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The 2011-12 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

Brian Tessier · · Lakehood, Colorado · Joined Dec 2003 · Points: 295

CCC routes are hammered.

Chris Sheridan · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 1,698

My friend and I climbed the Silk Road yesterday. Pretty good ice all the way up to the ledge where you meet up with the direct east face route. We continued up to the summit with the aid of a hand broom to sweep off the footholds.

Lets all please be mindful of crampon scratch marks once you've joined the direct east face. My friend led the pitch to the summit ridge with crampons on, being very careful to minimize the scratching. With the benefit of a top rope, I then followed the pitch without crampons, slipping on several occasions, but at least doing what I could to minimize our impact. We both went without crampons from that point on.

Chris Plesko · · Westminster, CO · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 485

Agreed Chris. We took our pons off at the ridge last year. Obviously this is conditions dependent but scratches are visible if you know where to look.

Anthony Arena · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 200

Having been off MP for a while, figured I'd jump back in with some sort of contribution! Hit up Hidden Falls in the park for some solo practice yesterday and it was VERY fat. Mixed line was filling in on the right and the small flow to the left is also very in. Went up to Rollinsville today and the north side flow was a bit brittle but fat as well.

Hidden Falls Left Flow, RMNP.

Hidden Falls Main Flow, RMNP.

North Side Flow, Moffat Tunnel.

Gordon Laurens · · Longmont, CO · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 55

Climbed on Grace falls in RMNP on Sunday. The falls are huge this year with everything from WI3 to hard WI4+. We approached the falls from the left side . The slope below the main falls is solid, but up and to the left there has been a slide as can be seen in the photo.

Grace Falls.

Hotdoggie is also in great shape.
Hot Doggie.

Tyler Vaughan · · Glenwood Springs, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 225

Found quickdraw up at Haflin Creek in Durango. It has a sharpie "DW" written on the sling. PM me if you want it back

ozman · · CO / NM · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 510
TylerVaughan wrote:Found quickdraw up at Haflin Creek in Durango. It has a sharpie "DW" written on the sling. PM me if you want it back
Upper Haflin or lower? I want to get on upper Haflin, but it hasn't been in that I've seen.
Andrew Mayer · · Driggs, ID · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 131

anymore climbed Martha couloir recently or know how much snow has fallen up there in the last week or so? thanks

jmeizis · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 230

I'm also curious about Martha. I'll be heading up there next week so can report back then but wondered if it was still more snow than ice since there have been a couple snow events and it hasn't been too warm in Estes.

Also wanted some beta on a ski descent. I've been in the Chasm View/Long's Peak area plenty but not up Lady Washington. In the NP webcam it appears to have snow on it but I don't know how good it would be for a descent. Is it pretty continuous or mostly rocky? The terrain seems like it might get pretty wind hammered (it is The Park after all). The angle looks pretty mellow but specifics would be nice given the snow pack. The climbing is pretty easy but how is it in ski boots carrying skis?

Andrew Mayer · · Driggs, ID · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 131

Climbed martha yesterday. Predominately soft, deep snow and rock. Very little ice.

jmeizis - there is not enough snow to ski the north or east faces of mt. lady washington. camel couloir on the southwest face might be filled in, but I don't know.

Stephen Marsh · · Thornton, CO · Joined Apr 2005 · Points: 150

Went to the base of Jaws today. While it looked good from the trail,once at the base you saw just how wet and thin it was. There was a constant barrage of ice chunks from above that ranged to both sides of the falls. We did not feel it would be safe to climb or even to stand at the base. We got there before 9am.

Jaws

Dylan Weldin · · Ramstein, DE · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 1,715
TylerVaughan wrote:Found quickdraw up at Haflin Creek in Durango. It has a sharpie "DW" written on the sling. PM me if you want it back
Hey Tyler,

Didn't realize I was missing one but I've been up in Haflin lately and I have written "DW" in sharpie on all my draws... Is it a black diamond with a hotwire wiregate on one end and some sort of keylock biner on the other? Blue sharpie DW?

Thanks for posting up!
funkyicemonkey · · Colorado · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

Redstone - Avacado is better than it was, 1st pitch still way harder than WI3, the ice is a bit thin on the first pitch but the crux can be protected by a 2 1/2 cam low and right. Second pitch is Terrific. Drool is superbe, but getting beaten up.

David Sweet · · Silver City, NM · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 430

Got on the ice in CCC yesterday and it is getting better. A little spase, a little hacked out, a little drippy in places but definitely climbable. It seems like the warm days are allowing some flow and the cold nights are freezing it up. It's tepmting to admonish people to stay off it till it fills in more but in reality, if you're in metro Denver with limited time it really is your best option. Probably better advice is "Get it while you can".

Dave Dunlap leading pitch one of "Mickey's".

Dave Dunlap solo at the top of "Mickey's". There wasn't enough ice to protect, so this was the best option. "Coors Lite" is in all the way to the top.

Jason Killgore · · boulder, co · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 165

Flatirons were great last week, but sadly that ship has sailed by now.

youtu.be/46t5-1MJZBE

erik wellborn · · manitou springs · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 355

Phil Wortmann and I took advantage of a brief window of sunny, calm weather and made a ascent of Brain Freeze in RMNP last weekend . Route had scraps of ice on every pitch but was mostly steep snow and mixed at M5 or so.I imagine things will fatten up a bit later in the season. Some avi hazard on the approach slopes and descent. Fun route!

Ze Route.

3rd pitch.

Taylor-B. · · Valdez, AK · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 3,186
erikwellborn wrote: Some avi hazard on the approach slopes and descent. Fun route!
What Avi Danger?
David Appelhans · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 410
Jason Killgore wrote:Flatirons were great last week, but sadly that ship has sailed by now. youtu.be/46t5-1MJZBE
Those conditions looked fabulous! I had been wanting to get on it a week and a half ago but couldn't get a partner. I've been on it a couple times in the past and conditions this last snowstorm seemed to be exceptional. Glad you enjoyed it.
Buck · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2005 · Points: 50

If you are headed up to Vail to run laps on Pumphouse anytime soon, you have Rodney P to thank for installing the trough. Nice work today Rodney, thanks for yet another entertaining wallow. Sorry again about playing pin the tail on your new rope, please do save that piece for me when you tidy up.

Ryan N · · Bellingham, WA · Joined May 2009 · Points: 195

Anyone have additional driving beta for avocado gully? I have a vague idea from the current mp beta but could use extra help. Thx!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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