Sierra Alpine Ice Conditions?

I'd bet money that the approach to the Matterhorn is rock solid due to snowshoers up to the killer campsite just below the snowfield. It was several years ago when I was up there in February. A winter ascent of the north arete would be very doable and fun.

Greetings fellow ice fans....anyone been up to see the conditions of Moonage Daydream this past month?? Looking at temps between 7 and 9,000 feet using the best RAWs stations, it hasn't been that cold in the southern Sequoia.

Of course I'm looking for "fair" conditions but I'd rather have more ice than rock!

Thanks!

If Cool, CA is more than a few hours away I wouldn't bother going. That climb is super awesome though.

Moonage daydream was bone dry last week. No ice on the watchtower at all...

Ice in Tokopah Valley 1/19/2014

Anyone been out lately? I'd be interested to hear how Lee Vining is doing, any of the alpine gullies, hell, really any ice anywhere. I'm just back from Ouray and am feeling desperate enough to get excited about twenty feet of frozen roadcut.

Bump. Looking for east side ice/snow/alpine conditions.

anyone have any idea how the eastside alpine gullies are looking for fall climbing?

Ben

It's drier than my great aunt up there. I just crossed Monarch Crest, Cirque Crest, and the Palisades and saw like 3 spots of snow that would fit in a Swiss' car trunk.

wow, i feel bad for your uncle!

so i guess it's safe to leave the quarks here and bring the wall gear instead, eh?

is there at least water in the high mountain lakes/streams?

No photos, but the take away is- I wouldn't bother. Not if you aren't hellbent on destruction. North Peak is out, there is nothing out in the Evolutions, the Palisades are cooked out and most things that do have a sliver of ice going from bottom to top (Dana for right now) have been chucking rocks down regularly.

Go rock climbing!

If you are truly bitten the only option is dry tooling until we get snow.

man, what a bummer about that drought.

sounds like we'll pack the big cams and advil for the steck salathe, then!

Ben Philbrick wrote:wow, ... is there at least water in the high mountain lakes/streams?

Last Sunday in the morning the tarn feeding Finger Lake was pathetic. but still enough to fill up. Better to fill up before you camp though as it picks up quite a bit by the end of the day. So anything that has a glacier has water. It may or may not be running over dirt or rocks or whatever though depending on the area/time of day.

NOrth Peak

So just went up for a North Peak-Conness trip, and the couloir is a no go. Several fridge to car sized boulders came down the right couloir while we passed, with many small to medium rocks coming down regularly, with the center and left being dry. Lots of large falling rock activity over on the Conness Glacier too.