2012-2013 - Southern Ontario Ice

SO-ICE Conditions 2012/2013 - Carpe
Diem!
back / назад
Please seek qualified advice and training. This conditions page is neither. As a
disclaimer, know that the observations below are likely to be lies, gross
exaggerations and wishful thinking. I in no way, shape or form encourage you to
climb frozen water droplets. It's simply not that pleasant when compared to the
joys of being stuck in bottom less white powder head-over-heals after having
botched a turn or when sitting by a fireplace... For those STILL interested, a less
expensive alternative is to go to your local climbing gym, stand around in a bucket
of cold water, tape cold packs to your wrists and climb a route once every hour...
If still undeterred, however, then read on, you just may have what it takes! Know
that ice conditions can change by the hour. You are solely responsible for your own
judgements and actions.
Feel free to send ice observations and thoughtful questions to
akolosAAAAThotmailDOOTcom
(Image file names describe the route pictured.)
ACCESS NOTES
Consider becoming a member of the OAC and supporting YOUR access to the crags!
Even if you're not a member, please take the time to fill out the OAC 2012
Climbing Survey. Yes, even you!
The more information that is collected, the easier it is to work with land managers
and town councils.
Take the time to dig out the 2012 calendar, reflect on your travels and climbing
days and then click here!
March 30 - Bark Lake (Sam)
Jimmy and the Kid M6, WI5, 2 pitches (Sam Eastman, Jim Elzinga)
A classic trad mix climb.
Walk onto lake from parking area around a prominent point with a cliff on your right. When you go
around the point you will see a dagger high up on the hill side. Alternatively if lake ice is unsafe,
follow right shoreline and work your way through a small cliff band to the other side of the point
mentioned above. Posthole through the trees to a series of smears and ice bulges (WI2) (50m), until
you reach the base of the dagger.
Pitch 2 dry tools a thin crack in the roof behind the dagger, scraping your way along until you can
reach a small ice bulge. At the top of the crack, you will find a fixed nut, ( dont take it you gear
pirates, placing gear can be tricky at this spot!). At the ice bulge make a very large step out to the
dagger, swing onto it , fight your way around to the outside and punch it to the top! Bring cams 0.5 to
1. All placements are great.
An alternative pitch 2: Meaningless ice (WI 3) climbs right for 10 m until you find a 5 m curtain that
gains the top of the crag.
March 23 - Kushog (Danylo)
The ice was in good shape at Kushog.
Blue Pillar - fat,
Medeba Boys - neat route (in harder shape than Blue Pillar),
Exorcist - the ice pillars have completely disappeared
Flaming Jubille - in
Spaghetti Wrestler, Keyless - not in
Caramel Coating - huge
Cotton Candy - in
Blue Boy - fat
Sadly Unknown - the steeper, left side is baked out and unbonded. The easier right side is in good
shape.
Maple Bury - very fat
Ice was solid, screws were good. No slush on the lake except at the very edges.
The ice season continues!
March 17 - Skel #5 (Steve)
Exo Skeletons in the closet was very fat! Ask the owner to climb there prior to climbing!
March 16 - Kluke & Blackcat (Danylo)
Conditions at Kluke:
Ursus -in
Rversus Operandi, Lepus Americanus, Lontra – hanging in barely
Quercus – out
Conditions at Blackcat Hill:
We climbed Fatcat and Alleycat.
Fatcat – very, very fat (it will be good into April)
Alleycat – fat; nice vertical pillar
Jungle Cat, Thundercat, Pussycat – not in
Tomcat – in; looks like the upper section is in good shape (although it’s hard to tell from the ground).
Blackcat Hill is currently getting late afternoon sun from about 4:00 PM.
Lake ice is solid. Firm supportive snow crust in woods (unless you forget your snowshoes like me; then
it’s a postholing nightmare).
March 16 - Mill Lake (Steve)
Ice-olation and the warmups to the left were still in last Saturday. The short guys all the way to the
right of the lake, behind the deck was in great too.
