Beartooth Mountains Ice Conditions

4 dec 2010

climbed silver falls today it was in nicely.  drove over and looked at rock creek falls couldnt see much ice from the road.

Climbed Hellroaring Falls yesterday. Seemed like it was pretty big for as early as it is. Protection was pretty good and anchored to the trees at the top.  It even drew a little blood.

 Did Ice Dragons on Sat.  First pitch isn't in and the 2nd is pretty thin looking so we climbed 2 rock pitches on the right side of the climb.  Once at the level of the main flow, it was fat and perfect one swing sticks to the snow bowl.  Climbed some fun rock variations to the top.  Super fun climbing and very long day out (especially if you try and descend in the dark).  The mixed line to the right of ice dragons looked pretty good also.

10/16/2010 the hills are worth exploring, get the early season ones before the snow does.

,,

Headed up the E. Rosebud to do Firekiller yesterday...couldn't ask for better weather.  Due to the recent warm weather, the bottom of the route consists only of two mini free standing pillars.  The left pillar is about 2+ body lengths and provides for the easiest start.  The right pillar is a bit steeper and longer, but pretty thin right now.

Great views of the E. Rosebud from the top!

Mark

We climbed the spillway on Saturday, there was lots of ice and super-fun.  Recommend approaching from the top as there's not a lot of snow up there yet and lots of boulder hopping from the bottom.

We climbed Rock Creek Falls last weekend and it was in fat.  I didn't see any bolts on the left side, we used the tree that had all the colors of the rainbow webbing on it as an anchor.  The bolts on the right are a ways up there yet.  It was a really fun route.

I went to California ice Thursday morning, the approach ice was in terrible shape and the headwall had a lot of rock showing but climbable. All the other climbs (up & down canyon)that I could see were also thin. Ice Dragons however looked fat. Saturday I met some friends at Silver Falls and it is in huge.

Hiked in to Horseshoe Falls on Friday, Nov 20.  Easy approach on road to parking lot, snowshoe packed trail for 3/4-1 mile then postholed the last 1/4-1/3 mile, creek was iced heavily enough at several points to offer pretty easy "boot skate" crossing.  We climbed the middle formation and found some of the ice columns puny but the ice was sticky on a warm day like this (temp right around 40).  Still free flowing water at top but going under ice.  Top out was not hazardous but you'll need to go left onto short snow field toward the tree-wrap slings we placed to set up top rope or rappel.  St