November 30 Conditions

First off I want to thank those of you posting your findings here on Montana Ice dot Com. A huge thanks again to Jim Earl for his work on keeping this site up and running.

Secondly, I want to encourage everyone else to post more regularly. I know over Thanksgiving there had to be dozens of climbers all over Hyalite but there were few report updates. There are sooo many good routes in Hyalite right now, it's a great time to get out and do routes you haven't done before. The more we share the wealth here the more it'll spread folks out and help propagate more of the great Hyalite stoke and vibe.

As the snow starts to pile up we'll need to continue to encourage folks to get off the usual suspects (Unnamed, Genesis area and Mummy II) to keep the approach trails in good shape. We'll all appreciate it greatly as the season progresses. Also, this colder weather will change conditions fast! Some routes will get brittle and harder, others will get bigger and easier, a few will start to desiccate and go away, etc, etc. Thanks in advance for posting up your Hyalite findings!

And finally, my observations from Monday's Hyalite tour with Guy Lacelle (in town for the Arc'Teryx Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival where he will be giving clinics on both Saturday Dec 12th and Sunday the 13th).

EAST SIDE:

All the usual Genesis area routes look good. I heard Nate Opp did Zach Attack on Monday and it was in great shape. Indeed, the upper ice pitches look as good as they get. Through Four More looks to be in (this is the left hand of the two icicles you can just see from the parking lot). This is a nice challenging WI 4 and worth doing. If you go up there let us know if Home Field Advantage is in (this is a newer high-quality mixed route, M7, in the alcove just below Through Four More). The only place you can see HFA is from the top of G2 (sort of) or while standing below it.

Anyone been to Sleeping Giant Falls lately?

Guy did the Scepter and a bunch of other stuff on Sunday so those are all in great shape. I heard The Matrix was a fat pillar at the bottom. So if you've been unsure of the mixed start now is the time to get on it. This is a nice pitch. I'm sure the easier stuff in the area, Crypt Orchid, Cat in the Hat (aka Cave and Gully in "Winter Dance") and Feeding the Cat should be nice too.

The Corner climbs are looking good. Switchback Falls is thinner than usual. There is a right side that looks interesting and ice the whole way. There is also a dribble down the left that would be climbable as a mixed climb. I'm not sure where the dribble is in relation to the bolts. Go have a look! Or at least you can top rope it after doing the right side!

Winter Dance is... well Winter Dance. It's had at least two ascents this year!

Dialectric Breakdown is still looking very good!

Land of the Lost is in but looking thinner than usual. I'm sure it's very climbable but might have some thinner or hollow spots (probably a lot like The Dribbles right now).

Curtains and Over Easy are in big. I couldn't see all of Slot Corner aside from one chunk of ice at the top. It's a good route even if it's mixed. Since it gets a lot of sun, it'll snap up quick with colder, cloudy weather.

Rocket Boy looked good in the morning but had snapped off by the time Guy and I walked by it again in the afternoon.

Responsible Family Men looks big. I know some folks that were going to head there today.

Guy and I did the Dribbles to Avalanche Gulch connection and it's great. Kris accurately described the climbing on Dribbles in his post. Another nice thing right now is the route is pretty dry so the climbing is very pleasant.

Avalanche Gulch is ice fully formed! This is a rare event so it's a good year to get on it. The first pitch of the upper portion is a low-angle scrappy mixed pitch but is not hard. This will likely get covered in snow as the season progresses. There are two ways to do the upper ice. You can climb the first step and belay behind the pillar then go out the pillar, past the first "Ice Pick" anchor and all the way to the top for one spectacular 60 m pitch. The pillar was very wet so I'm sure it'll get massive as the year progresses! Alternatively, you can climb the first step and the pillar to the Ice Pick anchor (exposed to ice getting knocked off on the next pitch). There is a final sting in the tail 25 m pitch at the top as well.

Guy and I didn't look at Silken Slot or Silken Falls. Anyone been over there for a look?

You can read Kris and Adam's update on the Climb Above Dribbles. Sounds killer. There is a scrappy route that sometimes comes in to the left of CAD and usually easier. This was Guy's first tour to the Dribbles area and he came up with a great idea. Instead of the somewhat obvious name Climb Above Dribbles, Guy thought we should call it "Alex in Wonderland" (as in Alex Lowe who did the FA). I love it. Whadda all think?

WEST SIDE:

You can all see Black Magic from the Parking Lot. It's looks good. Everything to the right is a no show. The other gnarly ones to the left are not all there either. Roman Candle and Come and Get It should come in as the season progresses.

I've heard Magically Delish is in classic mixed shape. I've also heard of folks doing Jeff's Left & Right and The Good Looking One. Thrill is Gone had no ice on it yesterday (you can look right into the corner from the belay below the crux on Dribbles). With colder, cloudy temps I'm sure it'll be good in no time! The Fat One looks as advertised. Elevator Shaft has been getting climbed.

Solstice and Equinox look as fat as I've ever seen them! I'd suggest following the Twin Falls trail until is starts to cut over toward the gully below Cleo's, but then head out up and right to the routes. Start with Solstice then go down and right to do Equinox. From there you could head down and north toward the Elevator Shaft. Finish the day on the Unnamed Wall!

Cleo's is in. It looks hardish but totally in. Airborne Ranger is coming down and is probably doable as the M8+ mixed version (and might fully form quickly in the cold weather). 21 Stitches also looks climbable. The Matriarch not so much. The Shimmey might be trying. I forgot look at it too close but I did see some ice hanging off the slabs to the left. Twin Falls and Palace Butte Falls are massive.

Kansas Cornfield is huge. Don't bother with this route if it starts snowing a bunch. It is the most avy prone route in Hyalite. The hanging icicle to the right of KC is called Alpha Blondie, and the one to the left is Hang Time. These Whit Magro and Nate Opp routes feature aid climbing up to the ice. Contact Whit for beta if you are keen on these wild looking routes. They are both visible from the base of Dribbles.

Reparation is in as well for those really looking for something obscure or wanting to avoid any other people.

Nate's Maid of the Mist route (yes it's that big icicle in the middle of the face) looks as "in" as it ever gets. Long Walk to Freedom and Blue Moon are also formed.

Flanders:

As we all know The Big Sleep, Bobo Like, Killer Pillar and the Champagne climbs are all in. I've also heard that Narcolepsy has been climbed and that Flander's Field is in. I'm sure Slick Willy and the other WI 2 up next to it are good. This colder weather should snap the classic Palisade Falls into nick pretty quick.

There are other posts on some of the East Fork climbs. Thanks guys. Sounds like it's all going on up there. Horsetail especially is a classic route to get in while you can.

Slight of Hand should be good and is a worthwhile route often overlooked. Rock Pic and Hoar Show is another Hyalite classic that is probably good. Remember the East Fork Fork road closes on January 1st. So if enjoy the shorter approaches you got a month to get after it! If you like it "Canadian Style" and want to ski to the routes then you have the rest of the winter!

Indeed, Hyalite has something for everyone! Have fun and be safe out there.