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grk10vq
Sep 20, 2005, 7:59 PM
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Talk about eager....I sharpened my gear and packed my Ice bag in APRIL!!
think Ice.
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verticon
Sep 23, 2005, 8:15 AM
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In reply to: Talk about eager....I sharpened my gear and packed my Ice bag in APRIL!! think Ice.
Yeah, me too... All that stuff was standing in my way where I was looking for the rock climbing rack, so I packed everything and dumped it in a closet.
But you guys are right: now it's time to reverse the process. Rock gear in the closet - Ice gear out of it !
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rendog
Sep 25, 2005, 6:27 PM
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so after driving into Banff today, I noticed a few things happening that really let me know that the ice season is truly upon us:
1. I almost drove off the road looking for "known" climbs.
2. I almsot wet my pants when I saw "Southern Wind" was forming.
3. I giggled like a little school girl and deffinately wet my pants (just a little squirt) when I saw the ice curtain forming up on the Trophy Wall, as well as seeing "Sam Goes a Treking" and "Trans-Canada Iceway" are both up. barely but they're there.
teeheehehehehheheheheheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
In reply to: Okay ren.... you can shut up now.... only kidding.... I'm just jealous, mate.... you guys are lucky to live in a country with regular ice routes and mountains that actually look like mountains.... I've been salivating for five years now.... my last waterfall route was in 99, my last alpine route was in 2000.... ....and now I'm moving to the states, only to have to start classes on the 17th january.... in Texas.... I waaaaaaaaaaaanna climb ice toooooooo!!!!! Boooo hooo hooooo....
Dave read the siggy and get the hell up here man. bring Steph too.
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tradman
Sep 26, 2005, 11:42 AM
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Man, I dunno.
I'm on the tail end of a beautiful sunny summer of clean, sun-warmed rock and afternoon naps on tops of rock towers. Now I'm running through my piles of winter gear and remembering the pitch dark, howling winds and seven flavours of freezing death that make all that down and thermal stuff necessary.
I ain't so keen, but what's the alternative? Gym all winter?
FUCK THAT!
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neurostar
Sep 26, 2005, 12:37 PM
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Half of my dreams this weekend (2 of 4) have been about ice climbing.. so I think I'm ready :wink:
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rustypouch
Sep 27, 2005, 4:03 PM
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I drove up to Jasper the other day, and Curtain Call is starting to come in...
Granted, I doubt I am good enough to climb it, but it still gets me going.
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boulderinemt
Sep 27, 2005, 4:37 PM
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i could live with curtain call...new update....nothing in down here :cry: one of these days....we got snow 2 days ago...so of course the skis had to come out and be waxed for the 50th time this summer/spring....god im ready for winter
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lewisiarediviva
Sep 27, 2005, 6:49 PM
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There was snow on Hyndman the other day. I hope the fact that I can't see it today means their is more. So I'm in the market for some backcountry skis. Haven't pulled the ice ax and crampons out yet 'cause it's been in the 70's. Their is no ice in the canyon yet. All the kids can talk about is skiing. They are not happy with me at the moment because they asked when the resorts usually open, and I had to be honest and tell them that Thanksgiving is what the resort managers pray for.
But I must share: We went to see Penguins and not two minutes into the begining, our 8 year old daughter says "Nice Ice Climbing!" Has anyone seen kid size ice axes and crampons?
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boulderinemt
Sep 27, 2005, 8:44 PM
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grivel makes a third tool that we have used with friend's kids before. its straight shaft and nasty, but young enough, that doesn't really matter...as for crampons :?:
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sarcat
Sep 27, 2005, 9:52 PM
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I was at the City of Rocks, ID this past weekend and saw snow in the mountains. All I could think about were my K2 Axis, Denali TTs, the new Sabretooths and the new picks I have for my Rage tools.
My wife who just got done freezing on Jackson's Thumb could only talk about Southern Mexico.
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lewisiarediviva
Oct 3, 2005, 6:50 PM
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Snow possible today! Low's should be 35 tonight.
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timd
Oct 7, 2005, 3:16 AM
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Are we there yet,are we there yet,are we there yet :lol:
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lewisiarediviva
Oct 28, 2005, 1:57 PM
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Oh finally!
It's foggy, it's raining, it must be snowing up their. And it's all staying for a few days! I even would go as far to say that at 3 am there were a few ice crystals in the canyon.
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sharpie
Oct 28, 2005, 2:54 PM
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In reply to: My wife who just got done freezing on Jackson's Thumb could only talk about Southern Mexico.
Humm...why don't you head up to the Northen Rockies and Mrs. Sarcat and I will head down to Mea-he-co...she'll be in good hands, come on trust me...it's your buddy Sharpie 8^)
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pebbleman
Oct 28, 2005, 4:11 PM
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I'm not sure I would buy a tool with a fixed adze/hammer like the Aztar for crag use, these tools are more applicable for the Mont Blanc Massif where you might really need these features, an adze is hard to move your face around when climbing waterfall ice (and is useless for dry-tooling) plus the thing is dangerous. If you are looking for a "compromise" tool check out the Takoon by Grivel, you can use this tool fully leashless, with the leash or remove the Horn and Trigger and go "old school". I will be reviewing this tool in A FROZEN WORLD later this year (if ice ever forms up here in Colorado for me to try this thing out!).
