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southernmtguide
Jan 19, 2006, 4:11 PM
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I am going to Salt Lake City next week, and have a couple of days available to go ice climbing. Whats the good word on whats in shape? Hopefully something!
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stymingersfink
Jan 22, 2006, 4:43 PM
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gwi is covered in snow, and the ice there is kind of rotten underneath anyway. Might be different in a week, we can hope. Provo canyon has more ice, and is forming more as we type. Staiirway was in, the pillar on P5 was looking kind of anemic on the left side, but it was touching down. all in all, things should be ok by the time you get here.
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jww2nc
Jan 26, 2006, 4:31 PM
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Hi! Just read your post and maybe there's a chance you can steer me in the right direction... I'm up to SLC for 5-10 days in February (depending on whether the ice is good, if not, it's down to Red Rocks), and will be staying out by Park City. What's the word on where I should go to get some bomber ice routes? I'm more into longer, more alpine routes, like WI3/4, but if all that SLC has is WI4/5 vertical ice, then so be it. Anything worth climbing in the area I'll be in?
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ullr
Jan 26, 2006, 4:37 PM
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In reply to: Hi! Just read your post and maybe there's a chance you can steer me in the right direction... I'm up to SLC for 5-10 days in February (depending on whether the ice is good, if not, it's down to Red Rocks), and will be staying out by Park City. What's the word on where I should go to get some bomber ice routes? I'm more into longer, more alpine routes, like WI3/4, but if all that SLC has is WI4/5 vertical ice, then so be it. Anything worth climbing in the area I'll be in? You'll have a bit of a drive from Park City to climb ice. The nearest route is the moderate, and hyper popular Great White Icicle, in Little Cottonwood Canyon. About 40 minutes from Park City. Otherwise, you need to go to Provo Canyon (1+ hours from PC), or Santaquin Canyon (1.4 hours from PC).
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builttospill
Jan 26, 2006, 6:27 PM
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ullr is right. But I don't think provo canyon is an hour+ drive from Park City. I can drive from Kamas to BYU in 40-45 minutes, so I'd imagine it would be similar (45 minutes) to Provo Canyon. Make sure the canyon road is open though, it's closed from 1-6 am on all weekdays.
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jumar
Jan 27, 2006, 1:08 AM
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Joe's seems to be one of the best bets. Definitely a long drive from Park City. If you're looking for alpine routes, you could mess around in some of the couliers in LCC. There's also the Pfeiferhorn and some of the other Wasatch peaks. Not really ice to climb, but more alpine-ish.
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builttospill
Jan 28, 2006, 12:21 AM
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For alpine routes you could try: -South ridge of superior (VERY short class 5 rock...like 2 moves, really scenic) -North Ridge of Pfeifferhorn (5.5, good winter route) -Some rock route on Mount Olympus...Guert's Ridge or Kampf's Ridge The ice should be a bit better now...it's been colder lately. Provo should be in.
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stymingersfink
Jan 28, 2006, 1:07 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: Hi! Just read your post and maybe there's a chance you can steer me in the right direction... I'm up to SLC for 5-10 days in February (depending on whether the ice is good, if not, it's down to Red Rocks), and will be staying out by Park City. What's the word on where I should go to get some bomber ice routes? I'm more into longer, more alpine routes, like WI3/4, but if all that SLC has is WI4/5 vertical ice, then so be it. Anything worth climbing in the area I'll be in? You'll have a bit of a drive from Park City to climb ice. The nearest route is the moderate, and hyper popular Great White Icicle, in Little Cottonwood Canyon. About 40 minutes from Park City. Otherwise, you need to go to Provo Canyon (1+ hours from PC), or Santaquin Canyon (1.4 hours from PC). From PC, take state route 40 southeast to Heber, then follow the signs to Provo Canyon (its a right turn just past the bulk of Heber City. Don't blink). Drive time ~ 35 min (conditions dependent of course) The most popular easy ice in the Provo Canyon area seems to be the lower apron of Stairway to Heaven, where one may set up TR's by gaining either the middle ledge from the near right (plan on a V-Thread anchor with a screw backup), or the top of the first pitch from the far right (good luck finding TR anchors from the top of P1, its a scree ledge). P1 ~ WI3, P's 2-4 ~ WI3+, P5 ~ WI5 or M-6 to M-PDH. :D :wink: (edited to add: P6 ~ WI2+, P7 M-PDH(? - we walked around), P8 WI3, P9 WI5+, P10 WI4+) Bridalveil area sports some ice too, with some WI3 (BVR) WI3+ (White Nightmare) as well as some sporty mixed climbing (with actual ice on the route!!) Several hundred yards east of Bridalveil you may find more, difficult ice; but these routes seem to be less commonly done by people visiting the area as the approach may be less inviting. As one mentioned above, GWI is one of the more popular climbs in the SLC area, due to its proximity to the SLC climbers trying to get a climb in before going to work (or sneaking one in after work). The Scruffy Band may be forming in the mouth of the canyon (viewable across the canyon from the LCC p&r lot) and conditions may be found thin+scary to two-pitch fattie WI3. Joe's is a(t least) 3hr drive from SLC, though you may find the Pricicle in along the way. The Pricicle has a most enviable approach and the ambiance is rivaled only by the Flying J. Joe's offers a wide multitude of ice, as easy or hard as you want. I would suggest picking up the Ice Climbing Utah guidebook for route details.
