Nov 6 2011 Ice Conditions
Quick and Dirty is not even close to being in.
The left Compound Gully maybe climable starting on the 2nd pitch, but it will be hard to protect (guess).
The Buchannan ridge climbs in the upper bowl look to be in. I would guess Drywood is in too, as I suspect Midnight Madness would be as well.
Lineham ice climbs would not be in as they never form up early.
posted by chris goble @ 11/06/2011 09:52:00 PM
5 Comments
5 Comments:
Haven't checked your site in awhile,but i do I appreciate the work with the guide book and the website An app would be rad. Drywood is in, all the climbs even the won across the valley to the north is in. Climbed there today and the gasser was very plastic.
Sat Nov 12 -
Snowing pretty heavily here. Skiing should be good on Sunday. I suspect the x-country to Cameron will be fine, even if you could likely walk the road just as easily.
I don't think there is a big base at the higher elevations to make back-country good, but a few of the slopes like Forum to Cameron should be fine (provided the avy isn't too bad).
The lower pitch of the 2 compound gullies aren't in. The higher pitches seem alright.
Just an update:
In Waterton yesterday. Update on ice:
- compound gullies have very thin ice; I suspect only the very top pitch of the left hand line would be climbable...barely.
- both experts choice and Quick and Dirty have ice on them, but questionable bonding to rock, and very difficult to climb by mere mortals and/or with any protection.
- being chained to desks too long, we wanted some exercise, and made the hike up to the ice WAY up in the bowl on Buchanan (it's almost2,000' from the road to the base of the climb). Because it was snowing pretty hard, we couldn't actually see the climb until we got there. The ice was very thin and crappy - and the first 'pitch' would entail scratching around verglas-covered slabs, only to have about 30 feet of real climbing above that. Even if one is just after a good hike (which we were), the outing has little to recommend it....having to cross cameron creek (wet), lots of bushwacking up steep slopes, loose snow on top of slippery talus, etc. It was so greasy and slippery we actually had to wear crampons most of the way down, despite being predominantly in a forest. I'm not sure if the climb has ever been named, but we suggest "Lest We Forget," given both that the climb usually has to be done around Remembrance Day (before snow accumulation causes unacceptable avalanche hazard), and once one bashes up that hillside once, you are unlikely to ever forget it! :)
Pray for cold!
Brad
too funny.... dave and i have climbed that upper route on buchanan on remembrance day a couple of years back. so much work for such a little amount of ice.
If you have some pictures, you may want to send them to Josephson so he can update his new guidebook. He may already be finished it though.... Let me know and I'll forward his address to you.
Chris
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