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stymingersfink
Oct 29, 2005, 7:26 PM
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In reply to: Yea. My only thing is, I'm more in the market for alpine tools. I've only tried the Rages and some Camp tools (didn't like the camp tools).
http://www.bdel.com/gear/cobra.php
need I say more?
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justafurnaceman
Oct 29, 2005, 9:27 PM
Post #42 of 252
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Registered: Jan 13, 2005
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MY ICE AXES HAVE ARRIVED!! I just bought the Quarks and I'm so excited about ice climbing.
I drive around with my windows down in order to start preparing myself for the cold. My co-workers don't appreciate it, especially when it's 40 degrees out. I usually turn the heat on a little for them. hahaha
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boulderinemt
Oct 31, 2005, 1:19 AM
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anybody have any ice yet? theres some stuff forming up high around here, but not enough to warrent a trip to it. im ready..bring on the snow, bring on the ice bring on the bitter cold :D
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sarcat
Oct 31, 2005, 3:24 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: My wife who just got done freezing on Jackson's Thumb could only talk about Southern Mexico. Humm...why don't you head up to the Northen Rockies and Mrs. Sarcat and I will head down to Mea-he-co...she'll be in good hands, come on trust me...it's your buddy Sharpie 8^)
Ummmm....No. I don't think that would work. Ya see she's addicted to me. Must be my charm, sensuality, willingness to go shopping with her and the prescrip. of Viagra.
And Sharpie, I trust you as much as a 97 Dodge Caravan w/ 143,522 miles on it.
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boulderinemt
Nov 8, 2005, 6:30 PM
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sooooo today its puking snow, cold, and i guess yesterday people started to see fangs coming down in the south fork...could it be this weekend its in? who knows, but we're definitly on the way, thank god :D
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lewisiarediviva
Nov 9, 2005, 1:11 AM
Post #46 of 252
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Two snowflakes in the dog dish this morning.
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surfer_bill
Nov 9, 2005, 1:42 AM
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we had a wee bit of ice here, but the past week melted it all away. I think Central Gully on Mt Washington and The Black Dike in Franconia are the only two east coast routes that have gone yet (and in sketchy conditions at that). People have attempted Pinnacle and bailed, others have tried some in the notch and failed...
Conditions reports and photos here: http://neice.com/Conditions/
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surfer_bill
Nov 9, 2005, 1:45 AM
Post #48 of 252
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Registered: Apr 25, 2004
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we had a wee bit of ice here, but the past week melted it all away. I think Central Gully on Mt Washington and The Black Dike in Franconia are the only two east coast routes that have gone yet (and in sketchy conditions at that). People have attempted Pinnacle and bailed, others have tried some in the notch and bailed...
Conditions reports and photos here: http://neice.com/Conditions/
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skinner
Nov 9, 2005, 3:19 PM
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Not worthy of a TR
Well, I couldn't wait and drove the Icefield Parkway the weekend before last. We arrived at 11:00pm and negotiated a cheap room at "The Crossing" since it was their last week of operations for the season.
The next morning we stood at an abandon tourist parking lot near the toe, in a sloppy-wet snow storm with zero visibility. Being the hard-core dood that I am, we went back to the crossing and narfed down one of the best bacon cheeseburgers I have ever had.
As the clouds lifted and the storm eased, we headed out on the parkway once more, rounding a bend only to be greeted with a free flowing Tangle Falls.. not even a single icicle in sight.
Is it just me or does it just seem to be taking longer every year for things to start forming?
Oh well, I was going to stick my tools in some ice no matter what, and pulled back into the tourist parking lot at the toe of the glacier. I had no sooner opened the hatchback when a ranger appeared asking me what I was up to. "If you are planning on going somewhere.. we'd really like to know about it". He said that when he saw all the gear in the back of my Jeep, that he assumed I must be planning a multi-day trip over the pass somewhere. I told him that the gear is basically always in there, I just add food and water as needed. He actually cracked a *little* smile and said that he thought that was a great idea.
After reassuring him that we were only going to "look around" he left with his radio going off about a bunch of cars spun off into the ditch.
We tramped over the moraine and into a little slot beside the glacier where there was a kewl *little* series of overhanging ice falls. Unfortunately it wasn't formed enough to climb so off over the glacier we went heading to the big blue blocks on the other side. I was probing my way across the glacier and turned to explain what to look for etc., while doing so I took one more step and my right leg disappeared in a crevasse right up to my crotch. It was comical to say the least. The crevasse was only a foot wide and I had probed right over it.
Needless to say I was able to stick my tools in some ice, that beautiful blue plastic-like glacier ice where your tools set effortlessly with a sweet little *thunk*. That morning I was able to get some pictures (of dubious quality as it was pretty dark) to show you where some of the routes are at. They can be seen here: http://www.netspy.net/...kway/conditions.html
I doubt that conditions have changed much as the temperatures have been higher on average then when I was there.
BTW: Welcome back rendog, you went walkabout for a while? Figured you'd be back in time for the ice season though :wink:
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lichenmuncher
Nov 11, 2005, 2:27 AM
Post #50 of 252
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:roll:
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