WI or IL Ice?

Anyone know if G Dodge, Wyalusing, or Starved rock have any Ice yet? The silo I normally go to isn't open yet and I'd like to at least get some ice in soon.

Thanks,
Brooks

Ha!!! Ice in IL? It's been 2 poor winters since SRSP has had open ice to climb. I know nothing about wyalusing conditions. Our local frozen silo is in the works, hopefully ready to go right around New Years. Check out Nice Ice link on facebook for more info on silo here in Frankfort, IL. Best of luck.

Kevin..

I am headed over on Wyalusing on New Years Day. I will spread the news good or bad afterwards....

Burt

Burt????

Sincere apologies....

I went skiing instead. Never made it more west the Cross Plains yesterday. I was hang'n a bit and didn't get moving properly until 11AM so went skiing locally instead.

Headed over this weekend Saturday next avaliable option.

Burt

There was ice in the road cuts in northern Illinois last weekend, so if there's water flowing there should be ice ....

Did a couple of laps on something skimpy at Cox Hollow in G Dodge on the 31st. It wasnt vertical except for the top 8 of the 30 ft. I'm new to ice so I'm quite happy to be burying an axe into just about anything at this point. Not sure if a more experienced climber would find Cox appealing yet since the steeper curtains haven't formed.

While I was out, I checked Stephen's Falls. The actual waterfall looks solid, but the belay is still a pond. The taller terraced-type wall to the right has some 3 ft. Icicles here and there but not much more.

Tried to email Tom Levy of SRSP for info...it bounced back as undeliverable..so not sure if he retired or what..Will call park to try and get an update soon.

A buddy told me Starved Rock has nothing in.

Phone message says there is no water moving in the canyons, as suspected. I got no live person but left a message asking what the new 2013 philosophy on ice climbing will be for us if it freezes.

We have ice at our silo---We will be open tonight, Friday and this weeknd! Join us!

facebook.com/groups/1086077…

There is ice starting to form at starved rock, nothing close to being climbed, but afraid next weeks warm temps will regress

stihlhead82 wrote:There is ice starting to form at starved rock, nothing close to being climbed, but afraid next weeks warm temps will regress

Have you seen this ice, or going on a verbal report. Wondered if you have heard from, or spoken to any park officials this year. I'm trying to find out if they even intend to let the ice climbing continue out there, since the 2 years of no ice. There might be a new guy in charge of park.

I talked to a woman on the phone who worked for the park, she said they will allow climbing if ice allows. any word on wyalusing (sp) ice? going to munising now to check conditions, brought gear just in case.

For a longer drive, Robinson Park in Northern Minnesota has ice and mixed climbing already.

stihlhead82 wrote:I talked to a woman on the phone who worked for the park, she said they will allow climbing if ice allows. any word on wyalusing (sp) ice? going to munising now to check conditions, brought gear just in case.

Glad you got through to someone,,,,they might be off all the weekdays this week cuz of holiday, thus I got nobody. Hope we get 2 weeks of ice buiding conditions soon.

Juggler wrote:We have ice at our silo---We will be open tonight, Friday and this weeknd! Join us! facebook.com/groups/1086077…

Full blown ice ready and in use all day today at silo. See NiceIce facebook page, call and reserve a time for today or all day tomorrow too.

Wyalusing update.

Routes on the tracks look grim with only a small sheet and not touching down by a long shot! Maybe with some warmer daytime air and cold nights it will all build up. Didn't look like much water dripping or flowing.

Todd's quarry (Yes- no longer Dennis's) has two skinny pillars in the normal spots where Quarry Monster grows big from. There is a nice wider drape on the right side. A possible OK protected lead up this side. No ice of any note over on the right side of the quarry. Slim year so far.

Was skiing at Dodge yesterday (the ski trails are in GREAT shape!).

As Mike reported, Cox Hollow is skimpy, although the one (left) route is beautiful blue ice. Stephens Falls is also a beautiful blue for the Falls proper, but that won't last if it warms at all. The Falls Wall has one route at the farthest right side, dry otherwise.

I think drought conditions guarantee skimpy ice in S Wisco this winter, but what is in looks nice right now. I'm guessing Lone Rock would have a line or two, and the River should be frozen enough to stand on the edge of now. If you're really desperate, you could at least get off the ground ....

Your best bet for this Winter looks like you should plan a trip of North.

Starved Rock Update: Just spoke to the new person in charge at the park, a Mark McConehey(spelling probably incorrect)...He says that they will allow ice climbing in the park, in same canyons as before this season. Sign in will continue to be at the lower ranger station as it has been for years. But there will be no decision announced or made by the park as to the safety or readiness of the ice this year. That will be up to the decision of responsible and experienced ice climbers.
There will be no phone recording update as to the climbing conditions. It might mention to hikers if the waterfalls are freezing, but it is not meant to be an indicator of the climbing conditions. It seems that the readiness to climb the ice might be back to our choice once again. This would be similar to what we could do up to the mid to late 90's; come and climb ice in what condition we felt was appropriate. That is a good thing for us; as we often missed out on a short freeze of 5 to 10 days before a collapse, because the park did not decide it was 'safe' for climbing on those few good days missed. They will not be taking that responsibility any longer, nor making the safety decision on climbing.
They stress the importance of experienced climbers being with a group, those who can make a proper decision on the ice conditions. There still is no dry tooling, and all care should be taken to not climb on thin ice covering sandstone. This would mostly apply to the slab sections found in French Canyon each year, as most of our ice in Wildcat, Ottowa and Tonti, LaSalle is a solid standing piller of ice.
IF you happen to head down there, please be sure to sign in and out as before at the lower ranger station area, and give us real feedback on the ice conditions you find. As of today, there was something forming in Wildcat, but there is yet no climbable ice at this point. Looking forward to a productive cold spell arriving this week to change all that in our favor soon.

This is great! that they are going to be more relaxed about letting us make our own decisions! (Now we just have to be sure that no one abuses the privilege ...)

Ice at Cox Hollow is OK, according to what I've heard. Stephen's Falls is hopeless. The main pillar is in at Lone Rock, but the river is open so it's no place for a group.