Colorado Ice Conditions 2023-2024

RonBwrote:

If you can't wait around for the party above to clear safely, agree, best practice is to look elsewhere.  Otherwise you climb at your own risk, and the party above is not responsible for you.

Furthermore, if you are the party above, I think it's more than fair to ask for no one to climb in your fall line (which is almost impossible in a gully). I don't want to hit people, but I also don't want to have to modify my climbing to not send down *any* ice because that means I might not be getting the good sticks and feet that I need. 

CR7 - Mineral Creek Road NW of Silverton still passable as of today with a 4WD back to and beyond South Mineral Creek Campground. 12 inches of fresh snow on and road surface with several vehicles already having made the round trip. Climbed Campground Couliour in decent shape. Enjoyable with all 3 bolt anchors exposed and usable. Creek was frozen enough and easy to cross. November 26, 2023

Anyone have conditions on ice near CO Springs? Not really interested in Pikes peak ice rather something like Cheyenne mountain SP or elsewhere.

thanks!

Marcos Mwrote:

Anyone have conditions on ice near CO Springs? Not really interested in Pikes peak ice rather something like Cheyenne mountain SP or elsewhere.

thanks!

Steve H posted this Monday. Looks like Silver Cascade Falls coming in. No other beta

any updates on Vail and/ or 10 Mile? Silver Plme?

Has anyone been on All Mixed Up Recently? Last tick was end of November. 

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Hidden Falls was pretty thin today. My party chose not to climb the top ~20’ of the main falls because we weren’t confident that the curtain would hold. The smaller flow to the left was in nicely, but with running water flowing over parts. Climber’s right of the falls was totally out

Christmas break 2023 post bad beta here

ice is precious and to be preserved   

so obviously where ever u want to ice climb keep it secret and instead post old pictures of place u dont plan to climb as the place to go now to help keep the gumbies off your routes 

AMU in good shape on 12/21

Any recent eyes on rifle? 

Hessie Chimney bone dry 12/28/23. We were optimistic that the Christmas snowstorm followed by sun, then a cold day, would get us the goods. 

Nuthin'. 

Climbed a pitch to the left on the buttress, so we still had a good time.

Anything in off Camp Bird or 550? Any beta is appreciated......

“Out of the mainstream” is nice and blue. Just did a  quick drive up CBR and didn’t look at much else. 

On 550, horsetail falls is in. A lot of the other ice seemed like it was iffy at best 

Dexter slabs in Ouray on 1/1/24

Second gully, Eureka on 1/2/24

Stairway to heaven, eureka on 1/2/24 (I did not climb it, but saw at least 4 parties on throughout the day)

Has anyone been up to Jaws lately?

here is a collection of photos annotated with dates & weather, aimed at building an understanding of when Silk Road would come in. I probably won't attempt it this season (due to skill, not conditions). But the coming days seem promising once last weekend's snow starts freeze-thawing? Welcome thoughts or trip reports if you try it :) 

North Table Ice is in.

I completely agree with your logic and walked to the base yesterday to have a look. The problem is that the last snow was very dry and the winds were blowing the snow off the face, so I doubt there will be snow coverage in some places. Looked much thinner than I expected, except for the base which had ample snow. Things started to get thin below the first belay and stayed thin on the second pitch.  By thin I mean gaps in snow coverage and the nearby snow probably not sufficient to hold a step. Couldn’t see the third pitch. No ice evident but I didn’t expect to see any that soon.  Doesn’t mean it can’t be climbed but I’m not sure it will be “in” until we get more snow. 

Anyone know what's in at Clear Creek? Is Coors Light in?

C Hwrote:

Anyone know what's in at Clear Creek? Is Coors Light in?

Coors is still in and fat. Not going anywhere anytime soon (by ccc standards meaning like in the next day..) I'd guess mickey's is similar

Mayhem gulch is going out fast. Sun-affected. 

Beer garden, I couldn't spot it from the road. Someone else said they spotted it though.  Currently there is road construction and one-way traffic in that section of ccc during daylight hours.

Boulder falls still looked marginally climbable (10pm last night) but super warm again today. did not attempt because no partner nor motivation to do TRS setup shenanigans