[MCR] South Rockies ice-Blue Angel and Lucifer-Castle valley Jan. 4th, 2011.

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Climbed Blue Angel on wednesday January 4th. Route was in great climbing shape despite the balmy 8c, chinook winds and warm sun at the base at noon. 

We approached as instructed in Waterfall ice. Description is good and it is just under 400m vertical from the road to the base.
Road was getting rather dry for sledding but passable as of last night. Again, as of last night, you could probably drive most of the 16km rd approach in a decent 4x4 with chains.

Snowpack grew quickly starting around km 13 and the approach walk was kinda awful.  Some long stretches of hip deep, warm snow and almost all the approach in shin to knee deep snow. There is now a mighty trench up to the base of the route so if you have any aspirations to doing the route this weekend you can count on that one blessing. The trail/trench starts just after a small widening in the road at approx 16kms.  Don't miss it!!  Almost no avalanche terrain except the last slope to the base and the small bowls above the route.

The biggest hazard was hanging daggers in the chinook and the sun. I had planned to do a long first pitch to avoid belaying under a smallish pair of hanging daggers on the right by belaying in an alcove to the climbers left. When I got close to the alcove I realized it was seriously threatened by a big tottering column in a sunbaked alcove. Managed to find a semi hanging, semi protected belay on a pillar that now sports a double abalokov. Another double abalokov at the top. Did not climb Lucifer as it was threatened by a huge wall of daggers that I imagined were actually wobbling in the heat and wind.

Second biggest hazard was screws in the chinook and sun. Cleaned the last pitch on rappel and removed two sun soaked screws by yanking straight out on them. Did I mention that it was warm??? Hence the fresh, deep double abalokovs for anchors.

Climbing was steep, grade 5 and the sticks and feet felt way more secure than the screws. Ice quality/strength should improve dramatically if it cools to just below freezing.

Larry Stanier
ACMG Mountain Guide
laristan at telus.net

Lucifer and the death daggers on the left. Blue Angel on the right. The tottering column is tucked in between the top pitch of Blue Angel and the upper limestone pillar between the two routes.
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