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deanlords
Dec 25, 2006, 6:05 AM
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Climbed in Maple 5 or 6 days ago. Cobble Cruncher was in great condition. A few other routes in the Box are doable. Also climbed Topless, Bottomless the same day. Accessed the ice via drytooling up the bolt line to the left of the water streak. At the time, a small curtain of ice hung down to the same level as the top anchors for the rock route and felt about WI 6+ to gain lower angle thin ice above. It was dripping and seemed to be forming fast.
Hope that helps. Other routes in the canyon seemed to be forming well.
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alpinerocket
Dec 28, 2006, 7:51 PM
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any one been out recently? Looking for conditions from Logan to GWI to Provo.
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stymingersfink
Dec 29, 2006, 2:22 AM
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ask me sunday.
It warmed up a little bit over the past few days here in the SLC area, but cooled down a bit today. Highs for the next week are forecasted in the high 20's low 30's. That's HIGHs, so things should be looking good.
Planning on heading down to santaquin on saturday, but if it's not looking good we'll probably finish the drive to maple and get on SOMEthing
(This post was edited by stymingersfink on Dec 31, 2006, 9:28 AM)
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alpinerocket
Dec 29, 2006, 3:01 AM
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thanks for the reply, I'll probable get out tomarrow. Havent been out for bout 2 weeks. Ill post what I find.
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Base733
Dec 30, 2006, 6:02 AM
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Word was the GWI was good for the first few pitches but the top was wet and mixed. Also, the route was pretty crowded with three separate parties on it at one time this afternoon.
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btreanor
Dec 30, 2006, 11:37 PM
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Hey all,
Any updated conditions from folks out on the ice today?
Stairway?
Maple?
Santaquin?
Joe's?
Thanks
Brian
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stymingersfink
Dec 31, 2006, 2:28 AM
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Yesterday drove past Ogden on the 15, was able to see the top of malan's was still hanging around... if you're up for a WI5 lead you may get the first ascent of the season. Get there early to beat the sun.
This morning my partner drove down provo canyon on the way to santaquin, reports that stairway is fatter this week than last week (when it was climbing pretty fat already). He was tempted to hit up PND, but didn't bring rock gear, so SOL. With the exception of the Fang, all climbs on south side are in climbable condition.
We went down to Santaquin, where Candlestick looked 90% in (the top looked like a death-trap, more so than usual) ACT's curtain was 20' short of touching down, but if one was up for some M8-ish climbing to reach the ice, it appeared sol-ID!
White Angel of Fear is getting it's wings, the upper dagger is ~ 15 -20ft shy of touching down, the lower pitch is in need of some moisture, though one might mix it up if one were desperate to put themselves in harms way. Here's hoping the new year remains cold enough to keep it forming, with enough moisture to feed it.
The top of Ricochet had a dagger hanging over the exit, if one were looking for some serious M-climbing.
We soloed up Squashead, it was some nice firm ice, if a bit chopped in places... At least the majority of it was dry.
Rapped off the back side to do Back-Off, there was another party's leader about half-way up the center (PM me Nick), so I took the left side... it was running with water in places, snow-covered chandelier ice in others. I felt like I was soloing it, as my screws felt like junk, but Matt said they had refrozen in place pretty well so they may have held if tested.
Get Back On It had a dusting of snow, it didn't look to have an ice-glaze though. I've never climbed it, so don't know what climbable conditions for it are, but I wouldn't have seen a climb there if Matt hadn't pointed out where it SHOULD have been.
Tomorrow planning on a run in to check on conditions at Stewart's Falls, then get some bc skiing in with some friends who came in from out of town. If anyone could save me the trip I would appreciate it!
(This post was edited by stymingersfink on Dec 31, 2006, 9:23 AM)
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btreanor
Dec 31, 2006, 3:07 AM
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stymingersfink
Thanks! I think I'll be out there from the 2nd to the 8th, planning on hitting Joe's first and working north...
