|
mother_sheep
Nov 12, 2004, 6:57 PM
Post #1 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 3984
|
Looking for suggestions on a easy to moderate snow/ice alpine climb for Sunday. I know we're expecting snow so the conditions may not be ideal. We'll check conditions before we commit to anything. Any couloirs, glaciers or snow sloggs with or without ice in descent condition right now? I may be up around Longs next weekend and because of time constraints on Sat evening, it's really not an option for Sunday. Please do not post avy danger advice (sorry to sound crass). Just looking for info on routes. Thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
soccer_fan
Nov 12, 2004, 6:28 PM
Post #2 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2003
Posts: 156
|
I don't know what conditions are but Dreamweaver, Flying Dutchman, and Skywalker Coulior should all be pretty moderate. Dreamweaver and Flying Dutchman are in the Long's cirque and Skywalker is in the Indian Peaks area. You can probably get the conditions info from www.climbingboulder.com
Have fun!
|
|
|
|
|
mbg
Nov 12, 2004, 7:29 PM
Post #3 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 372
|
It sounds like the only good stuff around right now involves a long walk in the Park. You're probably way ahead of me but the CMS ice conditions page was updated just yesterday:
http://www.cmschool.com/conditions.asp
Oh yeah, I’ve heard that Three Tiers (WI2-3) in 10mile Cyn. might be doable right now as well. :)
|
|
|
|
|
climbhoser
Nov 12, 2004, 8:26 PM
Post #4 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 4, 2004
Posts: 210
|
The only one of those I've done is Dreamweaver and would advise against it right now. The reason being is it only comes into condition through melt freeze...so in the spring, late spring it's good and CAN hold into late summer, but is sure to be melted out by now, and probably covered with snow. Through the winter it is inevitably a horrid snow slog.
|
|
|
|
|
mother_sheep
Nov 12, 2004, 8:30 PM
Post #5 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 3984
|
In reply to: The only one of those I've done is Dreamweaver and would advise against it right now. The reason being is it only comes into condition through melt freeze...so in the spring, late spring it's good and CAN hold into late summer, but is sure to be melted out by now, and probably covered with snow. Through the winter it is inevitably a horrid snow slog.
Yeah, it's not even an option for me this week. I think I've missed the boat on DW for this year.
|
|
|
|
|
mjroche
Nov 12, 2004, 9:19 PM
Post #6 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 5, 2004
Posts: 333
|
don't know if it's in condition this time of year, but one route worth looking into might be the Spalding Couloir aka Darkstar on Mt. Spalding in the Evans area. It's close, and has got a casual approach. It's about 1000 ft of moderate snow/alpine ice up to about 60 degrees. and rock pro up the walls if you want to pitch some of the route. No clue about avalanche danger, but, there's a huge chockstone that blocks the top of the couloir so, even if the top sloughs off, the chockstone would block most of it. You just bail out right at the chockstone and a little bit of 3rd-4th class takes you to the top. I did this route last summer and it was a blast.
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Nov 12, 2004, 10:03 PM
Post #7 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
In reply to: The only one of those I've done is Dreamweaver and would advise against it right now. The reason being is it only comes into condition through melt freeze...so in the spring, late spring it's good and CAN hold into late summer, but is sure to be melted out by now, and probably covered with snow. Through the winter it is inevitably a horrid snow slog.
This is not really accurate, the Dreamweaver can be an excellent route in the fall and early winter and often has better ice at this time than any other time of the year.
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Nov 12, 2004, 10:09 PM
Post #8 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
In reply to: don't know if it's in condition this time of year, but one route worth looking into might be the Spalding Couloir aka Darkstar on Mt. Spalding in the Evans area. It's close, and has got a casual approach. It's about 1000 ft of moderate snow/alpine ice up to about 60 degrees. and rock pro up the walls if you want to pitch some of the route. No clue about avalanche danger, but, there's a huge chockstone that blocks the top of the couloir so, even if the top sloughs off, the chockstone would block most of it. You just bail out right at the chockstone and a little bit of 3rd-4th class takes you to the top. I did this route last summer and it was a blast.
