2012 Early Season/Fall Mixed Climbing

For at least the last 10 years, mid-Sept/early Oct would roll around and I would get an email from Jack Roberts about what have I heard, have I climbed anything yet, Necro, Fields, Alexanders, Smear, Pikes...

This year looks like we are all be on our own to do all of those approaches, instead of emailing Jack. Jack Roberts was CO ice climbing at its finest, always knew who got the seasonal FA, who had climbed what that season, and always let you know that your hopeful FA was already climbed.

Jack we all miss you!

Almost forgot, anybody seen anything yet?

Nothing in the Telluride region yet. Thanks for bringing it up. Missing Jack big time!

Thanks for posting up a rememberance for Jack.

It was always nice running into him at the crag, and was always tough to hide my admiration.

I miss Jack a lot ... and taking our tools for walks in the Park.....

Paul

Drove up to Blue Lakes near Breckenridge this evening and there was substantial ice on North Star! Its been cold and windy up here in Summit County.

Jack was awesome.
RMNP is dry as a bone & w/ humidity @ <10% and no new snow below 12...little above.
Loooooooong time before we'll see much good ice forming up there- hope to be wrong!?! Climbed thousands of feet of ice in Peru this month and it's still great conditions- recommend flying down there and getting in a full winter (RMNP)season in a week or two of high altitude ice or hit the warm cliffs and enjoy a few more months of beautiful CO rock season.

Speaking of early season ice with Jack Roberts, here's a photo of Jack from a cold day in October 2009 on Total Abandon, Pikes Peak. With the snow Pikes got last week, people have been climbing up there; I know Blind Assumption got done, but it could well be gone by now with the warmer weather.

Total Abandon on 9/17/12. Blind Assumption isnt in yet as a pure ice line. Needs a couple more weeks. A variation called Blind Luck goes around the chockstones-chimneys on the route at M6/7. Cheers.

I was fortunate enough to spend a long day out in the Park with Jack a few winters back... a nicer guy I've yet to meet.

Still, part of the adventure is going up there and walking about. Go for a power-hike with a pair of binocs after work one day. Do we really need the "conditions" report? How about a "early seasons mixed climbing alpine adventure stoke" thread with lots of pics instead.

It still feels like summer down here. But last weekend on Longs it was freezing balls cold. So, go figure, I'm in for some real surprises for my first Front Range winter. Ah well, stoke is high.

Anyone here from the South Platte area? When does the stuff there like Wildcat Canyon start forming?

Total Abandon 9/23/2012, appears to have grown considerably in a week compared to Eric's picture. No doubt still growing, slightly wet through the 2nd pitch.

Mt. Evans 1st Apron and the West Buttress both contained good mixed climbing the other day, with substantial ice on every pitch and growing.

Drink one or a few for Jack and Theo Meiners(avi guru).

Hey Kevin, did you guys drop a glove yesterday? We have it... Put up a new mixed line to the left of TA. Toga Party, WI3 M5. Fun times!

It's good to see other "Crazies" swinging the tools so early in the season. We're not that crazy.

Eric, not our gloves! Did you set a rap anchor on Toga Party? 2 pitches?

Yep, missing Jack big-time. I keep reflexively thinking I'll give him a call or drop him an e-mail to see if he wants to go scouting for ice. :^( Good to hear that Pikes is hosting some good early season ascents though. Bummed that I'm tied up the next two weekends. :^(((