March 3 - Chaudron (Josh and Scott)
Hey bud! I was out last night and we got a new route next to yours on the south face of Chaudron.
Orion’s Belt 30m II, WI 3 M5+ R
FA John Cotgrave, Scott Ross 03/2013
Approach: From the summer parking lot on the south-west, find the trail and towards the south
face. Located 40m to the right of the Simard- Kolos. The climb is the only ice feature, a narrow gully
(partially hidden) with a thin vein of ice.
[48.13706,-79.510117]
Description:
Climb the narrow iced slot for 20m up steps with good rests to a short roof followed by 10m lower
angle ice to a tree belay. The low angle snow couloir continues to the forest.
Descent:
Rappel, or walk off or the right and take the hiking trail down.
March 2 - Huntsville area (Dave and Josh)
Superconductor
Park in the Esso parking lot on Hwy 60. Approach eastward via the berms and snowbanks until ice line
can be seen at a distance. Be aware of ice dams, frozen dog poop, slippery chip bags and salt blocks.
Climb the free standing pillar at the Hardware Store, to horizontal drainage pipe ( hanging bivy site?).
Beware, the attachment point is less than 1/2". Rated using the "Drainage Ice" scale. Reliable ice.
Faces east and receives afternoon sun. Gets baked in late season. Debit cards accepted. Sale on
Mosquito netting. Free install with all flooring purchases.
Superconductor (2m - DI 3R)
March 1 - Livingston (Josh)
Came in the there with the intent of climbing all three mixed lines. We did While in one long pitch really pretty! Lefty was great too. We ran out of time, and didn't try Righty... The area has gotten a bit
of sun throughout the winter and the ice is starting to show... It's turning into snow on the outside... Still
climbable though... Go get these routes before they disappear!
Feb 24 - Bear Lake (AK, Josh and Randy)
Wicked day on Frankenhooker, even after the Alaskan, deep snow approach. Ice is fat!
Not quite a hands free rest...
Feb 23 - Bear Lake (Josh)
Ultrahooker was pretty spicey today. We climbed the corner below the Cave to access the big snowy
ledge. The pillar wasn't touching down, so a few mixed moves were needed on P2 before I could stab
the ice with my tools. Good gear (0.75 and smaller) could be found below, but if you blew the
transition onto the ice you risk skewering your belayer. A two bolt belay down and right would solve
that problem nicely and protect from falling ice. Delicate climbing above... Very classy...
Feb 23 - Livingston Lake
While WI4 M6+ 35m (FA: AK, Joe Palma and Richard Massiah)
It'll take a while for this route to reappear - conditions in 2013 are great! While you may think you're
way out there on the second pitch (just don't look down), it's all good! A beautiful, fun and moderate
multi-pitch bolted line. Start to the left of Lefty. P1 - use the ice blob to full advantage to gain height
and eventually the ledge. Pop onto the curtain (with or without the heel hook) and continue up to an
anchor. M6. P2 - up the ice, the transition over a strenuous overlap, using small feet and ginat hooks.
Onwards and upwards passing a thin face section just below the anchors. M6+.
Feb 23 - Papineau (Danylo)
Path of the Red Fox - didn't check
Slaughterhouse 5 - not in. It's a thin, detached, sun-beaten column.
Evangeline - delaminated and hollow blobs down low. Might take better screws up high (didn't climb
it).
My So-called Life - in good shape.
Ian Gets Out - in.
Feb 23 - Eagle's Nest (Danylo)
Feb 18 - Bow Lake (Steve)
Bow Lake was nice and fat!
Feb 16-18 - Algoma (Danylo)
Algoma Alternative
Feb 17 - Papineau (Steve)
Conditions are good, with potential for new lines...
Feb 17 - Kushog (Dave)
The Exorcist M6, 23m (Dave Broadhead, Josh Burden)
The oft-looked at line has succumbed after multiple ground-up efforts, bolting on lead from hooks and
tools. As is often the case, it's easier with more ice. Climb up the corner to the right of Blue Pillar.
