Hyalite Archives

While making the trek up to Winter Dance on Monday (no, Pete and I didn't do it but we froze our friggin' sacks off though) I looked out from my goggles and balaclava long enough to see that the elusive routes called Alex's Solo I & II were in big. It might be more appropriate to call them Left and Right. I'll post a photo as soon as I develop the film (if it turned out in the early morning light and blowing snow). The right hand route looked WI 4ish on the left with a steeper pillar on the right.

Climbed Bobo Like on Sunday - a fun climb, and good place to be on these sickeningly warm days as it gets no sun. But here's a heads-up, especially if you're thinking about soloing it. Around 11:00, when the sun must have been hitting up high, my partner was leading the steep step at the beginning of the second pitch when he got thoroughly hosed down (but not off!) by a damp snow avalanch that lasted a minute or longer. Definitely some unexpected excitement!

Thanks to all who participated in and volunteered at the 8th Annual Bozeman Ice Festival. We would also like to thank the Bozeman climbing community for your patience and willingness to share the ice. Have a great season and happy holidays.

Here are several photos, taken by Steve House, from the third pitch on our climb of Winter Dance this week: [img]http://montanaice.com/images/Anker-WD-011.jpg[/img] [img]http://montanaice.com/images/Anker-wd-006.jpg[/img]

Seeing what some of you can climb is humbling for someone still hoping to tick a WI5. I'm curious, how many Montanans are currently climbing WI6? How about WI7? It sounds like we have quite a few these days with people climbing the Big Sleep, Come and Get It, Winter Dance, etc., not to mention high-end M climbs. I notice this web site has a poll cabablility. Maybe we should take a pole. I can think of 8 people in the high-end category, but I'm sure there is more.

Don't despair folks. Hyalite ice is holding up through the warm weather. In fact, if you haven't been in the canyon yet, this year is shaping up as one of the best in several years. Here's a brief summary for the southern end of the unnamed wall. The photo was taken [b]12/14/04[/b] and all routes shown have been climbed within the last three days with the possible exception of Bulldog/Bingo World. [img]http://www.rocky.edu/~kalakayt/s.unnamed.jpg[/img] Has anyone been in the Cleopatra's Needle area lately? Things are looking bigger than ever up there!

Horsetails first pitch was a little sketchy with thin layers with snow in between in places. The second pitch (pillar) looked really sweet, I didn't have enough time to get on it but I belayed MtnMattMan? up it. He went up the left side, others seemed to be on the right side that morning. [img]http://www.dotphoto.com/SAN1/55/91/55/i55915539-D381-4909-AB62-26581B67…] Today (tuesday, 12/14) we headed up to twin area to try a new route, it turned out to be the second pitch of Soltice. Soltice looked pretty thin so we hiked around it and made an alpine adventure out of the day.

I don't think anyone has mentioned anything about these climbs thus far, so here you go: We climbed Curtains and Overeasy on Saturday, and they were in very well, albiet wet. Bring cord or sling material for the horn rappel on Curtains. On Over Easy, there is an easy-to-miss 3 bolt rap anchor just before the angle of the climb decreases. If you miss it, there is a tree at about 170'.

:wink: I was up in Flanders drainage this weekend poking around looking to see what was in and what wasn't. Here are some observations on what I found. Narcolepsy- not in but plenty of ice on the top so it could make an appearance later in the year Killer Pillar- In and FAT Bobo Like - Looking good The Big Sleep- Looking great! The top third pitch looks like it's making an appearance. It's a rare ascent to make the climb to the true top of this route. Another to get while the getting is good! Code Red- In and touching. A nice thin pillar now. have fun. Kristoffer Erickson

I was hoping to have some film to show on this subject but since I'm crusty in my old film ways I don't have anything yet, you'll just have to look in Jojo's book. I was up on Friday morning for a spin on the Magic and found conditions to be good but a little spicy. The ice was starting to sublimate on the lower ice some but still provided enough of a base layer to ascend the upper portion of the climb.