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geogoddess
Nov 28, 2007, 5:14 AM
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stymingersfink wrote: geogoddess wrote: I jsut picked up a copy of Andrew McLean's guide to extreme Wasatch ski tours, "The Chuting Gallery". I was amused to find The Great White Icicle included, with an S7 A rating (S7 = 60 degree slopes, 'just plain steep as hell'); the "A" denotes Artificial Assistance/Aid, ie, belay, 'rope shenanigans', etc, with the 'allure' of the future possibility that someone, someday, under ideal conditions, might "free" the route and ski it unaided. But he's a special kind of guy, that Andrew. WTF are your talking about woman!?! This is the ICE conditions thread... not the snow conditions thread. Everyone already knows we have the greatest snow on earth... with unreal lines... and faceshots galore. Hey... speaking of face shots... 
You're a little far away for that kinda talk tonite, sweetie.
Oh.... you mean the fact that its FINALLY snowing? 
(And a PTFTW!!)
(This post was edited by geogoddess on Nov 28, 2007, 5:35 AM)
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geogoddess
Nov 28, 2007, 5:41 PM
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stymingersfink wrote: geogoddess wrote: Oh.... you mean the fact that its FINALLY snowing? When have I EVER given you a face shot?  BTW... if you could do me a favor... take that box of Glenlivet to Kelly down at the BD store... make sure you hand it to him personally..., with my thanks, for everything. ...and thank YOU.
.... (rolls her eyes)
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stymingersfink
Dec 5, 2007, 5:42 PM
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Went up to Great White Icicle yesterday for a quick solo to check out conditions.
It was warm out, the ice was like wet styrofoam, thin and deteriorating in many spots. I was able to pick a relatively safe line for the most part, but if it stays warm for much longer it may transition out of climbing shape.
Over the first four pitches there were many hooking opportunities, but the fifth pitch was almost scary... thin, discontinuous and detached ice made the standard exit dangerously impassable, so I exited the route 6' below the standard topout over some exposed tree roots on the right.
Here's hoping the weather turns cold again 
Post up with what you're climbing, you cold-hearted ice fiends.
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altelis
Dec 5, 2007, 7:00 PM
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hey sty (or other salt lickers)-you been up to provo canyon recently? any news?
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stymingersfink
Dec 5, 2007, 7:13 PM
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Unfortunately, I was out of town last weekend, but here
sevrdhed wrote: Bridal veil right and white nightmare a couple of times.
so things must have fattened up a bit since the previous weekend.
FYI, the climbing in Provo Canyon faces north (receives no solar exposure this time of year) and seems to be the primary corridor for all the cold air pooling above Deer Creek Reservoir to flow downhill, not to mention the cool air flowing off the back side of Mt. Timpanogos. Things should be looking pretty good down there, regardless of the mid-high 40's temps in SLC today.
I'll know this weekend if Stairway is in better shape than when I last saw it ten days ago, and will post conditions then. You did see my conditions report a few posts up this thread, right?
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the_climber
Dec 5, 2007, 8:43 PM
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Weekend Plan: Attempt to link up 1000+ meters of ice in three different Canyons in the Ghost, Alberta on Saturday and Touring on Sunday.
FYI Ice in the Ghost is Bomber, Fat, and Blue right now.
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stymingersfink
Dec 6, 2007, 3:16 AM
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You takin a partner and a camera?
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the_climber
Dec 6, 2007, 3:54 PM
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Yes...
but plans' may be slightly adjusted... more people on account that one of my partners needs to get out as his dog was hit by a car and climbing would be good for him.... but then again more people, a second vehicle... Hey! this could work still... Hmmm.... logistics to plan tonight!
(This post was edited by the_climber on Dec 6, 2007, 3:56 PM)
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builttospill
Dec 6, 2007, 5:10 PM
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If anyone does get up into Provo or on GWI in the next couple days, please throw down an update. I live very near Provo Canyon, but by the time I get home from work it's a little dark.
Planning to hit both this weekend. Particularly interested in conditions on GWI since I'm assuming that Provo Canyon is in well.
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mattb1921
Dec 6, 2007, 10:05 PM
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Is anyone up for climbing in Ouray, Wolf Creek Pass or RMNP this weekend? My partners are either working or climbing in Montana. I really want to get out.
Matt
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stymingersfink
Dec 7, 2007, 1:29 AM
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I'm up in Burley ID right now, but I hear a storm's movin in to the SLC area. If overnight lows get to the low 20's or below GWI will be in great shape by this weekend (unless it snows, then it'll be a 50-50 on the top-out), but if it stays warm then I'd rather climb in Provo.
Side note for anyone thinking of getting on GWI: The dagger hanging above the P4 belay has been forming up... I'd have to recommend staying off of it for a bit longer till it bonds better up top
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builttospill
Dec 7, 2007, 2:50 AM
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Not sure what I was thinking. Based on the NWS forecast it looks like both Saturday and Sunday will be fine on both.
