Kris Erickson and I wandered around Hyalite today and here is what we found.
PLEASE be extremely careful driving either the Main Fork or the East Fork road above the Reservoir. The road is VERY icy and it would be hard to stop for oncoming traffic you are going too fast. Although you don't need much for clearance, chains on the East Fork road would be helpful for you and for helping chew up the slick ice a bit.
We climbed both Champagne Sherbert and Slot. Both were excellent! Take stubbies but the ice is great and sticky. Sherbert is wet and thinish on the upper part but the pillar is probably as easy as it gets thanks to the good ice and stems half way up. The upper half of the Slot is "mossome!"
The Big Sleep is fully formed, including the top pitch. Bobo Like is fully formed. Killer Pillar is in but narrow at the bottom.
High Crimes has ice but doesn't look too good yet. Kris, Jim and I did a new route a few years ago directly above Champagne on the upper cliff band called As Free As it Gets and it is in. It's the disconnected ribbon visible from the trail in the clear cut directly above the Champagne area. You don't need much, if any, ice for this fun route as it mostly climbs up steep cobbles (a little run out) in a runnel. Considering that As Free... is in, I bet some of the others (four or five routes) on that upper rock band are good as well. I would be worth a walk before it gets tougher with more snow. You can always retreat downhill to the top of Champagne if they aren't in.
My guess is that High Fidelity, Aesteroid and Comet are good as well as Rock Pick and Hoar Show, which is an excellent route. Seeds and Stems is also in but looks gnarly. Slight of Hand might be in but it gets more sun than most. It's a great route worth checking on plus the approach is short and easy so you aren't out much energy if it's not there.
We went for a short walk in the main canyon too. We didn't get to see everything but here is the report on what we did.
Other than Zack Attack, which looks GREAT, the Genesis area is not doing well. It's looking to be set up well, however, as soon as it gets cold. There is ice and smears everywhere! In the last week, the first pitch of Zack Attack lost some ice but still offers well protected, excellent andesite rock and mixed while the next three pitches have gotten fatter and look like juicy ice.
Mummy III and IV are in. Hard but in. The Amphitheater area is taking a beating. Winter Dance is trying hard and according to Kris looks as good as it ever has this early. He said it's about in the same condition right now as when he and Whit did the FFA last winter. We didn't get to see any of the routes below Winter Dance. I saw Dielectric Breakdown a week ago and it's probably still in. Get on it soon. It's a great route.
Kansas Cornfield is in and fat. The big icicle to the left of KC is called Alpha Blondie (another gnarly Whit Magro and Nate Opp route) is in as well. There is some aid climbing to reach it. A novel way to reach KC is to combine the day with Twin Falls and then bush wack below the cliff (downhill) to reach the route.
Cleo's took a hit this week with a big chunk of it falling off, which is not uncommon this time of year. It'll come back fast. I'm sure Twin is still great. Palace Butte Falls is in big.
Solstice is in big and likely Equinox will be as well.
Unnamed Wall and Black Magic Wall are not doing well but the start of things are there so it could come in quick. Magically Delicious might be okay, not that you need much ice for that anyway. Elevator Shaft might be in but it's hard to say since it's higher volume.
Remember to scroll down on Jim's site here for the link and check the average temps for the Shower Falls SnoTel site in Hyalite. Except for one day last week, the daily average temps have been below freezing despite the glorious warm days in Bozeman.
In summary, there is plenty of ice to be climbed RIGHT NOW and keep people busy until the cold temps arrive and more routes form. It's shaping up to be an epic season. Get after it and hope to see you out there!
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