The 2010 Colorado Ice Conditions Thread

Spencer Dries wrote:Can anyone confirm that Black Lake Slabs are buried or not?

I was up around Black Lake about two weeks ago and there was a lot of snow on the slabs already. Unless it slid I can't imagine it being much better.

Sorry I don't have better info. =]

Climbed on Camp Bird today...............Killer Pillar is still IN but the sun is taking its tole.
Another Duncan Route is IN but the ice is delaminating and there is now a gap of 15 feet which is well protected with medium/large cams. It doesn't look like anything came out of The Ribbon today so that might need to run before anyone gets on it. Avi danger is considerable right now. Probably will improve in a day or two. Ames is fine. A booted trail in there.

It's going to be a warm weekend. Get here early.

I'm guessing there is no climbable ice in Boulder Canyon right now...am I wrong?

Chris, Boulder Canyon does have some stuff 'in' as of last night. We climbed on The Slabs, which had some older hard ice out left, thin up top and some fun verglass ribbon on the right side. The Ramp and Middle Flow were in as visible from the road. Boulder Falls is in, although not worth a trespassing ticket.

Climbed at Upper Falls in Boulder Canyon today. Like Joe said, the stuff on the left side is old but still climbable. The middle is pretty soft right now so tread carefully. The right side is pretty wet, so didnt touch that. A couple of cold days and nights and it will be good to go.

Climbed Bird Brain Blvd. yesterday. Cleaned off a lot of snow mushrooms, so the route is in better shape now. Plenty of ice up there.

Nymph Lake, RMNP. FYI, for the curious: not much evidence of traffic, there is some ice, lots of snow. My kids & I kicked in steps on the wallow to the base during a non-climbing, snow play day. The snow has piled up high enough for the 1st bolt of Get a File to be waist high. Urinalysis has ice touching down.

How's the ice in silverplume and/or vail (Iknow random mix of locations). Wondering if anyone was out today with this warm spell thats kicking right now? Thx in advance

We hiked past Lincoln Falls on Sunday and it looked pretty good from the reservoir road (we didn't climb it) - how you'd expect. Thick main flow on the left with a couple pitches and thin/mixed on the right.

I can post a pic later if anybody is interested.

I drove past Silver Plume this afternoon and it looked like crap. Rotten, sunbaked, thin, definitely not climbable. Wait for more cold weather for sure.

Jeremy Monahan wrote:I drove past Silver Plume this afternoon and it looked like crap. Rotten, sunbaked, thin, definitely not climbable. Wait for more cold weather for sure.

Yep...saw like a party of 8 heading up on Saturday to meet the 4 already up there. I'm sure that helps!

that many for the Plume, good lord.

lincoln was a bitch of a posthole a few weeks back and it basically sucked anyway, only 'cause vail was a friggin zoo during the week that we went south to at least get something in.

lake city, while not in the bestest ever shape, is still pretty good considering the front range. had a free day today, so went for a long drive and got some laps in solitude. the place doesn't really disappoint, the town has the mocha moose and packer's bar -- good food, beer & still fun, it's just not vail or ouray.

Thanks fellas, what i figured just wanted to hear it from the horses mouth...

Spent another great, uncrowded, not pockmarked to death fresh ice weekend in Cody.......

HEAPS of ice, no one around..........

I thank each and everyone for NOT going up there to climb.....

To whomever was up on Black Lake Slabs on Saturday: way to persevere in some brutal conditions!

Black Lake Slabs, 02/12/2011.

Black Lake Slabs, 02/12/2011.

Also: All Mixed up:

AMU, 02/12/2011.

I was in Ouray.......you are welcome!!

For those who are interested.......

Most south-facing routes around Ouray (Cascade Falls, Gravity's Rainbow etc) are all gone.

The ribbon seems benign right now and is getting climbed......

The Ice Park is very quiet......after a busy weekend. Good rock climbing on the Pool Wall.

Don't forget......this weekend Redstone Winter Festival and Lake City Ice Fest.

And this weekend,

The Cody Ice Festival....

I forgot to post this a week ago. Here is Bridalveil Falls in Telluride as of Sunday Feb 6th 2011

Bridalveil Falls on Sunday Feb 6th

The illegal power house line. Don't get any ideas.

Yes man. Bridalveil is in super stickey one swing plastic conditions. It looks thinish in the blue areas, but that is actually super thick clear blue ice with no chance of punching through.

go get ya some.

From Greg Sievers: 2-10-11: a very nasty, wet avalanche ripped down this gully on Saturday with 2 teams of 5 people in it. No one was hurt, but someone needed a spatula to clean out their shorts afterwords.
Be VERY careful on these south-facing routes on warm, sunny days following storms!!

Vail: the sun is rotting out Booth Creek.

Rotting in the sun.

The Fang is trying to form from bottom up.
Trying to reform.

The Rigid Designator is fat and wet.
Fat & wet.

Spiral Staircase is quite wide with multiple variations possible.
Fat!

There is a pillar touching down next to Secret Probation.
Rehab.

Little Thang & Slabutt are very thin.

7th Tentacle is fat.

Log Jammin' has quite a bit of ice, compared to usual.
Fat.