Senator Gulch

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

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

Jan 26, 2015

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

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

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