A Farewell to Ice 4.15.06

Summary
OwnerMITOC Gallery Administrator
Creation Date2006-04-16 13:22:20 UTC-0400
Description
S: "Wanna do the Black Dike?"

D: "Its April"

S: "So?"

D: "Good Point"
Dan Walker and Steve Block 4.15.06
Well, as it turns out, the black dike has less waterfall ice than waterfall. We determine with some digitally enhanced photography, that the first and third pitch have pretty much no ice on route, while the second pitch has no ice anywhere. Our precision weather instrument (windshield) also tells us that it is raining. We decide that we wouldn't mind either climbing in the rain or a sketchy drytool route, but not both. So we take a 30 minute nap to see if the weather improves. When we wake up, we can't even see the climb anymore. sweet.

For the sake of completeness, and since we are 5 minutes away, we decide to check the flume gorge. surprise! there is actually some ice there. (although the bottom of the gorge is full of fast-moving river). There are also some firehoses sprayign at the ice lower in the canyon, presumably in an attempt to melt the ice so they can reinstall the walkway. Figuring that ice is better than no ice, we run back to the car and grab our gear.

In a bit of confusion, we set up on a 15 foot of 3- ice. finding that a bit easy, we climb left on a section of 6" wide, 2" deep, not-quite-attached ice. after dispatching that as well, we climb the rock in between. Next we set up the rope on a 50 foot section of 4-. just steep enough to let you know that its steep. after that, we head up a mixed start to a steep, 2-3ft wide hanging icicle. then we try up a longer mixed start on the right side of the icicle. not running out of excitement, we move farther right to a stupidly mixed traverse to thin, detached ice. I knock a bunch of it down on my hand, and give steve a try. With some work, steve manages to dispatch it. I give it another go, get into the ice, but have to pull a one handed hang while flipping the rope off an icicle. disaster. giving another go, I quickly cross the mixed traverse into the ice, but shear out and quit. Then up and out to the top.

We move to some lines that are in the narrow part of the canyon, without any rock ledges or walkway. So we rappel down most of the way, and swing out over to the walkway upstream. Steve starts out working a nasty mixed line, and eventually manages to get into some ice! He gets up to a ledge and trys a few mixed routes, as the fatter ice to the right would have a looong pendulum. After almost getting into the higher ice, he brings down a 50lb piece of ice on the chest and decides that it is my turn. I work the mixed section a bit, using a bit of creative tool placement and tool camming, eventually manage to have my tool hit ice. after slipping and donating some finger skin to the rock I decide that I am also done. So we climb back up the rope to the top and move it over to a fat, solidly attached column, with a hanging part below. We belay from the top and give it a few climbs, good 4 climbing and super-plastic ice. Ending the season on a high note.