Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
adamiata
Ice climber
Candia, NH
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 12:31pm PT
|
Dying to do something at the Lake next season...
How does 20 Below Zero compare to something like Dracula?
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 30, 2010 - 12:41pm PT
|
Of course conditions mean everything in ice climbing but if you go all the way to the top of 20 below instead of the lower tree anchor on the left it's about like doing Dracula 4 times.
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 30, 2010 - 12:44pm PT
|
Mike, Whats the name of that climb?
|
|
mike m
Trad climber
black hills
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 01:11pm PT
|
Leaning Tree. There is so much from Cody to Bozeman that saying Willoughby is the best seems kind of strong. Willoghby deffinately seems to have a huge concentration of moderate to hard lines, but there is so much divesity on huge lonely mountains with very large flows that the Greater Yellowstone area could make the same claim. Manny of the bigger flows/pitches generally are given only one name even though many of them could have dozens of variations on a particular route/pitch so it kind of sounds like there is not that much ice out there when you look at the number of routes listed in the guide. Here is a picture of another good one from that area . I would like to think areas are just different not one better than the other. Sometimes a 3+ hour approach can be "fun" or what makes a climb more memorable. The vastness and aloneness that you feel in some of these places make the some of these climbs even that much more of a prize.
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 30, 2010 - 01:27pm PT
|
Mike, what was the name of the first climb you posted and where exactly is it? thanks, Nick
|
|
divad
Trad climber
wmass
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 01:40pm PT
|
geez, this looks like a pic up above.
Cody, I believe
|
|
mike m
Trad climber
black hills
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 02:21pm PT
|
Here are a few from just acroos the border in MT
|
|
rhyang
climber
SJC
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 02:33pm PT
|
Yum yum !
|
|
Bschmitz
Ice climber
mountain view
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 03:06pm PT
|
No way does Lake Willoughby beat out MT or WY. Glacier Park, Yellowstone, Cooke City, Hyalite, Cody, Clarks Fork, Rosebud all are stacked. Mike M...thats a bad shot of the dutch charlie I think I might have better one that will really make them grin floating around somewhere on my computer.
I mean we are talking about ice climbing right? Routes like Mean green, California Ice, Winter Dance, broken hearts, Ovissight, Synder lake anything, silver cord, dancing with the hippo and south of the summit are all world class. Just my two cents.
|
|
mike m
Trad climber
black hills
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 04:50pm PT
|
I would love to see it when it is fat. I took some shots from the other rim of the canyon while my brothers were climbing LT and and it is hard to Zoom in enough to get much detail with your standard digital.
|
|
Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 06:08pm PT
|
Routes like Mean green, California Ice, Winter Dance, broken hearts, Ovissight, Synder lake anything, silver cord, dancing with the hippo and south of the summit are all world class.
They are, for sure.
But, that list especially is a "best of" separated by a gob of miles and terrain. Where as, the Lake Willoughby stuff is stacked one right next to each other.
I mean, where can you get that kind of milage from the same car park?
Can't really see doing Broken Hearts and California Ice in the same day...! Well, maybe some folks could, but, probably not in daylight for many...(and not me, geez, Cali ice alone was 12 hours car-to-car for me, Broken Hearts quite a bit quicker).
Its all good. For shear volume and route density, the Northeast is hard to beat. For gettin' out there...well...I mean come on, Cody and/or the Beartooths? Pretty neat.
Brian in SLC
(who's climbed a few on that list, as well as at Lake Willoughby).
|
|
Decko
Trad climber
Colorado
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 06:09pm PT
|
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Come on, let them muck about how great Willoby is, and I'm sure it is.
But I LOVE that there are no crowds in Cody, or no trail and not a soul around on Leaning Tree......
QUIET PLEASE........................
Don't want it looking like Ouray up there..........
|
|
Edge
Trad climber
New Durham, NH
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 06:50pm PT
|
I think, undoubtedly, that Willoughby has the highest concentration of high quality ice climbs anywhere. I personally don't know of anyplace else that has so many long routes in so confined an area. Frankenstein is similar, but not as long and sustained.