Brian
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stymingersfink
Dec 31, 2006, 3:47 AM
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save yourself an hour or two to play on the pricicle (aka, dirticicle) on the drive north on highway 6. Esthetically it doesn't receive too high a marks, but you can literally belay from the truck! Keep an eye out for it on the west side of the road as you climb the hill... its north of the coal mine by 10-ish miles or so. Usually in WI4+ - WI5 ish conditions.
(This post was edited by stymingersfink on Dec 31, 2006, 9:29 AM)
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builttospill
Dec 31, 2006, 4:31 AM
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climbed GWI this morning. It was in fine shape....sort of a mixed bag....first pitch was the best I've ever seen it, but up top it wasn't quite so nice.
Climbable for sure, but felt a bit harder and delicate than the standard WI3.....protection isn't "throw a screw in anywhere" at this point, but it's a nice climb still. Wasn't crowded this morning, shockingly.
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stymingersfink
Dec 31, 2006, 4:38 AM
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builttospill wrote: climbed GWI this morning. It was in fine shape....sort of a mixed bag....first pitch was the best I've ever seen it, but up top it wasn't quite so nice. Climbable for sure, but felt a bit harder and delicate than the standard WI3.....protection isn't "throw a screw in anywhere" at this point, but it's a nice climb still. Wasn't crowded this morning, shockingly.
get thee to provo canyon!
(This post was edited by stymingersfink on Dec 31, 2006, 9:29 AM)
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builttospill
Dec 31, 2006, 11:19 AM
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stymingersfink wrote: builttospill wrote: climbed GWI this morning. It was in fine shape....sort of a mixed bag....first pitch was the best I've ever seen it, but up top it wasn't quite so nice. Climbable for sure, but felt a bit harder and delicate than the standard WI3.....protection isn't "throw a screw in anywhere" at this point, but it's a nice climb still. Wasn't crowded this morning, shockingly. get thee to provo canyon!
[IMage]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d178/daryns77/indian%20creek/IMG_0932.jpg[/IMage]
I know, I know, but I go where there is someone to hold the rope for me (and occasionally put it at the top for me).
I need to lead some harder stuff though.
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gargrantuan
Dec 31, 2006, 5:40 PM
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i am just wondering how utah ice grades compare to canadian rockies ice grades. it seems like you guys toss out WI6/6+ pretty easily, whereas up here it is reserved for the test pieces. how do some of your 6's compare to some of ours?
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stymingersfink
Dec 31, 2006, 6:12 PM
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gargrantuan wrote: i am just wondering how utah ice grades compare to canadian rockies ice grades. it seems like you guys toss out WI6/6+ pretty easily, whereas up here it is reserved for the test pieces. how do some of your 6's compare to some of ours?
well, haven't climbed WI6 in "your" neck of the woods, but I would guess similarly, in that dead-vertical and overhanging ice to some degree probably poorly bonded to the rock with tricky protection and an inability to regain one's highpoint should a section collapse and not add to the body-count sort of way.
Here's Frankenchrist, a WI6 from the Maple area
By contrast, WI5 would be merely vertical ice, by all appearances fairly well bonded to the rock with protection one might reasonably expect to hold a fall.
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alpinerocket
Jan 2, 2007, 8:09 PM
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Sorry, didnt post conditions earlier. We just got on GWI friday and I have to echo earlier comment on its condition. Ok ice on the lower portion. Climbed to the upper pitch and found a horizontal fracture in the pillar we wanted to do. Based on the routes crowds we elected to not climb it, concerned that we may knock a refrigerator size block on some one.
I would like to get to Provo or Logan this Friday if anyone is interested. I can lead WI 3-4. Have everything needed. I'll take a newbie as long as yur a solid belay.
Take it easy, John
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guanoboy
Jan 2, 2007, 8:42 PM
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what would you want to do in Logan? I could be up for Malan's.