Strawberries M3 10m (FA Dave Broadhead and Rob Friend, 2007)
100 yards right of Blue Pillar. Rock rack required.
Eye of the Beholder WI3+ 10m (FA Dave Broadhead, Josh Burden, 2012)
5.1km north of Minden City hall on East side of road. Crag just barely visible through trees. When you
chase Topo's all day and get skunked and, finally, find a small flow like this; beauty truly is in "The
Eye of the Beholder".
Feb 17 - Livingston Lake
fat...
Feb 16 - McCauley
Love in the Time of Cholera WI4- 15m (Andriy and Justin)
The pretty pillar, which forms to the right of Quickly Out of Trouble. Lower-Off Anchors.
Lust in the Time of Syphilis WI4 20m (Andriy and Justin)
The pretty pillar on the Talus Wall, to the left of Blue Max Wall. Climb the Blob, clipping the anchors
and traverse right, climbing downwards to access a ledge and the base of the route. The 2nd is best to
tension off the anchors. Climb up the unusually fat pillar, until it ends. Thin ice, and generous hooks
await in the corner. A gold camalot should protect the upper part well. Too bad the FA party only had a
tipped out red. A beautiful, full-value tour of McCauley.
Feb 16 - Diamond (Steve)
Between Egos and Wimps (BEW) has a loaaaaaaaaaaaaaad of ice in the upper corner. There's a pin that
protects the exit. Wow - go get this plum! Better than WED!
Feb 15 - Mill Lake (Josh)
Conditions are great! Did two routes previously unreported... Go get'em while they're fat and your
biceps are strong!
J-Cubed M6, 18m (JS, JG, JR)
Rack required. Start up the steep grade 4 corner, move right onto the first bobble of ice. Drytool up a
few bomber moves in cracks, place your last good gear, and pump up a few moves to transition onto
the second dagger of ice. It's steeper than it looks! Use the tree for an anchor.
Waterwings WI5 47m (JS, JG, RW)
Climb the buttress via either the overlaps for a few awkward moves to gain a stance below the lower
dollop of ice. Move right under large ice, one thin move to gain main streak. Gear quality increases
with elevation, cruise the steep and sustained thin vertical pillar for +/-10m until it kicks back a bit.
Pull bulge through the obligatory Ontario shrubbery. Belay in cave (if doing in 2p), or continue up
slender (12inch diameter), semi-detached(attached?) pillar, good feet on rock for a few powerful moves
to get feet underneath ya on the ice. Teeter, totter and tap your way up a bodylength or two, pull bulge
through another (smaller) Ontario hedge. Continue to top on 4-5m of easy gr. 2 rolling terrain or bail
from large pine.
Feb 10 - McCauley
Highlights from the weekend with Josh, Canmore ex-pat:- getting psyched listening to the pep talk
from little-boy-prez...("Not Cool Robert Frost" & "...and I loooove Space Jam" are quotes that'll keep
me giggling for a while yet)- warm sun and silence- sending the Water Streak Project, with a minimum
of wimpers. Conditions are different than usual. Some might call it scrappy, others might call it lean.
TIOLI's bottom pillar is fat. High Voltage Superman is a lot of fun. Blue Max ain't touching down this
year. Fishing for Hooks is iced over, and lotsa fun. Forked Tongue Devil has the ice up high where you
need it. Gettiyup!
Josh high on HVS
Space Jam M7 20m (AK and JS, plus all the others who played on the line with me)
"If MJ had quit in high school, he never would have made Space Jam! And I loooove Space Jam."
Follow the water streak to the skinny pillar. Keep your head down looking for the feet. Don't give up.
Bolted. Found left of Quickly Out of Trouble in the Beaver Pond Walls area.
(Josh boarding the train!)
