Ice Conditions 09/10

[Matt Peck]

Hey all, looking to start an ice conditions page similar to the one in the NB forum. Deal is, if you go out, or drive by climbing ice, snap a photo or write a description so we can keep everybody informed.

I was out today early to a possibly new route in Enfield and conditions were pretty thin. Scraped up a 20 M WI 4 line in a quarry just off the exit that was mighty dicey. Pulled off a couple of huge boulders on rappel before giving it a quick go. Soft thin ice but it's building fast after the warmer weather last week.
This route sound familiar to anyone?

[Fred]

Peck:

I can give you some MOD rights and you could edit a similar sticky thread if you are interested.

Fred

[Nihoa]

matt, bluenosers boulder year round! zig busts the ice off the rock to get at his problems.

[Nette]

I'll keep you posted on the Fundy conditions. I'll check it out this weekend and see what's formed

[darrell]

Checked out some of the climbs along the coast today, between Baxter's and Hall's harbour (closer to Baxter's end)

Lots of ice forming. A couple of easy ones leadable, and a couple of very hard leadable by the right person - not me!

Some of the best have the bottom 6 ft missing, as the tides / waves were high, and they would be impossible for mortals to get started on. Could toprope some as well. High tide is 2pm Saturday, which isn't great.

[darrell]

few more pics

[darrell]

3 more

[Seb]

Oh man! I didn't think there would be any ice in yet. Those pics definitely tell a different story though. Is anybody up for getting out this weekend? I know high tide is around 2, so it would be ideal to be getting on the road at 7h00. I've got all the gear but no ride (what else is new, right?).

Seb

[Nette]

Count me in.

[chameleon]

Oh-oh.... Seb and Darrell are out of their summer hibernations. Look out!

[mick]

7am? Seb you are out of your damn mind. I'm down for some inland training until the tides cooperate.

Anyone check out the 40ft face out by Dartmouth Crossing?:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=44.710531 ... 04823&z=18

[Nette]

I know of an inland set of falls near the fundy shore that has potential for some sweet mixed climbs. It's not too tall though, only about 30ft

[Danger]

Hey Mick,
Matt and I went and had a look at it a week or two ago, it seeps from about the middle and the top is all bare of tree's or groups of shrubs to create anchors from, till a long way back from the edge.
Looks like more classic chossy quarry climbing...classic NS style
3star WI2+++ I'd say

[mick]

Climbed at Baxter's Harbour and another small inland area down the road yesterday. Ice is coming in well, still thin in most spots. The inland waterfall is building, might be ready for climbing in a couple weeks of cold weather.

[mick]

A couple from Nette's inland Baxter's ice area:

[Chuck Sutton]

Darrell and I made it out for a quicky yesterday - that's right, Darrell and I have quickies all the time. Halls Harbour - long walk on the beach... a perfect recipe for a quicky. Don't be ashamed Darrell. Things are comin' in nicely. We did the following route which is the middle route in the second photo. 'Interesting features toward the top. Things will only be improving from here on out...

Chuck

[beyond_gravity]

For the climbs that don't get washed out by the tide, placing a few sticks betwen the ice and the ground helps them touch down and get fat much faster. If similar to last year; some of those daggers hanging high up on Halls right (climbers right; that is) might touch down with a bit of stick-age.

On the contrary, Veronica and I have got more ice then we can shake a stick at out here! Not to rub it in...

[Danger]

Out to Halls West today, it was rainy and warm, conducive to east coast style ice climbing.
Stuff was inish, but you'd need high gnar factor to lead some of it.

Sadly things were melting out, but not too badly. The first few climbs were in enough to TR to the top, and way down the shore, the big mean long dagger was touching down...in it's classic washed out at the base style.

I found a 16cm BD screw. It was at the top of the probably the third climb in from the parking...looks like it had spent the summer up there. It has green/blue tape on the hanger, and rust all over.
Normally I'd be more then keen to return it to the owner, but as I am excessively poor and sober, I plan to hold the screw ransom for beer or whiskey.

[jeremy benjamin]

Normally I'd be more then keen to return it to the owner, but as I am excessively poor and sober, I plan to hold the screw ransom for beer or whiskey.