Sorry to burst too many bubbles here, but the Mt. Evans Road is closed for the season. This means if you are making the trip on foot, skis or snowshoes, you're looking at about 30 miles round trip to do any of the climbs in this area.
|
|
|
|
|
mbg
Nov 12, 2004, 10:40 PM
Post #9 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 372
|
In reply to: Sorry to burst too many bubbles here, but the Mt. Evans Road is closed for the season. This means if you are making the trip on foot, skis or snowshoes, you're looking at about 30 miles round trip to do any of the climbs in this area.
You are correct about the road but it's actually a reasonable day trip (~15 mi. via the Chicago Lakes trail) from the winter closure at Echo Lake.
|
|
|
|
|
climbhoser
Nov 12, 2004, 11:07 PM
Post #10 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 4, 2004
Posts: 210
|
This thread has begun to be a perfect example of Colorado dorkmanship...don't take offense, please...I'm one of you.
As for Dreamweaver, I've seen some frozen stuff hither and thither this time of year, but it's usually pretty beat up from the late summer uber heat. Then it gets cold quick, and doesn't freeze back up all the way. I've seen it this time of year anywhere from a pure snow slog like it would be in March to bare rock and a wee bit o' frozen water encasing the choss underneath. Seeing as how I'm out of state this year, I honestly can't say, but I do think the best time to do it has got to be earlier than now.
|
|
|
|
|
mother_sheep
Nov 13, 2004, 1:40 AM
Post #11 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 3984
|
In reply to: This thread has begun to be a perfect example of Colorado dorkmanship...don't take offense, please...I'm one of you. As for Dreamweaver, I've seen some frozen stuff hither and thither this time of year, but it's usually pretty beat up from the late summer uber heat. Then it gets cold quick, and doesn't freeze back up all the way. I've seen it this time of year anywhere from a pure snow slog like it would be in March to bare rock and a wee bit o' frozen water encasing the choss underneath. Seeing as how I'm out of state this year, I honestly can't say, but I do think the best time to do it has got to be earlier than now.
Read my initial post. I'm not interested in Dreamweaver. But thanks fellow dork.
|
|
|
|
|
climbhoser
Nov 13, 2004, 4:12 AM
Post #12 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 4, 2004
Posts: 210
|
Understood...however I was replying to Sharpie about this time of year being right or wrong for DW and NOT to your original question. It's 'cause I'm a dork...dork
|
|
|
|
|
mother_sheep
Nov 13, 2004, 4:27 AM
Post #13 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 18, 2002
Posts: 3984
|
In reply to: It's 'cause I'm a dork...dork
HEY! I resemble that.
|
|
|
|
|
mbg
Nov 13, 2004, 7:58 AM
Post #14 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 17, 2003
Posts: 372
|
Looking back at my 1:24,000 United States Geological Survey topographical maps, I feel the need to correct my previously stated mileage. The actual roundtrip distance from the Echo Lake trailhead to the summit of Mount Spalding is 14.236 miles if one were to take 2.5 potty breaks en route.
Dork on dorks. :wink:
|
|
|
|
|
sharpie
Nov 13, 2004, 5:56 PM
Post #15 of 15
(2927 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 8, 2002
Posts: 1111
|
In reply to: Colorado dorkmanship
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Look. All I'm saying is...you're wrong. And it's okay to be wrong sometimes. Look up a couple posts, a said that the round trip for Evans/Spaulding was 30 miles (I was thinking if you skied the road) and mbg corrected me (thanks dork :D ).
DW is great in the spring, but it can be an outstanding fall or early winter route too. Here is an email I got from Eli Helmuth on Nov. 2nd:
Majka Burhardt/Eli Helmuth wrote:
Aaron-
I’m going up on Keiner’s on Friday I'll let you know about conditions. I have only looked at Dreamweaver recently, haven't been on it in a while. Reports are that conditions are prime for mixed and the ice is the best it's been in a long time.
Enjoy-
Eli
And here's part of a recent post from cb.com:
By: Jeremy Monahan On: 10.3.2004
Comments: Holy Crap!! What an awesome route!!
As you probably know this is a prime time of the year for most of the other mountaineering routes around the Chasm basin too...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