Feb 10 - Bon Echo (Matt)
Epic conditions on Old Laughing Lady. It's a maze of ice blobs and pro is kind of sketchy. Very
committing.
Feb 10 - Fish Lake (Sam)
The usual stuff was in. Plus...
Communication Breakdown M8 A0 (Matt Norman and Sam Eastman)
100m to climber's left of Crown of Thorns. Climb a sketchy ice slab to a bulge with a good screw.
Place some small gear into the lip of the roof and reach for glory. Keep fighting up the thin but
widening crack using the arete, until you can traverse left to gain some thin runout ice. Follow the ice
until a second roof with good gear and no feet, once past the last roof look left for a pin and follow thin
ice to the top. Still awaits a FFA. Bring gear from #0 to #3 cams, some RPs. A "nor' easterners super
stubby" would come in handy.
Feb 9 - Eagle's Nest (Sam)
The curtain seems to have fattened up a lot. There are ice variations that exted to the arete, and up the
face towards Dirty Harry. The Grinch looks to be in good condition. As does a Bar Fight in China to
its right. We gave the Grinch a go, but the lady from the laundromat chased us away. If you extrapolate
the property line to extend from pavement markings in the parking lot towards the cliff, The Grinch is
just off the laundromat property. The other two climbs on the right are for the OAC to tackle in
upcoming work.
Feb 8 - Hickey Crag (anon)
Not a particularly grand location, but if you want to go somewhere off the beaten track and if you are in
the area, then it is there. 20 minute approach. The employees working the dump are friendly and
helpful. (At least this year).
Updated directions: drive north out of Bancroft. Turn right at Hickey road east. drive to the landfill
gate. The road stays well plowed. Park on the road before entering the gate. Hike down the road into
the landfill proper. The landfill has some cargo containers in the main loop. Also is a large pine tree in
the middle of the open area. aim for this general spot. Then aim towards the tree line where there is a 3
or so meter drop. Descend this and steer to the clearing (a frozen marsh). Look to your left. The crag is
immediately ahead. Of note, the talus is big at the base of the cliff. Tread carefully.
Old directions indicate a ski-doo trail. This no longer exists
Greenpeace pillar: . . . .Ascend the pillar to the ledge. Once at the ledge, go right around the trees up
low angle terrain. At this point exist two options. 1) ascend thin ice wall to the left. 2) Alternatively
continue up the ramp to the nearest, bomber tree. 3+/4-, based on conditions.
Incinerator: I recommend this as a star route. It is a thin flow that is narrow with a left facing corner to
its right. It is delicate and balancy with many fun moves and a little, easy mixed off the start. Bring
your red screws and thinking took. 3+/4-, based on conditions.
Greenpeace is the pillar, Incinerator is the pretty
corner to the right...
Feb 7 - Diamond Lake (anon)
Five of us got good ice and mixed routes in. Routes are in good shape overall. A great day was had by
all.
Feb 6 - Eagle's Nest (anon)
Climbed Eagle's for 1/2 day today. Routes are getting fatter. . . . The chimney is 4 meters from the
ground. Stuff to the left is leadable. Buttress is in. Everything on the ledge is phat.
Was darn cold and wreaked havock on climbing quality. -15C. Crispy outer layer and bullet hard
underneath. Screw placements took forever. Swung hard. Kick harder. Jet Stream, ironically, was in
great shape and the easiest to climb simply because its ice had more give.
Feb 3 - Diamond Lake (Jon)
The ice at Diamond was in pretty good shape. Guardian Angel was a bit thinner than "normal" but had
fattened up significantly by Sunday and was running water all day.
WED was thin, especially down near the bottom. Kermit's Finger was good, as were most of the other
shorter routes.
Did some awesome dry tooling on TR on some crazy lines Nate picked out. Lots of thin hanging ice on
parts of the cliff that don't normally get much."
Feb 3 - Kluke Lookout (Danylo)
Ursus (Bear) – in; dry ice up the middle; nice soft hero ice on the right.