So, first someone has to get you drunk, and then you will give them a haggard screw?

[Danger]

I'm hoping it's Chucks... it might be quick, but he snuggles afterwards

[peter]

Peck:
I can give you some MOD rights and you could edit a similar sticky thread if you are interested.
Fred

Let's do it.

[Fred]

it would work even better if there were 2 or 3 NS ice climbers added as MOD to edit the thread regularly. Are you interested Peter? any other nominations?

If you give me a list of all the ice climbing spots in NS I'll set up the sticky thread for you and then you can just go into it and edit.

[Matt Peck]

Im cool with that, though I have no idea how this thing works. Any way to get my hands on a how to?

[Fred]

It's easy.

1. people still post updates per usual

2. you or peter copy and paste into the main thread (click the edit button)

3. update the summary table at the top and voila! easy peasy... (green IN, orange THIN, red OUT)


The thread only serves as a quick summary of the mess of reports as they get dropped into the forum. Also, it makes for a nice historical record. See NB sticky thread for example.

Fred

[peter]

I was out today early to a possibly new route in Enfield and conditions were pretty thin. Scraped up a 20 M WI 4 line in a quarry just off the exit that was mighty dicey. Pulled off a couple of huge boulders on rappel before giving it a quick go. Soft thin ice but it's building fast after the warmer weather last week.
This route sound familiar to anyone?

Eye-balled it many times, when I worked in Truro but lived in Halifax. The ice never gets any bigger, visible but that's it. Good on ya to climb it.

[Matt Peck]

Ok then:
What a great Guy WI 4 M4 20m
FA Matthew Peck, Dec 09.
Just off the highway 102 northbound between the airport and just before the enfield exit, this temperamental icicle can be glimpsed in a quarry to the right alongside a shorter pillar. It's aspect and location mean that it's seldom in condition. A 15M vertical pillar leads to sketchy mixed choss topout. While the ice is nice, the rock on top still needs some cleaning.
In memory of Guy Lacelle, who died the day before this route was climbed.

[Simon]

I found a 16cm BD screw. It was at the top of the probably the third climb in from the parking...looks like it had spent the summer up there. It has green/blue tape on the hanger, and rust all over.
Normally I'd be more then keen to return it to the owner, but as I am excessively poor and sober, I plan to hold the screw ransom for beer or whiskey.[/quote]

Hehe, that's what I love about NS, green and blue are my colors, the rust is not mine though! I will gladdly get you a whiskey in exchange.

I'm planning to get out to Hall's Harbour this weekend, I'm not sure which day yet. Anybody else's going?
Simon

[Simon]

I found a 16cm BD screw. It was at the top of the probably the third climb in from the parking...looks like it had spent the summer up there. It has green/blue tape on the hanger, and rust all over.
Normally I'd be more then keen to return it to the owner, but as I am excessively poor and sober, I plan to hold the screw ransom for beer or whiskey.

Hehe, that's what I love about NS, green and blue are my colors, the rust is not mine though! I will gladdly get you a whiskey in exchange.

I'm planning to get out to Hall's Harbour this weekend, I'm not sure which day yet. Anybody else's going?
Simon

[Danger]

I'm hoping/planning to get out this Sunday to Halls.
I'll bring the screw, it's no longer rusty...I was giving it some practice.
That's what whiskey will do

[Danger]

Got out today with Rich and Nette. Got some bad news...
Halls Harbour and Baxter are almost completely Out. Not even thin smears, just out.

Did some exploring along the coast and found a new to us location that shockingly had enough ice to lead. Follow Old mill Rd/Baxter Harbour Rd East along the shore. Eventually there's comes a sharp right turn, and a sign for Black Hole Rd. Park there, and walk East along the prominent path, take a left towards the shore about 200m down the path before the main drainage. About 5 minutes of walking will put you at the top and rap down. You can also access the bottom by walking down the main drainage...but it'd be more of a hassle. We approached by the shore, but that's the suckers route.

Anyone know of this area? old schoolers enlighten us please...
Anyways, it's a great spot in a beautiful setting, and if winter ever comes, it has lots of potential. Did a possibly WI4 line, and a Rich lead a nice WI3+ish line... and looks like some harder stuff would come in.