Hyalite Archives

All climbs are in good shape. Omega is not only touching but it's big! Alpha is also very well filled in. (Both are visible from the dam). In spite of the cold weather there was some wet and forming ice on all three of these climbs on Thursday 1/06 (or some very dry and brittle ice, depending on exactly where you climbed!). The road was good to go with 2WD. Alex

I am a rookie to the ice climbing world,(on the ice for first time at icefest) I am hoping to get pointers from the forum for myself and others like myself on issues like, areas to hone in skills, things to keep in mind, etc. Is there anywhere someone could safely go alone and sort of "boulder" on ice, and just practice technique safely? Any input would be great and much appreciated. Thanks, Casey

Hello arctic cold masochists, There is a climb over by Sheridan, MT (between Twin Bridges and Virginia City) that is a nice alternative in cold weather, if you simply insist on getting out. It's called "Smuggler's Seep." I ran out of pages to include it in Winter Dance but I have posted a downloadable PDF with all the info on the "More Beta" section of my web site: www.firstascentpress.com. This climb gets a lot of sun so is only really "in" during or just after a cold spell. It's a very pretty climb and pretty easy climbing, so any brittle ice is more manageable than on, say Cleo's.

Here is a quick update for those wanting to get on Winter Dance or climbs in that area. Substantial volumes of ice have broken off Winter Dance in the past week. On Tuesday, Dec. 28, there was a flow of water streaming down the left side of the climb. The first pitch and belay at the end of the bolt ladder suffered a continuous deluge. This continual spray, unlike that which recently showered this website, was unavoidable by anyone hoping to climb. The flow was not likely melt-water since temps were in the low 20?s.

:) I got out climbing today in Pine Creek and took the long walk into the back of the main south fork of Pine Creek. My partner and I went looking for the climbs Neptune and Pluto and post-holed for about two hours to reach the base of Neptune. We never saw anything that resembled the description of Pluto. It was beautiful day with the sun poking out for some of the day and perfectly quiet back in the drainage with no other signs of people. The second pitch has seen a lot of sun recently and required tremendous cleaning before you could find any good ice to place your tool.

I have read some things on other web-sites about possible climbs in the Crazy Mountain Range, and also in the Elkhorn Mountains near Helena. Does anyone know more about these, and could fling some info my way? Thanks, Griz Man

Hello from Missoula! I am wondering what the current road conditions into Hyalite are. If someone could give me an update I would really appreciate it! Thanks

On Dec 6th my partner Trever and I climbed the 30m thin low angle WI2 flow 50 meters left of Sleeping Giant. I was wondering if this route normally comes in or not, and if there is any record of anyone climbing it, I can find none. I figure it has likely been climbed, though I thought I might as well ask around and see if we climbed a new route. Thoughts? Thanks, Pete T

Here are a couple shots taken Dec. 21 of the upper Mummy climbs. [b]Mummy III[/b] is about 2/3 rock with good gear and solid, but thin, ice when you reach it. [img]http://www.rocky.edu/~kalakayt/mummy34.jpg[/img] [b]Mummy IV[/b] (shown below) is ~1 foot in diameter and fractured at its base. Most have been gaining the ice via rock climbing to the right past a fixed pin. We pulled on the pin with an ice tool and it nearly fell out. It will likely hold body weight, but not a very long fall. Other gear can be placed nearby. Be careful! [img]http://www.rocky.edu/~kalakayt/mummy4.jpg[/img]

:D Its a great feeling to climb a route after not having seen a glipse in so many years. On Sat Ross Lynn and I were up in Hyalite hopeing t find " The Shimmy" and the shimmy we did! [img]http://montanaice.com/images/shimmy-beta.jpg[/img] Powerful movement through a series of three roofs leads to the infamous shimmy, shimmy, shimmy. A final thin ice section and some stemming! Not one to miss as it hasn't made an apperance in years. Whit Magro ticked this one a few days earlier and in doing so plucked the first ascent of the season.