Ice Conditions 2007-2008

[jumar]

With ice climbing season approaching, thought I'd start a conditions thread. Anyone been up to Primrose Cirque or any other higher altitude climbs to report on conditions?

[Wild One]

Jeff,
I'm glad you asked. No one's been up though?????

I'm coming home for turkey day and was originally planning to ski. No snow there is stopping that, so I was also wondering if anyone has seen anything forming up in the Cirque. (saw some pics of Onyx...not bad looking).

[jumar]

Yeah I haven't heard about any routes in Utah yet this year. It just barely got cold today. My father in law will be coming up through Price canyon on Thurs, so he's going to look at Pricecicle so I can have a rough idea of what Joe's might be like this weekend.

[jumar]

Here's some condition posts from another forum (rockclimbing.com)

stymingersfink

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Nov 24, 2007, 8:02 PM
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Well, Provo Canyon is finally forming up.


Stairway to Heaven:

P1 is solid, if thin in a few places.
P2 is not quite there yet. The left side may be climbed in thin conditions but you'll need a pin or some smallish cams to protect the last 20' to the ledge system.
P3 is thi-i-i-in.. the first 100' looks way do-able, bring the stubbies. The 20' pillar just before the exit for the pitch appeared to be forming still, though the left side of it appears bonded fairly well. Good screws should be available on the ledge below it, but you still wouldn't wanna blow it.
P4 appears in its usual state... wet, short and steep.
P5 has about 20' to go before the right side pillar touches down, the left about 30' to go.


White Nightmare WI 4

In solid at the bottom, a tad chandeliered and wet in the afternoon, but catch it early for some quality ice. Bring some 13cm screws for the top of P1, 16cm's will go in pretty much everywhere else. It looks like the second pitch would go with some stubbies, but be prepared to tie them off. We did the mixed line just to the right of the first pitch.


Upper Bridal Veil WI4+X

Well, not really, but it's not listed in any book. There's a flow coming off one of the ledges to the right of Upper Bridal Veil that looked doable. The 10cm screws placed ok, the 13cm screws were a tad long. The exit move is pretty spicy right now, though the 16cm screw protecting it probably would have held. Actually, there was only one good screw on the thing... the one at the bottom.
There was plenty of signs of ice instability, as several of the daggers on Upper Bridal Veil collapsed adjacent to us while the lead was underway. MT styled it for his first lead of the season.


Bridal Veil Right WI3+

P1 was in thin conditions, it should take 10&13cm screws pretty well. Catch it early, as it was fairly wet shape by the time we got down to this climb. We passed it up to get on White Nightmare.



MT also reported that the Fang is busy forming right now, though it's got a ways before being in climbing shape.



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pwscottiv wrote:Even after a few jumps I didn't even get much of a rush anymore.
Might I suggest you try it next time without the parachute?




paintrain

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Nov 25, 2007, 1:58 PM
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Great White Icicle is also forming up.

Checked first pitch yesterday. Thin, but had a single set of tracks up it. The rest of it through binocs looks like it is coming together. A couple more days of cold and it should go without too much excitement if only a little short on P5 (dodge left to tree).

There are still some sizable rocks coming down from the big slide that happened in the spring. Watch your staging area at the bottom. There is evidence of continuing sizable blocks still coming down and some big loosies up above waiting for an excuse.

PT





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stymingersfink wrote:White Nightmare WI 4

In solid at the bottom, a tad chandeliered and wet in the afternoon, but catch it early for some quality ice. Bring some 13cm screws for the top of P1, 16cm's will go in pretty much everywhere else. It looks like the second pitch would go with some stubbies, but be prepared to tie them off. We did the mixed line just to the right of the first pitch.


Well, climbed the thing this afternoon, it's better than it looked from the bottom. I did it in one 60M pitch with 16cm screws all the way up. Unfortunately, I missed the anchor at the top, ended up going farther than recommendable. If you head up, be sure not to miss the rap anchor on the left... it's just under a tuft of grass, where the ice gets non-existant.

[asdf]

I took this picture of stairway Saturday morning around 10:30am

[jumar]

Thanks for the pic

I hurt my ankle hiking up to Onyx cave, and it's not healing very quick...hope it does soon so I can go hit the ice

[jumar]

From another thread, and update from Brian

Was in Joe's last weekend. Here's a short report on conditions we saw.

