Ice Conditions

Tuesday December 29, 2009

Because the ice season had just gotten started climbs have not matured so conditions change quite a bit with the weather. Add to that the fact that the weather has been going from seasonable cold to warm rain and now today with brutal cold and wind, ice conditions are very dynamic. For that reason I am trying to do short frequent conditions report. I was out at Frankenstein yesterday and below is my report.

Yesterday I went climbing with Victor and we spent most of the day on the Standard Route flow but we stayed off the typical lines. Victor and I first climbed a thin Trestle Practice Slab then went and climbed a thin line to the right of the Right Side of Standard, when we topped out from that route we climbed Standard again this time by going up the thin ice line out the center of the cave. The word for the day was wet with warm temperatures and wet snow falling in the afternoon. The Center of Standard had a decent flow of water down it as did the routes at the Hanging Gardens and the Trestle Mixed Routes. Standard saw a number of ascents (at least 7-8 parties by a number of variations) as did Dracula and I saw a party heading toward Pegasus Rock Finish.

Routes in the Amphitheater looked beaten up by the rain and most would have been a little scary to climb but I think they will heal quickly. Welome to the Machine looked the same way, in fact all the climbs at Frankenstein look close. Given that it is very cold and the forecast is for continued cold and some significant snow Friday and Saturday my guess is most climbs that typically form will be in this weekend. It seems we are likely getting to a point where the climbs will be getting mature and the conditions will become more stable.

Victor on the Thin Right Side of Standard Dec 29th

Kevin Mahoney and his partner above the cave on Standard Route Dec 29th

 

Ice Conditions after the Rain Sunday

Sunday December 27, 2009

I went for a quick drive after the rain stopped this afternoon and found that the ice held up pretty well. Routes that still look good are Pegasus with the Rock Finish, Chia and Cave for Amphitheater Climbs. Standard and Dracula looked good as did the upper part of Penguin, Standard was being climbed when I took the photo. Welcome to the Machine and Bob's Delight were hanging in but might require a few days to come back to good condition. Willard looked pretty good with Cinema Gully holding together well as were the Numbered Climbs, a couple of days should help them.

The pictures were taken from the road in poor light so I apologize for the quality but I hope they provide you some idea of conditions. I will be climbing tomorrow so I will have first hand info then.

Standard Dec 27th Click on the picture for a larger version

Dropline & Welcome to the Machine DEC 27th Click on the picture for a larger version

Chia Dec 27th Click on the picture for a larger version

Cinema Gully Dec 27th Click on the picture for a larger version

 

Ice Conditions

Thursday December 17, 2009

Dracula area Dec 17th Click on the picture for a larger version

After skiing the Sherburne Trail a couple of times earlier this week I decided today would be a good day to go ice climbing for the first time this season. I wanted to get a good feel for conditions so I figured I would go up to Crawford Notch and climb Cinema Gully with a finish up Hitchcock. After doing that climb I stopped at Frankenstein to take some pictures and then I made a stop at Cathedral before heading home.

Cinema was typically thin and although I wouldn't call it "in" I have done it in thinner condition. The only reason I do not consider it in is because of the difficulty of finding an anchor at the top of the 2nd pitch. The upper tier of Willard however has some good ice and many of the climbs there are in. I have also heard that the lower Hitchcock Gully is good and has been climbed numerous times over the last week or so.

Frankenstein is looking pretty good but nothing there is likely "in" except for maybe Standard. I saw one party topping out on Standard as I drove by. Cathedral has a number of things to do at the North End and there was a party on Thresher today. In short there are climbs to be had but you should expect early season conditions. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Cinema Gully Dec 17th Click on the picture for a larger version

Last Pitch of Cinema DEC 17th

East Slab on the Upper Tier of Willard DEC 17th

Upper Tier of Willard DEC 17th

Standard DEC 17th Click on the picture for a larger version

Pegasus Area DEC 17th Click on the picture for a larger version

Chia DEC 17th Click on the picture for a larger version

North End of Cathedral Slab DEC 17th

Steep Bulge at the North End of Cathedral DEC 17th

Repentance DEC 17th Click on the picture for a larger version

Remission DEC 17th Click on the picture for a larger version

Frankenstein Conditions

Wednesday December 9, 2009

Welcome to the Machine Dec 8th Click on the picture for a larger version

Yesterday I went for a short hike to Frankenstein to get an idea of conditions there before this weeks snowstorm covered things up. I wanted a base line condition so I could get a feeling for what the climbing might be like this upcoming weekend, I had an idea that there would be some info around about Mount Washington and I knew with the new snow predicted that Mount Washington would be quite a bit different and may have difficult wallowing this weekend. It seemed that there would be a lot of interest in easier to get at ice so getting a good idea of conditions at Frankenstein before the storm seemed like the best thing to do for a conditions report.

As expected there are reports of the conditions on Mount Washington from yesterday on NEclimbs. I also had the inkling that the Black Dike maybe doable yesterday and I had hoped there would be a report from there and as I had hoped there is a report on NEice of that climb.

My feeling after walking around Frankenstein is that although everything was thin and not really climbable yesterday, today's storm with the cold temperatures forecasted there will be some things to do there this weekend. I don't think anything will be "in" "(climbable at its rating with typical protection available) but I do think there could be some reasonable climbing. I suspect the Right Side of Standard could be ok with a finish up Penguin possible. Another area is the Trestle Mixed Climbs may provide some entertainment, the plum could be Welcome to the Machine. I don't want to sound too optimistic but I do believe there will be something to do at Frankenstein. It is possible that things could be even better but like I said I don't want to send people on a wild goose chase. My guess is that if temperatures stay seasonable or colder that by the middle of next week climbing at Frankenstein will have gotten started in earnest.

I won't be able to do another report till next week because I will be doing some continuing avalanche education for the next two days and then down to Boston for a friends 50th birthday over the weekend. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Standard Dec 8th Click on the picture for a larger version

Standard Left Dec 8th Click on the picture for a larger version

Dracula Dec 8th Click on the picture for a larger version

Trestle Mixed Routes Dec 8th Click on the picture for a larger version

Huntington & Tuckerman Ravine Conditions