Cody Ice 3/12/2011

So after two days in the S. Fork this is what I have to report. (note I have been in and out of Cody allllll season long)

The weather has been increasingly Springish. S. Facing climbs are getting thin and sun baked, but there are still options in amphitheatres. N. Facing climbs are generally in good shape. Further up canyon towards Spying and Flying the ice is in great shape and the snow has finally settled. Some quick specific mentions: Moratorium is still in, Bozo's is fat, Sendero is still in but getting very thin (9 inches wide at the thinnest, one reports). Ice Fest looks great, Mean Green too, High on Boulder and Moonrise are bitchin'.

The issue is that the weather has been well above freezing during the days (50*F+) and barely dipping to below freezing at night. The hero ice is a blast, but this has been causing SIGNIFICANT ROCK FALL all over the S. Fork. Your faithful reporter was near pulverized yesterday when a big honking cliff broke loose on his hike out of Deer Creek at about 10:30am sending rocks the size of basketballs crashing down on all sides of him. Sheesh! The previous night, around 10pm, we heard significant rock fall coming out of Deer Creek. During the day, rocks were letting loose all day in the High on Boulder drainage. Pillar of Pain is in fat. Ro Sham Bo is also in still as of 2 days ago.

In general, the ice is still in and fat. N. facing is the only ice I will climb unless we get another significant cold snap. However, screw going up in those hills on these 50*F days. The rockfall is serious. But that's just me, the ice is still bliss.

Nicky G