Idaho Ice?

Jump creek isn't looking too bad! I wonder what another few weeks of freezing cold will do? How long does the ice in the Owyhees and Twin Falls hang around? I'm hoping to be back in the country and in Boise by March...

I checked out Jump Creek today. Quite a bit more ice than the photo posted a few weeks ago. However, there is still quite a bit of liquid flow coming down behind the ice. I'd estimate the flow rate at 20-30 gallons a minute, and there is open water at the base of the falls. There were rope groves visible at the top of the falls. I'd say the vast majority of the ice is too thin with too much water behind it for climbing. You'd probably get soaked and knock down a bunch of the ice that has already formed. The rope groves were in the snow at the top of the formation, and I think whoever got on it was mainly dry tooling up the side. There is quite a bit of open water at the base so good rope management is needed to keep the rope from getting soaked. Below is a pic of the falls. Thanks to the two strangers in the photo that give the ice some scale.

Haha, yeah I was one of those fools climbing the ice the other day. Was actually there when the bottom fractured out -- a reminder of the unpredictable nature of ice. Right side was thick enough to be leadable -- even with the bottom out.

Next few days should see a good freeze up -- however note the ice will be hard and brittle. We climbed with a temperature in the single digits or low teens.

Hey all! I've been lurking on this thread for a while now, but i'm headed out to Jump Creek in the morning, and I have some questions.

I am brand new to ice climbing, (i've never done it) but climbing Jump Creek has been something I've always wanted to do. Who know's when we'll have cold like this again, so I don't want to miss my chance. However, I am woefully unprepared and don't want to get in too far over my head.

Trying to lead it is obviously out of the question. I don't have the gear for it anyways, but how bad of an idea would it be for me to set up a top rope and just go for it?

Think "What's the worst that could happen?" It's how I learned to rope solo big walls. It's how I started climbing in the Teton's.
If things get bad, I'll turn around a walk out.
If things get bad on Jump Creek, rap to the ice, walk around to the top and retrieve your set up. Very low commitment.
If you are going out there on a Saturday morning, I'd be surprised if you were alone. When you see someone else, smile, be nice, talk little, brag even less, ask questions, share the crag, then ask for their phone number before they leave. Boom! You've got a partner.

Sweet, thanks! This is pretty much what I was thinking, I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't something specific to ice that I didn't know I was forgetting to consider.

Matt, the great thing about starting off on ice (I'm talking top roping here) is that there is a decent learning curve involved....especially if you're already familiar with rock climbing. There are some issues that you need to be cognizant of. For one is anchor building. Anchors above waterfalls are in short supply (obviously). If you don't have a tree or rock feature on which to build anchors then you're limited to building ice anchors which can be pretty fucking dangerous if you have no idea how to read ice and how to build proper anchors using Abalakovs and not just ice screws. Fragile ice isn't the best medium on which to thrash away while you find the best technique to swing tools and front point with your crampons. You'll cause more damage to the ice than is necessary and, not to mention, you can ruin climbing prospects for everyone else for a couple weeks at a time. I know a guy that couldn't wait another week or two for this one particular waterfall in Virginia to really solidify. He brought down 70-80% of the climb and ruined one of the most popular falls to climb near the DC area (one of the only ones) for the entire season. Don't be like that guy. For the love of whom or whatever you consider to be holy, wear eye protection and a helmet. Shit will fall on your head and your swinging tools will cause ice to blast you in the face. A mentor climber of mine once told me that if you haven't been kissed by flying ice to the point where it draws blood at least once per season, you're not climbing enough. Leash vs leashless is something that climbers could debate for hours (or physically fight over if they're drunk enough.....I've seen that happen at least once). Going leashless, in my opinion (key word), is the safest option. I have yet to drop a tool but I've left stuck in the ice after a fall more than I can count. Which brings me to my next point: be super cognizant of where you belay from. Whoever's climbing is going to be raining all kids of ice on you. I don't want to insult your intelligence. Most of this is either common sense or something you'll learn the hard way within the first 30 minutes of your first climb. But if there are two things I absolutely cannot stress, they're don't fuck up a fragile climb for everyone else with poor climbing technique and be a 1000% sure of a bomber anchor if you're going to top rope.

Anyways, happy climbing!

Todd Bevans wrote:Jump creek isn't looking too bad! I wonder what another few weeks of freezing cold will do? How long does the ice in the Owyhees and Twin Falls hang around? I'm hoping to be back in the country and in Boise by March...

Shoshone Falls area was awesome today. The ice was wet, plastic, and still in good shape. All 3 routes of the lower pitch are still fine despite upper 30's temps.
The top pitch came in the fattest it's been in a long time. The far left side had a thin column that broke off and filled up the gulley at the foot of the bottom pitches.
Let's hope everything can last the till the weekend.

Welp, I just climbed jump creek yesterday, and I'm sorry to say it was super thin then. The ice was very slushy, and the middle was hollow sounding. It's probably out for the year unless we get a miracle. Can anyone give me specifics on the location of the motherlode area in twin falls? The best lines I saw this year were at lower, but apparently there are harder and longer lines. Will lend a belay this weekend if that is what it takes to get the beta.

So I'm back in Kyrgyzstan this winter and we've got ice (as usual), but I am really missing out this year on the idaho ice! I will be around Boise again in February for a few weeks, but likely everything will be gone by then. So I won't even bother bringing my gear...so sad...

Anyone heading out to Shoshone Falls in the next few days? I am wondering how the ice fared through these past few days, Kevin's last post has me hopeful! I am looking to make the drive down next Monday..

We passed through Twin from SLC on our way to Boise, the ice at Shoshone is still there. We climbed it.

Thanks Slogger

I went out to Shoshone Falls tonight for a little evening climbing. The ice is as far as I have seen it.
The top pitch came in very nicely. Until now it's been a thin sketch Fest. But now it's a well formed curtain.
The road down to the tollbooth was 2wd friendly. But all bets are off thanks to tonight's freezing rain.

Is anybody going out climbing Sunday? I'm looking for a partner or a group to join up with. I've got all the gear except for screws and have a little experience but looking for more.

Looks like things are going to warm up this weekend. If you're going to climb in Twin Falls, better do it before Friday.

Did hear rumor that some ice had come in at the City of Rocks...not sure if its still in, but...

Plenty of snow!

There is some ice still in lucky peak canyon. Certainly nothing large enough for a destination but good when you get off work early. Mostly mixed and some wi3: short and rotted because it has seen one ascent all year maybe.