Type: Trad, TR, Ice, 100 ft
FA: unknown
Page Views: 4,168 total · 49/month
Shared By: doligo on Feb 10, 2012
Admins: Edward Medina, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac

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Access Issue: Yield to mining vehicle traffic Details

Description

This is an obvious flow that you see from the parking lot before the snowplow closure 3.5 miles up CR 361 from the south end of Ouray. It's in a shade, so it comes in early. With low avy danger and easy approach, this is a good warm-up climb. Depending on the line you choose, it could be either WI3 or WI5ish...

Hike up straight up from the parking lot (snow could be waist deep) and follow the creek bed (there is a short low angle ice bulge some may want to rope up for) or go up the road to the first switchback and pick a climber's trail skirting a ridgeline in the trees above the drainage until you see the rock amphitheater with the falls to the right.

Eds. This route has been added multiple times to the database. While it is not obvious to those new to the site, the climb was claimed to be on private land and the landowner insisted on removing information and photos to the climb. Apparently, locals have indicated the climb was surveyed and found to be off this private property. We have subsequently restored this second submission. Thanks for your understanding.

Protection

2 ropes.

Location

You can see this climb from the parking lot before the snowplow closure 3.5 miles up CR 361 from the south end of Ouray.

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Photo Photo (copy)
Photos

From belay chains.
From belay chains.
 0
In its entirety.
In its entirety.
 0
Climbing the pillar, felt like WI4+.
Climbing the pillar, felt like WI4+.
 0
Senator Gulch.
Senator Gulch.
 0
Carter on Senator Gulch.
Carter on Senator Gulch.
 0

6 Comments

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YDPL8S
Santa Monica, Ca.
YDPL8S   Santa Monica, Ca.
My first ice climb ever (winter of 79/80), with crazyman Bob Dickerson. I had a Hummingbird in one hand, Chouinard ice hammer in the other and Chouinard rigid crampons (black anodized) w/neoprene straps. Bob cruised it and didn't put in any pro until the belay (he was regularly free-soloing Bridalveil in those days). The ice was so thin that I could see water flowing on the frontpoints through the ice. I sold my ice equipment about a month later. Feb 13, 2012
Elias Jordan
Mazama, WA
  WI3
Elias Jordan   Mazama, WA
  WI3
A bolted anchor on this route would be wonderous. The pins are a bit sketchy, and the climb is a great "beginner's" route (when it's not so wet!). Dec 12, 2014
Brookey Ingle
Durango, Colorado
 
Brookey Ingle   Durango, Colorado
 
Old piton removed from the top of Senator and replaced by a bolted anchor with chains, thanks to the ASCA.
Jan 26, 2015
Eric Wright
Telluride CO.
Eric Wright   Telluride CO.
Doligo, not sure why you say there is "low avalanche danger". That gully goes up a thousand feet, plus. It runs from time to time. If you are on the upper half of the ice climb, one is out of the main deposit zone, but the approach, prep, and belay area at base of the ice climb is in danger. I have climbed there and climbed over and stood belaying on the avalanche debris at the base of route. Spooky on a warm, sunny day. A huge gully that faces south. Mar 30, 2015
James2 Jones
James2 Jones  
Toproping is for the ice park, not real ice climbs. You're lowering the bar to gaper levels. Was it a first ascent, 'almost first ascent Dolgio?' Jul 8, 2016
Dom R
Bend, OR
Dom R   Bend, OR
Just as kind of a clarification for those who are only using Mountain Project and no guidebook, this route is on the right side of the road as you are driving up from Ouray.... It's not the huge gully on the left side of the wall where The Ribbon is. That's Fall Creek, I assume. I found that out the hard way.... If you park where the road closure gate is, there is a drainage that goes under a rickety bridge that you drive over when the road is dry. Look right, you've found Senator Gulch. As stated above, you can climb this short bulge by the road to get up into the amphitheater, or if you go up the next switchback to the giant ass, blindspot mirror on the corner, there is a trail to the left of the mirror that skirts a cliff and drops you directly into the amphitheater. Obviously there is no snow right now in Ouray, so that trail was pretty casual. Idk how it is peak season, but there are like two steps where falling would really suck on the trail, maybe a good trail gets packed in the winter, but idk. Also the ice hasn't formed yet and is still just wet cauliflowers with a waterfall running down them. Dec 5, 2017