Reversus Operandi – in. You can actually follow ice for about 75 m all the way to the top on this route
this year (although the last 20 m is very easy angled WI1 flowing under juniper bushes)
Lepus Americanus (Snowshoe Hare) – a bit brittle and narrow at the bottom, but beautiful, fat hero ice
the rest of the way. You can just get to the top on a 60 m rope if the second simul-climbs some initial
easy angled ice.
Quercus (Oak) – not quite in; unconsolidated chandeliers
Hystrix (Porcupine) – close; still a bit thin
Lontra (Otter) – I didn’t check. Looked to be good ice over there as well.
Fatcat on Blackact Hill appeared to be in well (from the top of Kluke
Feb 3 - Mill Lake (Joe)
Headed up to Mill Lake yesterday, after an aborted attempt to get there Saturday (didn't feel like
braving the snow squalls and idiot drivers). I've only been there twice before, I think, and I don't recall
seeing as much ice there previously. There was a film crew set up in the quarry parking lot, friendly
enough group, and they asked us not to disturb the snow in the depression north of McDougall Road,
east of the cottage road, so we weren't able to get into Ice-oterix and Ice-ometrix, but they're coming
along quite nicely. Ice-olation was wet and fat, as was the ice on the low slabs to the left of it, however,
the bonding between the layers of ice formed at different temperatures is terrible. Large, deep plates on
every placement and I only felt somewhat comfortable when my tool placements were about 3 feet
apart. With some more stable temps that should improve. Some of the mixed lines to the left of Iceolation would be interesting as well, but the ice at the starts of the routes was showing some signs of
delamination and I didn't have any rock gear with me (large cams and nuts be useful)
Iceolation!!!
Feb 3 - Willoughby (w JE)
Sunny, -5 and windless = the good life!
Feb 2 - Omega (w Jim)
Awsome route that formed up 36 hrs after temps dropped to -15 overnight. 6mm rain fell on
Wednesday. First pitch was thin. 2nd pitch thin mushrooms, more delicate than it looked from below.
Two full 60 m pitches hit the top (but just barely).
Jan 31 - Papineau (Sam and Jim)
The ice at Papineau was a bit scratchy on Thursday. Jim and myself did put up a good little route
Gunslinger.
Gunslinger WI4 M5 (FA Jim and Sam, Jan 31, 2013)
It climbs the slender smear, taking good screws until you can reach the first of a few horizontal cracks.
The gear is great, and can be placed pretty much anywhere. Bring cams from 0.5 to 00, plus you can
expect a fixed pin.
January 27 - McCauley (various)
Reports are trickling in that McCauley is in mid-December shape. Everything is remarkably thin (i.e.
transparent) or not even touching down. The Wailing was the only route to have touched down, but
currently has a crack across the base of the crux pillar. :-(
Jan 27 - Bear Lake (Rob)
Looks a little early, but Ultrahooker and Frankenhooker should be formed in a few weeks...
January 27 - UpperMiddle (Oman)
The best I've seen it. Only the bottom 1/3 is slightly detached.
January 27 - Raven (Danylo)
Climbed with Rob, David and Randy. Ice is generally thin, as could be expected after a thaw and deepfreeze.
Twisted Staircase – not sure
Inch Worm - not in
No One Mourns the Wicked – didn't look in to me. Column is not touching down. Ice is very thin.
Wet Sherpa - ice on the bottom half of the ramp; looked like snow on rock from midway up, exit ice
pillars not touching down
Pacific Unknown – not in,
This Ain’t Muskoka – not in, very thin ice at the bottom (swunf into it, banged my pick into rock again)
Stepladder – not in
Mr. Poe – thin, chandeliery ice still; easier left side ramp is not in yet; you would have to climb the
vertical pillar in the middle and that looked nasty.
Unknown Wall – very thin. None of the climbs were in
Not Worthy (a route Hubert Shen and Don Collier climbed a long time ago 25m to the right of
Unknown Civilian in the woods; that's not their name; my temporary name; Don felt it wasn't
guidebook worthy - I have lower standards) - nasty brittle ice topping out onto the ledge - I belly
flopped all over it - embarassing.
