recommendations for beginner front range ice

Very experienced on rock but am looking to gain more experience on ice. Have toproped a fair amount and just purchased screws. I want to find a place that has relatively easy ice, with low avalanche danger and not terribly crowded near the front range. I'm flying to denver for a couple weekends in December and January. Single pitch or multi pitch.

Any suggestions? What good books / resources are out there?

Thanks

Lincoln Falls, Hidden Falls, Moffat Tunnel

Jewell ice in rmnp too.

Seth

pete cutler wrote:I want to find a place that has relatively easy ice, with low avalanche danger and not terribly crowded near the front range.

You and the other 10,000 ice climbers in the front range. :^D

Add Loch Vale, the Crypt, NW Gully on Thatchtop, Grace Falls, Guides Wall, Jaws, Silverplume, Hully Gully (though the Co Springs folks won't tell you where it is). Not technically Front Range, but Vail (Firehouse Falls, Spiral Stairs, Pumphouse, etc.) is only 1.5 hour drive without traffic or Chalk Creek Falls. But seriously, if you're flying to Colorado to climb ice, I'd go pretty much anywhere BUT the Front Range although this year is better than most so folks are spread out a bit more than usual.

Jack Robert's old (1998) guidebook is probably about the best for the Front Range area right now.

Why is there always someone who insists on stating the springs Ice climbers don't tell anyone where hully gully is yet almost every time I go there most of the people I see climbing are not from the springs ?

Not so much a big deal since the roads are closed due to the floods anyway .

Hully gully is not hard to find on your own btw , just look for all the parked cars along the road and often times there is a fire truck or two or even a couple vans from the local climbing guid services as well . Hell if Stevie Wonder n Ray Charles were ice climbers they could find it....