Climbed Melty Way. It is (way melty). Take rock gear, which, protects the soft, loose ice pretty well. We got on it in the a.m. which is prudent. Was a bit of a hair fest, though. Tough start to the season...

CCC Falls: the first pitch is fat.

Donorcicle: Formed to the ground but really thin and scary looking. We didn't get on it (no way) but, some other fellers rappelled it and decided against a TR even. But, after another week of cold temps?

Mary's Lake: from the reservior, with high power binocs, looked like at least 2 routes up there were in, and, one looked pretty fat.

Deadbolt: curtain wasn't touching but pretty close. Might be in by this weekend.

None of the other stuff (ampetheater, spear of fear, slip slidin', etc) was even a glimmer, which could spell rough for the balance of the season, as those seem to do well after good rain/snow recharges the water table. They looked pretty bone dry.

Drove back through Huntington. From the road, Inspired by Gravity looked in. That's an awesome route.

Stuff before you get to Price on 6 didn't look in yet. Dirtcicle wasn't touching. Etc.

Anyhoo...there ya go.

-Brian in SLC

[asdf]

stairway 12-13-2007

[accadacca]

Awesome pic!

[jumar]

Thanks for the pic. You're kind of like the Uutah Provo Canyon webcam

[asdf]

hahaha.
10 trips up and down that canyon a week is not too uncommon for my wife and I.

[jumar]

Update from rockclimbing.com

stymingersfink

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I'm working down in Springville for this week, and since it's just a skip and a jump down the road to Santaquin I decided to check the conditions today after work. Things are starting to look pretty good there so far... my assessment through the binoculars from the Forest Circus road follows:

Candlestick WI6+


The pillar is BARELY touching down, maybe 6" girth at its contact point, the top is thinner than usual, which really isn't saying much. Potential death-cicle, as the top appears pretty well bonded underneath the lip, but if it went you'd definitely go for a ride in a hearse. I'd climb it tomorrow, if my only other option was to eat a bullet.


Automatic Control Theory WI5 M7


The bulk of the climb is in, the only thing missing is the pillar. About 6' of dagger is hanging over the lip of the cave. If one were to follow the M7 line to the edge of the right side curtain it'd probably go, though above the lip the ice there appears barely suitable for stubbies. It would be easy to work left to the main upper P2 of ACT, which would take 16-19cm screws easily.


White Angel of Fear WI6+ M7-8 ?


A thirty foot dagger is hanging above the climb, it's reportedly possible to mix up behind where the climb shows up, but I've never seen it done. It's got a ways to go before it's even near climbing shape, IMHO.


Squash Head WI3+


The initial curtain is nearly formed, a finger approximately 4" in diameter has touched down. If you're going to get on it, better be gentle else your belayer find themselves with a lap full of dagger.


BackOff WI4


This climb appeared fully formed, if thin in a few spots. I was not able to see the bottom 1/3 of the climb, but with as much ice as the top has, it's gotta be all the way in. The ice appeared thin, probably no screws longer than 16cm if that. Bring a mix of short to medium screws.



Access to Santaquin canyon is the standard 4WD or snow machine. The road was packed down pretty well, but still slippery in a few spots. Don't get jiggy with it, else you'll be calling for a tow.

[clipinmt]

hey utah thought I would hop over here and support our local page out.
Climbed to the top of p3 on sat. on stairway. Way fun, the pillar on the right of p2 in the pic was pretty steep. P3 was wet on the left, dry and hard in the middle and chandeliered on the right, picky gear. P4 was in fat in the corner and P5 was all there we just got a late start and didn't bring a head lamp so bailed.
Everything else in the canyon was looking very good except for the fang tube. Needs a few more days of cold temps. Looks like a few new lines could be had if things keep filling out.
Sunday spent a day in the backcountry neer Alta and stopped on the way home at GWI. The thing looks as good as it ever is, full of snow and thin at the top, bring your date!

[Sombeech]

Wow, that stairway looks sweet. Be sure to post some pics when you climb it.

[Iceaxe]

[jumar]

From rockclimbing.com

triassic

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Dec 17, 2007, 12:52 PM
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Joe's Valley as of 12/16/2007.

Primadonna Not in yet

Spear of Fear barely getting started.