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stymingersfink
Jan 28, 2006, 1:14 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: Hi! Just read your post and maybe there's a chance you can steer me in the right direction... I'm up to SLC for 5-10 days in February (depending on whether the ice is good, if not, it's down to Red Rocks), and will be staying out by Park City. What's the word on where I should go to get some bomber ice routes? I'm more into longer, more alpine routes, like WI3/4, but if all that SLC has is WI4/5 vertical ice, then so be it. Anything worth climbing in the area I'll be in? You'll have a bit of a drive from Park City to climb ice. The nearest route is the moderate, and hyper popular Great White Icicle, in Little Cottonwood Canyon. About 40 minutes from Park City. Otherwise, you need to go to Provo Canyon (1+ hours from PC), or Santaquin Canyon (1.4 hours from PC). From PC, take state route 40 southeast to Heber, then follow the signs to Provo Canyon (its a right turn just past the bulk of Heber City. Don't blink). Drive time ~ 35 min (conditions dependent of course) The most popular easy ice in the Provo Canyon area seems to be the lower apron of Stairway to Heaven, where one may set up TR's by gaining either the middle ledge from the near right (plan on a V-Thread anchor with a screw backup), or the top of the first pitch from the far right (good luck finding TR anchors from the top of P1, its a scree ledge). P1 ~ WI3, P's 2-4 ~ WI3+, P5 ~ WI5 or M-6 to M-PDH. :D Bridalveil area sports some ice too, with some WI3 (BVR) WI3+ (White Nightmare) as well as some sporty mixed climbing (with actual ice on the route!!) Several hundred yards east of Bridalveil you may find more, difficult ice; but these routes seem to be less commonly done by people visiting the area as the approach may be less inviting. As one mentioned above, GWI is one of the more popular climbs in the SLC area, due to its proximity to the SLC climbers trying to get a climb in before going to work (or sneaking one in after work). The Scruffy Band may be forming in the mouth of the canyon (viewable across the canyon from the LCC p&r lot) and conditions may be found thin+scary to two-pitch fattie WI3. Joe's is a(t least) 3hr drive from SLC, though you may find the Pricicle in along the way. The Pricicle has a most enviable approach and the ambiance is rivaled only by the Flying J. Joe's offers a wide multitude of ice, as easy or hard as you want. I would suggest picking up the Ice Climbing Utah guidebook for route details.
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ullr
Jan 28, 2006, 1:10 PM
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Ooop. You're right, going to Provo via Heber would be much quicker. I'm stuck thinking about I-80 I-15, sorry for the misleading beta. As far as the N. Ridge of the Pfeiff, don't bother, it's a ski descent as of last year. :wink: http://fritzrips.com/...w_couloir_pfeiff.jpg
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jumar
Jan 30, 2006, 3:03 PM
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In reply to: Joe's is a(t least) 3hr drive from SLC, though you may find the Pricicle in along the way. Drove past it yesterday, and it's fat.
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stymingersfink
Feb 3, 2006, 12:10 AM
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(spray) Sunday my partner and I were in the Provo Canyon with the intent to get as far Stairway as the ice would allow. We got kind of a late start (to the base of the climb by 11am late start) so were behind several parties already on the route. Soloing P's 1&2 went quickly, and by the time my partner was 3/4's up P3, one party was rapping down to my station. They reported that the ice on P5 didn't look that good to them, but another party was starting the lead on it. I seconded P3 as quickly as I could, then solo'd P4 trailing a rope as I wished to see someone tackling the pillar on P5. Their leader was just topping out and by happenstance I had met the second several weeks prior. We conversed for a bit; they were on a time constraint but would be going as far as time would allow. I told him our plans were to climb till the ice disappeared. The pillar on 5 was easier than I was expecting, with a bolt in the roof midway up and some good stems out to the left. As I approached the P5 anchor athe party above was just getting into the business of 6, a short slushy bulge that I hated even as a second. P7 was not in, and we were not going to M-hard past it, so we walked east to a short chimney to get above it. P8 was a short icy groove, and my partner linked it with P9 where he placed a screw upside down in an icy ceiling before maneuvering through the overhanging ice-roof (!). The party ahead of us had run out of time and rapped from the top of 8. With matt belaying from a slung icicle at the top of 9 I cleaned the pitch. As I approached the belay another party appeared below us at the bottom of P8, so I waited a moment till they were safely out of the way before starting out on P10. Midway up P10, the sun broke under the cloudcover for a few minutes, creating one of the most beautiful vistas I've see in quite some time. Just minutes after topping out I was able to watch it disappear behind the Oquirrhs, three bald eagles wheeling in the sky overhead. Matt came up, complaining of the same problem I had experienced on lead - that of jelly-arms and multiple missed sticks. We coiled the ropes, pulled out the headlamps and hiked east to the old abandoned restaurant. After checking out the vandalised carcass, we slung the ropes over a handrail and rapped through the chimney, then walked around to the top of P6. Here we rapped from a single draw in-situ on an M-line, and simul-rapped the rest of the way to the base. Car to car in 9 hours. The party behind us topped out in the dark, and as we approached the car we (finally) saw their headlamps readying their ropes to rap from P6. I hope you got to climb some good ice while you were in town. I sure did. :D
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builttospill
Feb 3, 2006, 12:58 AM
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How were conditions elsewhere in the area? Driving past it looked like Millers Thriller was in (if I was looking in the right spot) and Bridal Veil right was pretty thin and trashy. Is that about right? How long you think it will last with the warm weather? I'm looking to get out on saturday hopefully.
