In keeping in line with my past trips, (and trying to keep up with Daniel, also from the highlands of TO) Fernando and I flew/drove in and tried to leaving nothing on the table... (but failed miserably - theres' still plenty more to bite off ;-)

Our observations:
Feb 17 - Malignant Mushroom is beautiful. Multiple variations possible. Lotsa fresh ice. Wicked Wanda across the valley looked to be in fine shape. Not getting hurt by the sun. (Accompanied by Grant.)
Feb 18 - Hydrophobia lived up to my expectations, although not as steep as I feared at any one place, but overall it's a straight drop down... Sun hits the route early in the morning, then hides behind the ridge, making for great ice all day long! (Accompanied by Grant.)
Feb 19 - Grotto was alotta fun.
Feb 20 - Kitty Hawk gully appears to still be holding snow. It's in the shade from 3:00 onwards, so it would be safer to climb it later in the afternoon, or wait until after it has slid. Nothing but the Breast seems to have a very scrappy first bit.
Feb 21 - Weeping Wall gets hit by sun at 10:30-ish... try and be done by then. Good trail from top of WWR to Upper Wall (take right trail)
Feb 22 - Teardrop - good. Large variety of conditions, ledgy. Weeping Pillar, fresh ice but wet, even in the shade. Deep & steep wallowing at the top, to get to anchors. If this is any indication of what it's like to climb the summit mushroom of Cerro Torre, I'm not touching it with a barge pole! Well done to all who've braved the CT shrooms!
Feb 24 - Ice Nine - First pitch has been hurt by the ice, but if you excavate, and/or just drill in your picks, you'll be fine. Fresh cauliflowers over snow just before bolted belay on left. Second pitch is engaging but fun. 70 m ropes make it down to bottom. Easier than normal??? Sun hits the route at 10:30, when everything turns soft, (ok if you're from Cali or Colo???) Slopes above and below have slid.
Other Obs: Cadeau Cache is in, but hard to get to. Damocles is not in. Wilson Major still has loaded slopes above it. Skinny Puppy is in. Only second pitch of Shooting Star is in. Oh Le Tabernac is in, although we failed to find a trail. Anybody need karma points? Cosmic Messenger looks great, slopes above have partially slid, although the approach leaves much to be desired. Bow Falls et all are in. Political World seems to have a fat second pitch (both left and right), but the lower pillar has broken off 5 meters from the ground (?)
Feb 25 - Rehab Wall - Green Monster is fat. Other routes are in great shape. Area doesn't see a second of sun (as far as I could tell) will be in shape well into April. Cold.

Back to the classics of SO.
More pictures at kolos.ca, under climbing...

andriy

Edited by andriy (02/28/08 08:30 AM)