Deadbolt Probably doable, the curtain pitch is more of a column on the left side.

Melty Way Looked pretty good to me, in better than I've usually seen it.

CCC Falls All 3 pitches are in, pitch three felt like a solid WI4.

Donorcicle In all the way up, many climbers were toproping it. Leading it might be a little more exciting.

Looks like a good year for Joe's is on its way.

[jumar]

From RC again

triassic

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Dec 25, 2007, 2:55 PM
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Hey Sty, Here's your Xmas present!

Maple Canyon Xmas Eve

Rubber Cup Nausea WI3- In, but in thin conditions, but it's not been this good in years.
Bottomless, Topless WI6 Almost in probably just a few more days
Lemon WI2+ Not in good enough yet
Yellow Rapture and Skidders WI3 Both need a little more ice, but they're getting close!
Running Man WI4 It's in baby!

Box Canyon Routes: The Dagger, Cobble Cruncher, Maple Syrup, Maple Moon, Jesus Wept, Dos Gusanos, Tied off Stubbies All of these were really close to being in, maybe only one or two more days of cold.
Box Canyon Routes: Empire of Dirt WI5/6, Sandbagger WI4, Approach to Dagger WI2 More ice on Empire than I've seen for a decade, Sandbagger- looks good enough it's always thin and scary at the end.
Roadside Couloir WI3 Any day now.
Hooker WI5 Any day now also.
Hog Jowls WI3 Looks scary still.
Chicken Limbo Looks good to me.
Under Wraps Looked like enough ice to send, but I didn't scramble up to the base to see behind the flake.
Suzy Q Not in.
Suicidal Tendencies WI4 Enough ice on it to make you think about it.
Wet Itchies WI4 Did it, as good as last year.
4 pin Variation WI4 Almost.
Bowling Ball Head WI3 Did it, good enough.
Deep Throat Maple WI3 Probably in by today or tomorrow, its that close.
Sir Mixalot WI6 If you're sending WI6, it will turn your head as it's probably as good as it's going to get.
Get Whacked WI5 Sent it and then did a few laps on it. Screws for the first half and then two bolts on the left side and two on the right side and then more screws.
Brittle Stiffie My favorite climb in Maple and didn't go look at it well enough. The first pitch looked in, but couldn't tell about the other two.

I didn't check out further up Left Fork, but would guess that the first two pitches of Chutes and Ladders are in.
I didn't check out the climbs in the campground.
I didn't check out Frankenchrist, but would guess not quite yet. I also have no idea about the stuff by The Pipedream Area.

Did what is probably the FA of the thin ice between Get Whacked and Sir Mixalot. Seemed a lot harder than Get Whacked and way scarier. Scratch your way up to the roof and clip two bolts of the summer sport climb, you may have to dry tool and use your hands, but once you're at the roof it's all ice. You can still clip two more bolts to the left of the ice flow and then it's all stubbies until the end. Get on it early as it starts to delaminate from the wall after 1 or 2pm. I wouldn't want to test out any of the screws and it's continuous until the end. Once you pull over the final steep part, there's anchors to the left. You can continue to the top of the cliff, but it's easy and a lot of rock and ice and another 100+ feet.
I'm calling it The Final Frontier WI6 R
It looks like a killer year for Maple with all the snow! I had to walk from the very start of the canyon with all the snow on the road, but didn't need snow shoes. You would want snowshoes for The Right Fork however.
Have Fun!

[millsclimber]

Any update here guys? Pics are great - thanks. I'm in the flatlands of Illinois right now, but I want to get on the ice as soon as I get back next week.

Anyone been to Joe's yet? Anything in Santaquin canyon in? Anyone been up the freeway that materializes up the Great White Icicle on the weekends yet?

I always really appreciate any and all updates on conditions since they can change so fast.

[jumar]

We were going to go yesterday, but it didn't pan out. Hoping to try again on Saturday. I can't believe I haven't been on the ice yet!!!

Austin, what are ya doing in Illinois? Work?

[millsclimber]

Nope...being lazy unfortunately. I've been with the wife's family for the Holidays, so I'm ready to get back and get on the ice. I see that you did post some relatively recent stuff on Joe's....I just didn't see the second page of the thread. Sounds like a trip down there would be well worth it.

Austin