That fact, however, seals Willoughby's own fate. The place is easily accessible, and once someone has a route in mind, then they seem to develop blinders and line up like lemmings in reverse, ready to throw themselves up the cliff.
It wasn't always like that , nor was it always like that on the Black Dike, but if you want a route to yourself and a wilderness experience, then it is hard to beat some of the western areas mentioned up-thread. Nothing disperses the punters more than a 3 hour approach.
I find it hard to enjoy New England ice lately. If you are fortunate enough to climb mid-week, which is all I do now, then you may avoid the crowds but most routes are beat to death. Of course there are still instances when all the conditions are in alignment, but it rare.
|
|
pip the dog
Mountain climber
planet dogboy
|
|
|
Mar 30, 2010 - 07:58pm PT
|
i myself much agree with tradmanclimbs, mike m, and brian from slc -- even though at first read they all seem to disagree with one another.
tradmanclimbs is right: willoughby has an absolute sh!tload of fine, fat, and reliable ice -- most all within view of your ride. sweet.
mike m is right: MT has way more ice, and much of it on better and longer lines. but then, you gotta walk/ski some to get to the best of it. ok, often a lot -- a _whole_ lot.
brian from slc is most right: he quick saw both the up and down sides of both.
~~~
i really like tradmanclimbs' photo "Threading off the Last Gent" -- as it quick captures something close to the very heart of the game, yet never seen on magazine covers or posters. (not that i myself have ever had to rap off ice in the dark, or anything...)
i also much agree with Donini:
> Great climbing! But that New England damp cold... brrrrr!
yeah, all those excellent photos of willoughby looking all sunny (yet still fat and "in") seem kind of false advertising to me -- unless my youth up that way was a massive metrological aberration. (though i wouldn't be entirely surprised to learn it was, as i am a known storm attractor.) but i do visit up that way quite often and the weather there continues to seem almost always wet foggy tsunamis blowing directly up my skinny droopy butt.
OTOH, the chances of becoming quick extinct via an avi blowout are way less in _most_ of new england relative to _most_ all of her MT/WY alternatives.
~~~
so, all this considered... i simply dunno.
only took me 231 words to realize i simply dunno. holy sh!t -- i am becoming succinct! (nah, knott even remotely)
~~~
i myself have bet my remaining days on the MT variant. but then i accumulate more frequent flyer miles than the crew of the space shuttle trying to pay for my 'home' there - the one i can't afford to live in while working locally.
though with all those frequent crier miles, i do get to fall off of most anything i want. hell, i once did an ice FA in OHIO! 43 vertical feet of absolutely unrelenting, unprotected WI4 -- so there! (and quick got arrested for it; though soon released as the local stiffs couldn't figure out any local law that might apply.)
^,,^
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2010 - 09:46pm PT
|
Some cool stuff by everyone. I still have not had too many picked out experiences at the lake. Frankenstine is a zoo and everything is a peg board but with the exeption of Crazy diamond and renom I have never had a real picked out climb at the lake. Also only waited in line once there. lots of stuff to do. Also never been there on a weekend. Mt Hoar looks increadible as well on the other side of the lake. never been over there but looks like some long climbs. Must give it a try next year if the shoulder ever heals.....
|
|
Flanders!
Trad climber
June Lake, CA
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2010 - 11:39pm PT
|
Lake Willoughby, The Tablets (I think) Feb. 2010
It is a great place, BUT I might put Cody above it given the long and varied routes.
IFMGA Guides, Art Mooney and Marc Chauvin on 20 below Zero Gully, WI 4
Dale Remsberg, Marc Chauvin, Art Mooney, Lake Willoughby, Feb, 2010
Doug
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 1, 2010 - 08:09am PT
|
If you want long and varried routs. Try Called on Account of Rains IV5+,
Le promanade IV5+, Pipe Dreams IV WI6X M6, Shaker Hiegts, Three Musketeers IV m6+ WI 5+ Etc. etc.etc...
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 1, 2010 - 08:39am PT
|
The rock is Choss and not many protection opertunitys.
|
|
Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
|
|
There is, however, very good rock just around the corner on Mt. Wheeler. It is hidden from view from the ice climbing venues (it is on the far side of Mt. Hor) and has a number of single and multi-pitch quality rock routes.
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!