California Ice????

Submitted by adrien_anne on Mon, 01/08/2007 - 09:25
Anybody have any info on what California ice looks like right now?? The approach??

Buddy of mine went to climb Spaghetti and said both California Ice and Spaghetti were in fat. He wasn't sure about the condition of California's approach. We did have a three day warming trend up to 8000' last week, if that helps.

I passed by Cali about two weeks ago, and the approach ice was all the way down to the trial. Looked like you could just cruise it all the way up. It may have melted out with these latest warm days. The third pitch of the climb was perhaps the fattest I have ever seen it.

I am a glutton for punishment and have climbed that damn thing twice this year. The approach is a mutha, but very strait forward. I was there on the 29th and most of the lower flow was covered in snow making it much easier on the calves. It i was still really freakin wet, but with this cold weather we've had lately I am sure it is much better shape. The first pitch and a half is an ocean of 75-80 degree ice and is pretty tame, the top pitches are super mellow, and there is a fairly easy walk off, but it is much fast just to V thread down the sucker as you have a few single rope raps on the "walk off descent." Good luck have fun.

Kenny and I went up California Ice on Saturday the 20th. The recent snow and wind meant we were parking at the boat launch due to drifts over the last half mile of road. The snow cover slowed us on the approach but expedited our descent as we could heel plunge down much of the rambling ice, and never needed a rap. The ice was a shower fest. [img]http://montanaice.com/forums/user_images/CALice3.jpg[/img]

Anyone been up to CA Ice recently? Any beta on the approach? Was thinking about heading up there this weekend but wondering what the warm temps have done to the creek as well as the main flow.

Went up there exactly a week ago. The approach was good, all ice and firm snow. The ice on the main flow was very hard and brittle (we bailed after only the first pitch) so I'm not sure what the last two pitches are like. Warmer temps would have been welcome a week ago.

[img]http://montanaice.com/forums/user_images/CA-compressed.jpg[/img] Here is a picture from March 14th. This would have been a great day to climb it, unfortunately my friend and I spent our time wallowing up the big col. on Shepard pk. (opposite CA Ice) thinking it might be more challenging and lead us to some pure rock climbing of the spires, but it was lower angle postholing and the rock was snowy and wet. It was a long slog getting to the upper chockstone where we turned around. At the chockstone the angle was 45-50 degrees. On a good snow year this would probably be a fun line to ski - if you could find a way into the top. I dont know about the approach to CA Ice - it could be kinda nasty; but the ice would be worth it! -Olin

Hold up a second! The pic most recently posted by mmcneil is looking across valley from the aproach gulley south of the bears face, right? Excellent photo, the lighting fooled me and makes it look like there is a serac or something low in the gulley when there is most unfortunatly not! Again good pic, and I was wondering if anyone was game to head up there sometime soon? Spencer
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