November 13th Hyalite Conditions

Casey and I went up to Twin Falls today and here is what I saw/heard:

Zach Attack - the first pitch looks good, the rest, not so much.Tthe intrepid Billings crew headed up there and their car was still in the parking lot when we left. No word yet.

Hangover, G1 & 2, Greensleeves, Sleeping Giant - All have ice but they are manky still. And if we just leave the G1 hangers alone, they will form that much faster. Every year someone (and you know who you are) gets eager and just has to top rope the free hangers and ends up snuffing their development for a few weeks. Leave em be for now, please. We'll all benefit in the long run.

There is a new way to get to Mummy II/Scepter from G1. Go right from G1 and across the rotten log and up the first gradual hill. Just where it turns straight up hill to keep going right and down a hill to the base of a low-angled cliff (aka Mountaineers Cliff - see below). Keep walking past this angling all the way up to arrive just below the Scepter. It's the way to go!

Mountaineers Cliff - About a pitch right of G1. Rusty Willis, Martin Zabaleta and some dude from Butte named Phil and I cleaned the worst of the loose stuff and put in 5 two-bolt anchors all with 1/2" bolts courtesy of Conrad Anker. I later went up with Katie Smith and installed chains on all the anchors but one. You can walk aro und the right side of the cliff to a big platform (visible from the parking lot) and do a short rap into the anchors which are on lower angle rock and so might be hard to find if covered with snow. It is a full 30 meters from the anchors to the ground - perfect for top roping. I left an old piece of rope near a tree on the platform to rap down to the anchors. You can also scramble into them from the side but it's exposed and it's gotta be clear of snow, etc, etc. Not for bumblies.

This willl be a great venue for teaching rock climbing with crampons. It's lower angle and featured and surprisingly good rock. Great for teaching mixed moves more like you might find in the mountains.

Black Magic - this route is formed all the way to the overhang but is looking super thin. With the cold forecast ahead it is imminently climbable.
 

Mummy Cooler III and Mummy Cooler IV - Mummy III looks great. Mummy IV not so much but it's looking good and won't be long.

Dialectric Breakdown - Looks great and good to go!

Slot Corner, Land of the Lost, Curtains, Over Easy, RFM, Dribbles, Silken Falls - All of these are formed, some better than others, but none of them look very good right now. Another week or so of cold weather (or less) and they will start snapping into shape.

Climb Above Dribbles - looking good.

Winter Dance - working hard

Alex's Solo - not yet, still has a big gap.

Cleopatra's Needle - There is ice from top to bottom but still coming in.

The Shimmy, Airborne Ranger, 21 Stitches & The Matriarch - lots of the usual early season ice hanging on them so  we shall see if they bless us with their presence.

Twin Left - formed but lots of water spewing out the lower third. Didn't look too fun, nor safe. Just needs to firm up a bit.

Twin Right - Good climbing. Thin ice on the lower third.

Someone was headed up to Palace Butte Falls today as well.

Happy Hunting,

JoJo

www.bozemanicefestival.com