UTAH - 2015/16 Ice Season

How is LCC looking? I'm home in Idaho till Saturday.

Anyone been in Provo canyon recently? Looking at doing Stairway tomorrow, wondering if it's still in decent shape after the warm weather this week.

Tomorrow is going to be High to Extreme avalanche danger. Please beware of this tomorrow, and use caution.

utahavalanchecenter.org/adv…

Stairway was fine as of Monday. I think the nights are cold enough to keep things in.

Stairway was in great shape yesterday 1/20/16 Wednesday. I think the shade and wind chill really helped. We climbed the first and second pitches.

First pitch of stairway 1/20/16

Thanks Sam!

Anyone want to climb stairway tomorrow? Text me 7754438615

How are those upper pitches looking?

I think there are at least 5 pitches that are fat, I looked at it today, but since I'm not from the area it was hard to tell what tier was what.

Everything up to pitch 5 is super fat. Above that it looks like mixed climbing

Can the different tiers on stairways be set up for rope soling? Thank you.

GWI is pretty funky right now. Snow covered (unsurprisingly) and lots of hollow places. It goes if you don't mind climbing in suboptimal conditions. Lefthand on P3 and P4 didn't look good. P2 is fine with a little bit of scary hollow at the top.

Also, my partner and I lost TWO (!) ice screws last night, likely on the last pitch or on the descent. Can't for the life of me figure out how it happened, but I'd like to cash in on some good karma from returning other peoples' gear over the years if you found them. Not above bribing with tasty beer (or what passes for it in SLC). Sort out screw ID details by PM... ;)

CWood wrote:Not above bribing with tasty beer (or what passes for it in SLC).

Oh please, stop with the stereotyping. There's lots of excellent beer in Utah.

Marc801 wrote: Oh please, stop with the stereotyping. There's lots of excellent beer in Utah.

I know... The liquor stores don't carry my favorite stuff though, which makes the selection here ABYSMAL next to some good beer stores where I'm from. Not that the beers aren't good - just that there aren't as many options as elsewhere, by a long shot.

EDIT: Like 10-20% of the selection that a good beer store in say, Boston or Vegas would have.

CWood wrote: I know... The liquor stores don't carry my favorite stuff though, which makes the selection here ABYSMAL next to some good beer stores where I'm from. Not that the beers aren't good - just that there aren't as many options as elsewhere, by a long shot. EDIT: Like 10-20% of the selection that a good beer store in say, Boston or Vegas would have.

I'm curious about what favorites the stores here don't carry?
Oh, webapps.abc.utah.gov/Produc…

Both the left and right screamers are looking good. The second pitch looked like it was in as well. Tombstone falls in Echo is also pretty fat, sorry for the bad photo.

Right screamer 1.24.16

Left screamer 1.24.16

Tombstone falls 1.24.16

Marc801 wrote: I'm curious about what favorites the stores here don't carry? Oh, webapps.abc.utah.gov/Produc…

St. Bernardus Abt 12, Goudon Carolus Grand Cru, Weyerbacher, anything Dogfish Head, anything Founders, Upslope, etc, etc, etc.

Also, that list does not remotely reflect what I have seen in actual stores. Are there special stores with better selection? E.G. Upslope is listed (though only a few varieties), but I've never seen it anywhere.

CWood wrote:Are there special stores with better selection?

The best selection I've found is at the wine specialty shop on 300 W around 1600 S. The one on Fort Union at ~1800 E is pretty good, too.

Marc801 wrote: The best selection I've found is at the wine specialty shop on 300 W around 1600 S. The one on Fort Union at ~1800 E is pretty good, too.

Good info to know. I never bothered with the wine store since it is a wine store. Sugarhouse and Millcreek have been becoming more depressing lately.

Once a month I travel across the boarder to stock up.