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clipinmt
Dec 7, 2007, 5:29 PM
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climbing in provo this weekend? watch the avi conditions.
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builttospill
Dec 8, 2007, 10:25 PM
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A couple of people up in Provo CAnyon today. We climbed Stairway to the bolted boulder belay (not sure if that is commonly considered one pitch or two). Then we ran a lap or two on the bottom tier.
Somewhat slushy, but mostly very good. Bridal veil is in, but it's not as thick looking as in years past.
Not sure about up-canyon climbs, but Stairway was nice. For what it's worth, the avy danger this low is nominal, except perhaps under the huge gully that empties into Bridal Veil. Stairway was quite safe (no snow was present before today, so no underlying issues).
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stymingersfink
Dec 9, 2007, 1:18 AM
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That must have been you I passed in the parking lot. I was the guy with the Shepard.
Those guys climbing when you were there went to the top of the third pitch, having mixed it up the right side corner towards the top of p2. They reported wet conditions, and experienced a pillar settling near the top of P3. Sounds like they're new to the area and getting after it pretty hard.
One of them nearly got brained by a rock at the base of P1 after coming off rappel. He hadn't moved from directly adjacent the base yet, and as his partner moved over the lip he accidentally sent an almost head-sized rock down. It missed the guy by a matter of inches.
Anyway, clipinmt was climbing the mixed lines over near White Nightmare when BVL came crashing down, so they moved over to the schoolroom area.
Conditions for today in Provo? Blizzardy 
It's climbable, but you'd better be pretty solid on WI4+ M5 if you're planning on getting anything above the first pitch.
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builttospill
Dec 10, 2007, 12:43 AM
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hey, yeah, that was us. Nice looking dog. I've had mine out a couple times lately but she isn't an well behaved (an australian shepherd).
That area at the top of the first pitch is dangerous for rocks. It was wet rock on the topout, and I was pretty careful setting up the belay to avoid pushing rocks around.
Hopefully the ice'll stick around for awhile. I wont' be out next weekend at all.
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clipinmt
Dec 12, 2007, 2:25 AM
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6 dgrees right now at home, provo should be alot better than the soft, detatched, crumbling pile it was over the weekend
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stymingersfink
Dec 12, 2007, 3:23 AM
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just made a quick (2hrs house to house) solo up Great White Icicle. I've seen it in worse shape, but not much worse.
Snow everywhere, the second pitch was pretty much a snow trudge with no axes necessary, p3 was thin but ok, p4 was pretty much crackle-top with 10-15" of snow between it and the ice, the dangler above the belay had fallen off and is working on rebuilding. The top end thinner and wetter than I've seen it in awhile. The alternate top-out through the tree roots is still the only way off it.
Be careful out there if you get on it.
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stymingersfink
Dec 12, 2007, 3:29 AM
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clipinmt wrote: 6 dgrees right now at home
I might be working Saturday... get on something Sunday?
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the_climber
Dec 12, 2007, 4:22 PM
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Well the great link up didnt' happen last weekend as with plans changed as they were there were to many people... that and it had been -30°C overnight, leaving me with tthe task of leading boilerplate ice that no matter what I did just didn't want to grab my pick. Swinging till you have a deep enough hooking placement is tireing and slow. We didi however climb about 300m of ice
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paintrain
Dec 12, 2007, 4:40 PM
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stymingersfink wrote: just made a quick (2hrs house to house) solo up Great White Icicle. I've seen it in worse shape, but not much worse. Snow everywhere, the second pitch was pretty much a snow trudge with no axes necessary, p3 was thin but ok, p4 was pretty much crackle-top with 10-15" of snow between it and the ice, the dangler above the belay had fallen off and is working on rebuilding. The top end thinner and wetter than I've seen it in awhile. The alternate top-out through the tree roots is still the only way off it. Be careful out there if you get on it.
Was going to go up thursday afternoon. Think it will be ripe enough?
PT
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stymingersfink
Dec 12, 2007, 11:58 PM
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paintrain wrote: Was going to go up thursday afternoon. Think it will be ripe enough? PT
...time before I was on it was last week, and then the top was in a little better condition, but not much. This snow sitting on it doesn't help much, but the 35degree days and cold nights will.
I tried to get some of the water flowing through the holes onto the surface on P4, don't know how successful I may have been. It was pretty dark out.
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alpineice
Dec 13, 2007, 5:44 PM
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Checked Malan's Waterfall in Ogden yesterday. P1 is definitely climbable, however, too difficult to protect. Still very thin. P2 is still just a large hanging curtain. Did get some fun "bouldering" in. But, I would recommend to not be up there past 10-11am (as is the general rule of Malan's anyhow). There was some serious rockfall.
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paintrain
Dec 13, 2007, 7:02 PM
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Anyone taken a look up at Willard Falls? It is a fun little romp that hardly anyone talks about.
PT
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