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guanoboy
Feb 8, 2006, 4:36 PM
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Whats the good word? Have the cold nights set things up in Ogden (malans), Provo, and Santaquin? I'd appreciate any info before heading down there. thanks
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stymingersfink
Feb 8, 2006, 7:47 PM
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got on the finger of fate on sunday. I'd have to say don't bother going above the first (tube) pitch. Get up it, rap off then go do something else, like millar's or PND. I doubt Malan's will be in again this season. it was super-nice in late december with cold obvercast days, but as soon as the sun breaks through its done. reports i've heard regarding: santaquin: squash-head is 2 pitches, ACT & Candlestick are NOT touching (probably won't this year is my guess) maple (as of last weekend): frankenchrist NOT in, so they went to play on Get Whacked in sporty thin conditions, no reports yet on the Box. Another local familiar with the area was suggesting that things should be forming up nicely there over the weekend past. A buddy is coming to town this weekend to get on Stairway if conditions hold. We've go a high pressure system building over SLC however, so I may get eyes-on Maple this weekend instead. I'll let y'all know how it goes. ~Sty
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jumar
Feb 9, 2006, 4:07 PM
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Anyone been up GWI?
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builttospill
Feb 12, 2006, 4:21 AM
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great white icicle in little cottonwood canyon is still in. It's fat enough to climb and solo if you want. There are a few spots where it is really thin with water running underneath, but nothing crazy. The top gets soft, at least when I was there today at 3:30 or so.
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guanoboy
Feb 13, 2006, 9:35 PM
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has anyone seen Angel of fear or anything in Santaquin lately? thanks
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stymingersfink
Feb 13, 2006, 10:34 PM
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Go for the drive, it's worth it. And when its in it doesn't hang around for long. I guess when it all falls down, then I'll get to santaquin to get eyes on. Deal?
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jumar
Feb 16, 2006, 3:11 PM
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We climbed both pitches of Squash head on Saturday. With this cold snap it'll be in good shape still.
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stymingersfink
Feb 18, 2006, 2:20 AM
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What else did you see on the hike into squash head? Anything worth mentioning?
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stymingersfink
Feb 22, 2006, 3:00 AM
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General announcement for you hard-core ice hounds: STAIRWAY IS IN FATTIE! On the 29th of Jan my partner clipinMT and I topped out on P10 on a 9hr car to car ice-feast. Since then it has only gotten better. P7 still involves a walk-around to a short 5.6 chimney 200 yds east of the main line however pitches 8, 9 and 10 are even better now than they were 3 weeks ago. Miss CW and I solo'd and swapped leads (with the p7 avoidance technique) up the thing in 7hrs C2Cs today, with fat wet ice for the majority of the climb. P5 is a drippy hook-fest. The right-side pillar is now in solid (though wet ~ we didn't get on that one), and there's more ice on the belay ledge than I've seen in the past few years. The dagger on 6 is in fragile shape, though it may be avoided by hiking the ice bulge 20yds east of it. A pillar has formed on 7, though the 40'plus free-standing pillar is still too anemic to climb safely, with a 1' diameter connection at the base. The pillars on 8 are fat and blue, 9 is quite wet and 10 suprisingly sticky considering the sun it usually receives, though we were under overcast skies for the entire day. Looking forward to hitting it again this weekend before the threatened warm temps cause conditions to worsen. Don't you wish you were in Salt Lake...?
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guanoboy
Feb 22, 2006, 4:41 PM
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stymingersfink- thanks for the update. Its much appreciated.
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brianinslc
Feb 22, 2006, 5:38 PM
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In reply to: stymingersfink- thanks for the update. Its much appreciated. Ditto that. Also, drove by GWI in LCC on monday. Will be in pegged out (mucho traffico!) but fat condition for a few days at least until the temps start bouncin' up (47F on sunday then 50 by monday/tuesday??). Take care with the upcoming warm temps, folks. Remember that the Utar season usually starts to shut down by the end of Feb in a typical year, and, with warmer temps, maybe earlier. This cold snap has sure been good for the ice, though. Still, don't push the ego soft ice, it'll bite ya. Watch out for stuff coming off from above, snow sluffing (point release etc due to warm temps), etc. Rapid temp change is fun to a point, then not so good. -Brian in SLC
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guanoboy
Feb 23, 2006, 1:59 AM
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anyone interested in joining me on the stairway on friday? I can lead any or all of it. pm me.
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