The 2011-12 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

Long's Peak on 4-8-12.

Anyone have recent info/pictures of dragon tail or dead elk on flattop mt up in the park? specifically coverage in dead elk? thanks.

Anyone have conditions on Vail? Trying to go this weekend. Thanks.

mantana wrote:Anyone have recent info/pictures of dragon tail or dead elk on flattop mt up in the park? specifically coverage in dead elk? thanks.

As of last weekend, Dragons Tail is in nicely for a fun snow climb.

Dragons Tail on 07 Apr 2012

Alexander's Chimney still in classic mixed condition, climbed 4-12-12, see route page for details. Also, my partner dropped a camera near Chasm lake, and Notch guys who picked up my black water bottle, thx, please give me info for pickup. Steve

Climbed Martha today. Good conditions with plenty of ice and a few easy mixed moves where thin.

Climbed The Flying Dutchman today; disappointingly, next to no ice on the route -- almost all snow with an optional mixed section mostly on rock.

Anyone been up to Chalk Creek (Fremont Pass) lately? Just wondering if there is any ice left at all. Any Leadville folks been up there recently?

Those that have been up in the Longs cirque - how's the notch looking? Anyone know how much snow fell up there over the weekend?

Chalk Creek still has "ice" and is definitely climb-able. I wouldn't trust screws if leading.

Chalk Creek, 04.16.12.

Here is a photo of Longs Peak from today. I just hiked up the trail and didn't climb, but it looks good. Not much snow really anywhere for April. Dreamweaver, Loft, Notch Couloir, Keiners, and Alexander's are probably all good. Let me know if you go.

Long's Peak, 04-17-12.

Dinzy wrote:Chalk Creek still has "ice" and is definitely climb-able. I wouldn't trust screws if leading.

If I had that dog on my ass I wouldn't bother with screws either

Thanks for the photo Mike, any chance the lake is still frozen?

Meeker and Long's on 4-17-12.

Nick, Chasm Lake is probably frozen enough, but you can also walk around it too. I hope to go up there this weekend and find out how good the climbs are.

Mike Walley wrote:Here is a photo of Longs Peak from today. I just hiked up the trail and didn't climb, but it looks good. Not much snow really anywhere for April. Dreamweaver, Loft, Notch Couloir, Keiners, and Alexander's are probably all good. Let me know if you go.

I was hoping to hit up the Notch this weekend but won't if conditions aren't good. Any idea how much snow fell this week and how it might have effected the Notch?

Nick Venechuk wrote:Thanks for the photo Mike, any chance the lake is still frozen?

Even Nymph lake is still frozen as of Wed. Chasm should be golden.

Edit: Up high, last weeks 6-8 inches were not consolidated yet as of Wed. The N facing stuff is still powdery. The S facing stuff at 10.5-12K was soft, and mushy by 10am. Did not support steps before that.

Did the Notch on Saturday, it's in but still wintry snow. Plenty of snow to wait for it to firm up. The lake's frozen, Lambs Slide and Broadway are in good shape. Broadway and the Notch had sections of soft snow but nothing major, not like the deep death hoar that made BC skiing so scary this year.

I climbed Martha and Dreamweaver yesterday. Martha had nice ice. Dreamweaver is mostly snow. Also last weekend alexander's had little ice and the notch was really nice thanks to the above guy, who punched in steps for us.

Lincoln Falls is still very climbable. Starting to get a little slushy/rotten in places... an adze would have been nice for excavating screw placements.

Lincoln Falls, 5-5-2012.

Lincoln Falls, 5-5-2012.

Climbed 'Sheridan inspired' Alexander's/Eighth link up 5-4-12. Still enough ice to stick on lower pitches of Alexander's, crux chimney attention gathering without much ice. We finished on steep direct 'middle' 4th pitch to Broadway (comparable difficulty to left exit, perhaps more sustained), maybe M5+ all dry-tooling.

Continued up Eighth, still some ice on 1st pitch, snow pitches in great shape, P5/6 all dry-tooling along a dry slab (see route comments). Great adventure.

Chris finishes Steep 4th on Alexander's