First Time Lucky (another 75 m into the woods) - in
Hungry Man - in fat (sunny and warm)
January 20 - Watt Lake / Bancroft
Doug, Justin, Nik and I made the trek into Watt Lake with our sight's set on some seeping, slow to form
routes. They weren't in. Instead We found Rue Boy (I think) and Bryant Madhouse in climbable shape.
The westerly snowy winds plastered the walls, making elegant mixed climbing wishful thinking.
Pitons, knees, turf sticks were all utilized. Closer to the warmth of Tim Horton's Dirty Harry looked in
fun shape. The upper column of NFofEiger was starting to form, while the Curtain was fattening up,
and offering a multitude of lines...
January 12, 2013 - Willoughby
An optimistic crew of Dave, Josh, Doug and myself pushed eastward to Vermont to beat the oncoming
warm front. We made it... sort of. Crazy Diamond was in decent shape. The Mindbender Amph had
climbable lines. Mindbender's upper column was a thin tube that you could more or less climb gently
avoid. Stuff was dripping, so I expect that ice will now extend further down the big wall section, when
things cool down. Cloud cover should make it good for next weekend!
January 12, 2013 - Granary Lake (Danylo)
Go Go Beavers, gone, washed out, a waterfall. Breaking All the Rules/...Waive the Rules - baked, but
hanging in (just viewed them from across the lake).
Attached is a mini-guide to the area.
January 4, 2013 - Granry Lake (Danylo)
Go Go Beavers, soft hero ice. Took 13 and 17 cm screws.Breaking All the House Rules- rocky start,
thin-looking exit. ...Waive the Rules - a bit rocky at the bottom, solid in the middle, a bit tricky just
above the upper ledge.
January 5, 2013 - Bancroft and Diamond (Joe)
Headed up to both today with Mike Makischuk. Despite the relatively warm temps the ice in both
locals was bullet hard and very brittle. The Curtain is still building as are the Diamond Lake climbs,
with one
exception. Dirty Harry has lost ground in the past couple of days. The lower third above the first small
curtain has thinned considerably.
December 31 - Bow Lake (Danylo)
Jon G and I climbed at Bow Lake today. We crossed the lake on the ice sticking close to shore. Ice was
solid along the shoreline - but there were definitely "soft" spots visible in the middle of the lake.
We climbed both ramp routes - the ice was good in the lower part and in the upper part. The middle
section in many places was just a frozen crust covering a layer of snow on the bare rock beneath (i.e no
solid ice). We broke off most of the crust.
December 29, 2012 - Waza and Triange Hill (JC)
Hey guys, here are some pics of the past couple days... Jeff and I went to Waza by skidoo on thursday
(lucky), and to Triangle hill friday. We saw no ice.. but found a nice 30 meter corner system to play on.
The new route is called The Cotgrave-Girard. Located on the western flank of the escarpment (due
south of Sawmill Road), this climb is only a 10minute hike from the intersection of Hwy65 and
Sawmill road at the top of a small talus slope. The first pitch climbs a low angle ramp for 5m before
traversing right to a birch tree belay, below some roofs out of the way of the main corner system further
to the right. M3 10m.
The second pitch climbs steps and cracks to the obvious dihedral crux above. Great pro. Belay from
trees above. M4+ 20m. Standard rack, small cams and pins recommended. We need help confirming
the grade, so someone please help...
December 26 - Diamond Lake (Danylo)
Stefan and I checked out Diamond Lake on a very cold day. The ice was rather brittle and hard.
Lake ice was solid the whole way, although there was a layer of water/slush in between two layers of
ice in places.
Conditions:
Distinct Society – not in.
Guardian Angel – Climbable, but not protectable - very thin, almost transparent. We left it alone, so it
can build. Looks like rays of light from heaven where there are angels.
