February Ice Climbing Conditions, Catskills
By Dustin Portzline
2.16.17
What a difference a few weeks makes! I have had many enjoyable days out on the ice over the past two weeks, thanks to mild temperatures during the day and new precipitation in the form of ... snow, finally.
At the end of January, the mountains turned that snow into a wicked hard crust - ideal for front-pointing, but ruthless against inattentive footwork. Two separate accidents, one an ice climber and one a hiker, occurred on the same day due to falls down icy slopes (Daily Freeman 1-31-2017).
Two back-to-back snowstorms last week, the 9th and 12th, dropped 10" and 6" of white stuff respectively. The hollow shells of ice from a few weeks back have reattached and grown blue -fresh ice is everywhere.
I've been spending more time exploring Stony Clove while guiding this season, and the number of thought-provoking (albeit short) ice and mixed routes there is remarkable. Local Christian Fracchia once told me that exploring there was like climbing in the Gunks in the 1950s, with hundreds of lines left to do - and I laughed. But, there are quite a number of lines that grab your attention from the very start and command you to the finish. Anyone who accumulates enough of these routes can attest to the qualities of doggedness, and tolerance for adversity they instill. If you can climb in the blowing snow with your picks bouncing of bluestone, your left foot on a husk of ice and you're right in frozen moss, all while being whipped in the face by birch saplings,in the Catskills, you're prepared to do it anywhere.
2.16.17
What a difference a few weeks makes! I have had many enjoyable days out on the ice over the past two weeks, thanks to mild temperatures during the day and new precipitation in the form of ... snow, finally.
At the end of January, the mountains turned that snow into a wicked hard crust - ideal for front-pointing, but ruthless against inattentive footwork. Two separate accidents, one an ice climber and one a hiker, occurred on the same day due to falls down icy slopes (Daily Freeman 1-31-2017).
Two back-to-back snowstorms last week, the 9th and 12th, dropped 10" and 6" of white stuff respectively. The hollow shells of ice from a few weeks back have reattached and grown blue -fresh ice is everywhere.
I've been spending more time exploring Stony Clove while guiding this season, and the number of thought-provoking (albeit short) ice and mixed routes there is remarkable. Local Christian Fracchia once told me that exploring there was like climbing in the Gunks in the 1950s, with hundreds of lines left to do - and I laughed. But, there are quite a number of lines that grab your attention from the very start and command you to the finish. Anyone who accumulates enough of these routes can attest to the qualities of doggedness, and tolerance for adversity they instill. If you can climb in the blowing snow with your picks bouncing of bluestone, your left foot on a husk of ice and you're right in frozen moss, all while being whipped in the face by birch saplings,in the Catskills, you're prepared to do it anywhere.
Conditions & Forecast: We've got a nice snowpack for fueling the formation of ice now. The snow that came last week has consolidated and is wet and sticky - bad for balling up under your crampons, but perfect for getting things dripping again. We're still not seeing hard freezing temps, but the ice that is out there is bonded, intact, and should not be affected by next week's warmer temperatures. I've seen lots of pillars with fresh ice, and big hangers growing, and anticipate the ice will get even better before it gets worse.
Many climbs on both the east and west sides of Stony Clove Notch are in good condition, though the Playground still looks boney. In Platte Clove, the Dark Side and the Devil's Kitchen are recovering and have a number of routes in condition, but they are not yet enormous and fat. The waterfalls of Platte Clove have openings of running water, with a few nice climbable variations on Bridalveil Falls. In Kaaterskill Clove, Moore's Bridge is actually started to look just okay! The Asbestos Wall has lots of new tinsel and looked mediocre and sketchy to me, with lots of downed icicles littering the ground. The Ravines have been getting some action. The trail to and climbing in Hillyer is in good shape. A party reported that the top pitch of Wildcat was not in condition several days ago. Buttermilk suitors beware: a crossing of the Kaaterskill Creek does not look like it would be a dry affair. Share the frozen-seeps and falls with your fellow climber this President's Day Weekend - the peak of the season will be over soon, so if it's in condition go do it!
Climb on,
Dustin
Many climbs on both the east and west sides of Stony Clove Notch are in good condition, though the Playground still looks boney. In Platte Clove, the Dark Side and the Devil's Kitchen are recovering and have a number of routes in condition, but they are not yet enormous and fat. The waterfalls of Platte Clove have openings of running water, with a few nice climbable variations on Bridalveil Falls. In Kaaterskill Clove, Moore's Bridge is actually started to look just okay! The Asbestos Wall has lots of new tinsel and looked mediocre and sketchy to me, with lots of downed icicles littering the ground. The Ravines have been getting some action. The trail to and climbing in Hillyer is in good shape. A party reported that the top pitch of Wildcat was not in condition several days ago. Buttermilk suitors beware: a crossing of the Kaaterskill Creek does not look like it would be a dry affair. Share the frozen-seeps and falls with your fellow climber this President's Day Weekend - the peak of the season will be over soon, so if it's in condition go do it!
Climb on,
Dustin
Photos of Ice from around the Cats
2-15-17 Moore's Bridge
2-15-17 Lower Dark Side Ranger Randy
2-15-17 Bridalveil Falls
2-15-17 Asbestos Wall
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2-15-17 Green Pillar, Upper Dark Side
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Add your ice observations here-2017 Adaptive Ice Climbing on February 25-26 Event Link |
