, we were well anchored and only damage was to our shorts. Had the leader been hit while run out on the lower angle sections, the outcome might not have been as good. Folks staying at the Eureka Lodge said Highway to Hell ran big last night too. First Gully ran big right after we got hit too and smaller sloughs on the other climbs on that side of the valley. Things look fairly benign but lots of wind-loading over the last few days.

South Mineral road was still drivable yesterday with an AWD crossover vehicle and some skillful driving. Suspect those climbs are getting dicey avy-wise too.

Heads up and give things a chance to settle down a bit.

Lots of stuff in around Wolf Creek. Sheeps Clothing, Alpha Male, Romulus, Remus, Tasty Freeze, High Tea area. Was on Sherman Climb on turkey day and its in great condition. Little avy danger above it and is grade 3+ and goes on and on....

Also....stopped by the Lake City ice park. He's started forming it and its smears for now, but with the good temps will be forming up quickly...

Climbed Goldrush yesterday with Alan Cook. Great conditions, lower pitch was in, I used a 10cm once but I think with careful screw placements you would be ok with 13cm screws. Upper pitches were wet and one stick swings. Thanks for the new bolts/stations

John.Morgan wrote:I have been around for a very long time

This doesn't entitle you to belittling others.

John.Morgan wrote:Ice is not rock and can change so fast.

Thus this thread.

John.Morgan wrote: Quit being so lazy and waiting for us to tell you every detail and figure things out for yourself.

Shhh. Grown ups are talking.

Cascade is in, but the ice is thin and the spring is running underneath. In spots, you penetrate through the ice entirely and hit moss/ rock underneath.

Also, the creek still runs at the foot of the routes so getting on/ off can be tricky, especially on the mixed lines to the left (bone dry). I'd give it another couple of single digit nights to form up... avoid it this weekend

Cascade ice.

Any word on how the Ouray Ice Park is forming?

They seem to be posting photos on their facebook wall. Looks like the ice is forming up nicely.

facebook.com/OurayiceparkIn…

This was posted on the ice park FB wall yesterday.

Ice park filling in nicely and scheduled to open DECEMBER 17th. See y'all at the festivities!

Ice park goodness at last year's festival.

The ice park is looking great as well as campbird is in great shape. If you don't follow the ice park on facebook you should it keeps you in the know on how it's going there.

Ice Park on Facebook

Has anybody been up in Haflin in the last few days?

Climbed at chain station area other day and Bigcicle is in fat and the mixed lines to the left are in really good. High Tea area has some ice and Big Meadows looks like its forming up good too. Treasure falls is in FAT....fattest I've seen it in a while. Other climbs around the pass are getting bigger but with all the snow we have avy danger is still iffy in spots....

Ames is in all the way to the ground and is plenty hooked out already.

P1 Ames Ice Hose.

P2 Ames Ice Hose.

Climbed Stairway to Heaven 1/8/12. Forgot "Anker" ice screwholder and an old stubby. If you are in the neighborhood and would like some beer, I would love to get it back! It's on the ridge next to the climb just above the climbers trail. It is gray with a rock on it, just above the bush in this picture (Center Left). Cheers

Stairway to Heaven.

Haflin Canyon's lower falls is in and relatively fat compared to last year. There is new webbing and a new rap ring up top. Enjoy!

I'll be looking into the upper falls soon and I'll let you guys know what sort of shape it's in.

Also, as viewed from the highway, Freed Canyon appears to be fully formed as well.

Lower Haflin with a coat of fresh powder.

Freed Canyon in Durango was nice and sticky on Friday. Put some shiny new (well new to me, but used from a bunch of you all on mountain project) screws to the test for my first waterfall ice lead :)

There's some old cordelette (it was up there last year) that you can rap off of after bringing your second up. (90 feet, WI4)

mountainproject.com/v/freed…

Freed. Thinner than last year, but most definitely in.

As usual, the Ouray Ice Park is in and fat. A month after the festival many of the routes that were detached chandeliers have now formed fun, gymnastic pillars.

Five Fort Lewis students and I shared a suite at the Best Western and ended up spending only $24 per person.
-This included a FULL HOT BREAKFAST (saves ~$10 if you're eating out)
- and a small, private HOT SPRINGS (saves you $12 off the main one in town). Nice, cheap weekend for all five of them to learn how to ice climb for the first time! I thought I'd give them a plug for how nicely we were treated and for how great the services were.

The Schoolroom is filling out nicely, and all anchors now service pure-ice routes (no need to pull difficult mixed moves to access fragile chandeliers anymore).

how's access to Freed?

i had heard there were problems w/ a neighbor there getting a little crazy about people climbing there?

-conditions post removed due to private property issues-

Sweet! Nice to see this issue ironed out somewhat. It's a great formation, and it's access shouldn't be dictated by some psycho.

Thanks for the info, Dylan.