Utah Ice Conditions '12-'13

max huecksteadt wrote:...Donorcicle is in fat, cauliflower hookfest almost all the way up Pillar on the right was a firehose .... Go get it!

looks super fun!! enjoy!

Climbed on the Scruffy Band today in LCC. Great conditions with thick ice up the middle of the main scruffy band. The WI 4 pillar at the top is in good fat conditions as well.

Next stop Utah! But for the moment here is some of New Hampshire's ice this season, if your out this way. Could be a phat season.

jspitzer wrote:Climbed on the Scruffy Band today in LCC. Great conditions with thick ice up the middle of the main scruffy band. The WI 4 pillar at the top is in good fat conditions as well.

Uhh, you meant WI 3 pillar...ha ha.

WI3 - generally sustained in the 60-70 degree range with occasional near-vertical steps up to 4 metres

WI3: Sustained 70 degree with possible long bulges of 80-90 degrees; reasonable rests and good stances for placing screws.

3. Sustained 70 - 80 degres ice, usually thick and solid. May
contain short, steep sections, but will have good resting
places and offer good protection and belays.

The steep bit on that pillar is maybe 6-8 feet long?

Of course none of that applies to Cody WY or Bozeman MT. They seem to make up their own scale. I climbed a WI 2+ in Cody and the book said it was, "Not worth the hike".
Kevin

Brian in SLC wrote: Uhh, you meant WI 3 pillar...ha ha.

Ya, it's hard to say looking at the pic, and not being on the pillar, but it looks 3ish at the moment to me. I just did a 20ft narrow WI3+ pillar out here in the east that was 80+ degrees, and a dead vertical WI4 with 20+ft sections, and would say they looked harder than the Scruffy pillar pic. Just the same it looks like a fun airy climb, and I hope its up when I get out there later this month.

Hey Brian Smoot!
Was that you up there on Stewarts on 5 January Saturday with a party of three? I didn't recognize you the way everyone was so bundled up. Cheers!

Yes, conditions were good!...we climbed all 4 pitches.

Matt how was Willard Falls? That top section formed up well?

Nobody has said anything about it but, has anybody noticed the headlamp frozen in the ice on The Scruffy Band. If you go in the dark you can see the headlamp because the light is on. At least it was still on Monday.

chadnuesmeyer wrote:...headlamp frozen in the ice on The Scruffy Band. If you go in the dark you can see the headlamp because the light is on..

Nice, night climbing!

Hi all,

Whomever has visited the Provo Canyon area recently may have gotten a parking warning. I visited with a enthusiastic Utah Country Sheriff; who enjoys to get out just like the rest of us. He had been in the middle of writing a few in the parking lot of Upper Falls; when I ran into him.

Please don't park in front of the gates (Which is clearly Marked) or you will get a ticket.

He mentioned this would be the last day of warning; towing and impounding are the next steps.

Please be mindful of what this might mean if there is some emergency to get back into those areas.

Rob

Ice is in down south

Hello all! How is Joes forming up? We are going to detour there for a day or two on the way to Ouray.

alpinerocket wrote:Hello all! How is Joes forming up? We are going to detour there for a day or two on the way to Ouray.

Went to Joe's today. Climbed CCC Falls & Donorcicle. Everything we saw is forming up nicely. It was - 17 F when we started so everything was a bit brittle, but we had a great day of climbing. It was -24 F when we passed the Dirtcicle in Price. Chilly!

No pics, but Santaquin was in on Sunday. Angel of Fear collapsed recently and washed an avalanche across the trail. ACT and Candlestick were both in good conditions (the top out to Candlestick actually seems better-ish now). Squashhead is in with thick though chandeliered ice on P1. P1 on Backoff is a snow ramp and P2 is in thick.

Seems I've managed to leave both of my copies of Ice Climbing Utah at the cabin; doing me no good watching conditions here in VA. Can anyone remind me what is the ratings range at Joe's again? What is CCC rated? Any nice 3s in that area to cut my slow-season-start teeth on?