The Climbing Chatter Low-Down
Editors Note: Did you know WenatcheeOutdoors.org hosts it’s very own climbing chatter group? Did you know that their are over 130 people on the chatter. Below is some great beta (information) on what our climbing community is chatting about this week. If you would like to join the chatter, we welcome you! Please click here for how to join our chatter crew. This is a free resource for anyone who is interested.
Best Climbing Shoe Repairer’s: Steve Komito in Estes Park phone number (970) 586-5391, Curt Haire (curthaire@nwi.net) out of Leavenworth and Ramuta Resoles in Montana. Curt Haire does resoles, half-soles, rand repair, and “climbing plugs” (repair to worn toe of rigid alpine boot). Curt said he also tutors individuals who want to learn to “sole their own” and will tutor those interested in learning how to sharpen ice tools, crampons, and screws as well.
Dry-Tooling Beta: There’s a developed dry-tooling venue on the downstream (climbers right) crag at Rainbow Falls, just across the road from the Snow Creek parking lot in Leavenworth. Another, developed a couple seasons ago by Vern Nelson & Jens Holsten, is located about four miles up Snow Creek (about a mile beyond Snow Creek Wall) right on the creek.
Haireball’s Ice Update: As of December 2, there is no lowland ice anywhere near Leavenworth. The Funnel on Hubba Hubba Hill is a wet streak. A hike to Millenium Wall reveals damp rock with a dusting of melting snow. In Tumwater canyon, there are random blobs in the general vicinity of Drury Falls, but no other sign of ice.
A hike into Colchuck reveals thin smears of snow plastered on edges/ledges on the alpine faces – nothing that would constitute a “line”, although the triple couloir is beginning to fill. There is a fat two-or-three pitch flow a couple hundred feet up the approach gully to Colchuck Balanced Rock – looks like fun climbing if you feel like making the nine-mile approach from the Icicle road. One trip report reveals decent mixed conditions in the NE Couloir on Argonaut – suggesting that Sherpa & Stuart might be worth a look.
For more ice condition information visit Cascade Climbers thread here.
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