We were in the Dacks yesterday, Sunday, 1/31. For the most part, I was amazed at how much the ice in many spots has deteriorated or is nonexistent due to the warm weather and lack of snow. Let's hope things get better with cooler temperatures later this week.
The weather is suppose to get cooler later this week. Places like Chapel Pond Canyon, NFOP, etc., that are not in the direct sun, and are kind of hanging in there, will be your best bet. But they will also be crowded due to the limited ice so get there real early. Keep away from places like Mineville Pillar, Chillar Pillar, etc, that are in the sun. They look like they're history, maybe for the rest of the season.
Things were thinner than I thought they would be, but there was still ice to climb in most areas. We visited Roaring Brook, Multiplication Gully, NFOP and Chapel Pond Canyon. Thinner than I recall in the past, but still climbable. Dont let the overall lack of snow/ice keep you indoors.
It reached 50 deg F here yesterday, Wed Feb 3rd. Thurs morning, Thurs Feb 4th it was 35 deg in Cascade Pass. There is a lot of detached ice, be careful. Some of the easier, big, thick, slab ice is climbable. We need cold for a couple of days to sure things up.
Update Feb 10 2016 Chapel Pond- Crystal Ice Tower, Dog Leg, Chouinard's, Chouinard's right, Power Play, Lilith, Laceration, Lion's, Hot Shot, Ice Slot, Positive Reinforcement are all good. Roaring Brook is not great, but climbable, first pitch bad. Cascade Pass- Quarry, Pitchoff Right/Left, Buster, Sister's Right/Left, Three Flows, Cascade Falls, and a few other crusty corner routes all good. Pitchoff North- Central Pillar, Arm and Hammer, Tendinitis, Weeping Winds good, other a bit lean. Poko- PT climbable, Waterfall has some lines. Multiplication Gully- Unknown
Any word on chiller pillar or little Moscow? Looking for a less than freezing option for Saturday. Thanks!
Searching in vain for info on Roaring Brook Falls. trying to decide between the Daks and Smuggs this weekend. Thoughts?
Has anybody looked around Chapel Pond or Chapel Pond Canyon this weekend to see how the ice has held up with the crazy weather we're experiencing this winter?
the canyon ice has been wet but is still growing, some of the seepage stuff (laceration ect...) was reduced by the rain last week, power play has been getting climbed but the direct pillar is dripping rhiannan didnt look good, with the cold weather (and rain wednesday) this week stuff should be pretty sweet.
cascade/green gully are good pitchoff L and R are good, quarry has some lines..... booser,bowser, and buster are good, sisters right is wet with lots of ice and sisters left is good, jaws wall is in and out, 3 flows is EPIC.
Climbed the Trap Dike this weekend. It's in relatively great shape. Didn't climb the slide...not sure what it's like. Has anyone been to Pharaoh Mt? I'm wondering how it typically holds up in warmer weather?
Pharaoh doesn't handle the sun well, but more to the point, I don't think it ever really came in this year.
I climbed Pharaoh at the beginning of the month... there was just enough ice. I expect it is gone now though. Does anyone know how the ice in the high peaks is handling this rain?