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alpinerocket
Jan 3, 2007, 3:27 AM
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I could be up for Malans. However I cant get out till 8am (get off work at the FD at that time). So, it may be a little late to to start that one. I will climb anything in Logan thats in. Or head to Provo. Doesnt matter as long as I can swing my tools. Let me know.
alpinerocket@comcast.net or 801-643-6774
Take it easy, John
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stymingersfink
Jan 3, 2007, 6:41 PM
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Got fairly reliable information that Huntsville has some quality ice conditions as of new-years weekend, and that Joe's has quite a bit of ice to be climbed.
New Years Day my partner and I hit up Stewart's Falls (behind Sundance) with photographer in tow... the light left a little to be desired but the ice was phenomenal. Too bad the approaching storm will probably leave it too dangerous to climb for some time due to avie conditions.
Ran into a guy on Sunday who was scoping the Fang. It was still spitting water, but this morning my partner drove by and reports it's as close to climbable as he's ever seen it. He's made two attempts on it in years past, having to retreat each time due to rapid changes in the condition of the ice tube, but perhaps this weekend will provide an opportunity for another attempt.
All other climbs in the Bridalveil area are in climbing shape AFAIK.
Malan's was due to be climbed this morning. Preliminary reports from an developing grade-5 leader said the right side was running water, but the left side of the upper curtain looked primed to climb... don't think the thing has seen an ascent yet this season, so if he makes it up safely he'll be this season's first.
As of Saturday Santaquin was needing some time to develope, but I haven't heard anything new from that area yet. Provided there has been enough water to keep things forming I would expect ACT to be near touching down... temps have certainly been cold enough.
Have yet to hit Maple up myself, though with the weather we've been having it should be approaching prime shape. Looking forward to getting down there in the near future... anyone got any more recent beta on that area they'd care to share?
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builttospill
Jan 5, 2007, 8:54 PM
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provo canyon is still good, if a bit crowded this morning. miller's thriller was wet and crumbly. everything looks fat.
The tube on the fang is the only exception....it is running water.
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guanoboy
Jan 6, 2007, 4:59 PM
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anyone interested in getting on Malan's tomorrow (sun, Jan. 7). Looks like it might warm up later this week - get it while its cold.
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stymingersfink
Jan 7, 2007, 3:06 AM
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the Fang was looking good today, but we weren't the first, nor the last. Someone had hit it up probably Friday, and as we were topping out there was another party getting started at the base.
The tube is not closed, but the left side is solid enough that someone felt comfortable placing a half dozen screws into it.
MT styled up the second pitch quite nicely if I do say so myself, damn near soloing it while leaving a single screw behind the pillar mid-way up. It was a nice lead... He's off to Ouray this week, while other business compells me to fly to california on Monday. Damn.
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btreanor
Jan 7, 2007, 7:06 PM
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From my recent roadtrip:
BCC:
Storm Mountain OUT
Scottish Gully OUT
LCC:
GWI IN
Scruffy's IN AND THIN (in places)
Provo:
Stairway IN, but not as good as my last two trips
Bridalveil area: LOOKS like some is IN
Santaquin:
Candelstick: IN
Squashhead: IN (wet)
Better Than Bagdhad: IN
Backoff: IN
Joe's:
Highway to Heaven: IN
Wolfenstein: IN
CCC: IN
Spear of Fear: OUT
Ampitheater: OUT
Maple:
Pretty much everything OUT
Cobble Cruncher and a few others are THIN and SCARY
Hopefully the storms that hit me on Thurs, Fri will help out the ice.
Thanks for the beta prior to my trip. Keep it up.
Brian
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jumar
Jan 12, 2007, 4:40 PM
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So is there not going to be an ice festival in Provo this year?
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stymingersfink
Jan 13, 2007, 4:55 AM
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hasn't been in the last several years, AFAIR.
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robman
Jan 15, 2007, 4:16 PM
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It has been cold as F*#! Here in SLC. And the ice is doing real well.
As of 1-14-07
GWI is fat
Scruffy Band 10cm screws and rock gear. Scary…
Provo; most everything is in and climbing well.
Santaquin; Automatic control is Phat and touching down. Candlestick is also looking good.
Squash Head; good
Back off; is fat
It don’t get much better so get out there and flick your picks 
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