Metamorphosis – very thin down low. Big blob of solid ice before mid-anchors.
Where Egos Dare – not in
Where Wimps Dare – not in.
Malachite Brocade – in, took 13 and 16 cm screws
Ochre Silk – Climbable, but not protectable - very thin. We left it alone, so it can build.
Blue Velvet – in.
Aqua Plush – don’t know.
Diamond Couloir – didn’t look.
Thunderdome and Beyond Thunderdome – not in. Not much ice yet.
Kermit’s Finger – has some ice on it, but not in.
December 24/25 (Danylo) - Madawaska Ice
Eagle's Nest with Jon Gullet. Jetstream was gushing - was building before our eyes. Curtain fattening
up slowly in places, completely dry in others. Top-roped Dirty Harry. Stemmed/chimneyed the whole
bottom section so we didn't knock any icicles off. Ice is thin - not really protectable (unless you
consider tied off shrubs protection).
Papineau Lake Main Crag - no ice. Papineau Lake wide open. North end starting to freeze. Papineau
Lake North Crag - Consolation Prize is in. Bow Lake - thin ice visible on top part of cliff, looks like
still rock on the lower half (not sure).
Bow Lake lake ice - sketchy.
Stopped to check out McCauley from the road. The Wailing had a thin column of ice in the top section,
not sure about bottom. Blue Esther had snow on it, so I couldn't tell whether there was ice on it. Didn't
see any ice on the Blue Max wall. I crossed the narrow arm of McCauley Lake (down the first lane on
the left) just to see if I could. I'm notsure I would try crossing on the wider part of the lake yet. There
was 1.5 - 2 inches of ice the whole way across. Some slush on the lake surface, but not bad.
Climbed at Kluke Lookout. I crossed Bear Lake - ice was down to 1 inch thickness in places. Only
Ursus was in. The easier WI2 right side was too thin for screws but climbable. The WI3 line up the
middle took good screws. The harder, steeper left side wasn't in. Climbed/hiked to the top of Kluke
Lookout/Bear Mountain for a view of Blackcat Hill. From a distance it looks like Fat Cat has ice on it
(but very narrow compared to later in the season) and either Tomcat or Pussycat. Not sure if you can
get to Blackcat yet - I'm not sure how thick the ice is on Little Cub Bay, and specially the ice on the
outflow creek from Little Cub Bay, although it looked iced over). There was a good 20 cm of beautiful
light snow on the top of Kluke Lookout.
December 22 - Skeleton Rd #5 (Danylo)
Wet and mushy. A few days of cold and it'll be good to go. Reports from Dave indicate that Kushog is
lean, with only Caramel Coating in climbable shape.
December 22 - Eagl'e Nest
The Curtain survived the rains and the warm-up. Enough ice existed on the wall to provide a decent
days swinging, but it's still "lean", although leadeable. Max's Route was cleaned of a few large loose
chockstones and is much safer now. There is a great edge way up and left, just when you think you've
nowhere to go... Dirty Harry is very lean... Jetstream is a few feet to the left of East Meets West,
making it possibnle to actually climb the latter route before transitioning to the ice...
December 16, 2012 - Mt Chaudron (PS and AK)
After two years, the south face of Mt Chaudron has been opened. Call it what you will: ice, mixed,
drytool or simply alpine... A memorable full-value climb for weekend punters like us.
Simard/Kolos (Face Sud de Mount Chaudron)
La Fracture is thin.
(Johnny's house of pain in Larder Lake. An impromptu Rollies Circle was improvised with a pipe and
jug of used motor oil. What's the official Bivy Standard anyways?)
December 15, 2012 - Eagle's Nest (Danylo)
There was a lot of wet stuff coming down, making for some wet climbing. Thin, but climbable... Dirty
Harry was thin and very patchy. The lakes in those parts are freezing over quite nicely, but still a bt
away from being cross-able...
December 12, 2012 - Eagle's Nest (Justin)