Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

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Don Nelsen
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Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Don Nelsen » January 6th, 2017, 8:43 pm

So, I've been heading out to Eagle Creek every day this year so far and one of the things I've been doing is documenting the growth of the ice formations in numerous spots. One of the those spots is the little waterfall cascading down the cliffs at Crown Point.

Here are the photos. (On Sunday, Jan 1 there was no ice at all so I did not take a pic.)

Monday, Jan 2:
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Tuesday, Jan 3:
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Wednesday, Jan 4:
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Thursday, Jan 5:
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Today, Friday, Jan 6:
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I spotted something unusual about 40% up the frozen waterfall so zoomed in and to my considerable surprise saw this:
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I hope he made it!!

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Sean Thomas
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Sean Thomas » January 6th, 2017, 9:43 pm

Well it wasn't me that's for sure :lol:

I saw several climbers doing the same during an ice storm a few years ago. I think Viking mentioned a name for the route/climb but I forgot what it was.

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Bosterson
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Bosterson » January 7th, 2017, 1:07 pm

Sean Thomas wrote: I saw several climbers doing the same during an ice storm a few years ago. I think Viking mentioned a name for the route/climb but I forgot what it was.
It's called Crown Jewel. I think it's pretty popular, very accessible. The local ice Climbers basically wait all year for a week of weather like this to freeze things, then run out to climb them before they melt. There are also spots at Ainsworth and down below Cape Horn.
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mandrake
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by mandrake » January 7th, 2017, 3:36 pm

Mist Falls and down below Cape Horn are also popular ice climbing areas.
It doesn't happen very often as conditions have to be just right.

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Chip Down
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Chip Down » January 7th, 2017, 5:58 pm

Don, I noticed that spot on my drive home today (wouldn't normally come home so early, but wanted to beat the freezing rain). Saw quite a few ice climbers today. Some of them were covered in ice and looking quite miserable/happy. Climbers on completely-frozen falls were looking much more comfortable.
mandrake wrote:Mist Falls and down below Cape Horn are also popular ice climbing areas.
It doesn't happen very often as conditions have to be just right.
Here's mist falls today, Jan 7, 2017 (click to expand and you'll see the ropes, and you can just barely make out a climber at the top of the pitch):
Attachments
20170107_130609.jpg

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Bosterson
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Bosterson » January 7th, 2017, 6:10 pm

Hm. I see a mess of ropes, but no climbers there, Chippo...

That's some swell ice on Mist, wish the weather wasn't turning today as that kind of ice wasn't present out in the Gorge last weekend and it would be great to see everything frozen up. Since Mist is the freezing of the seep/spray from above, it appears to coat climbers with a nice layer of "ice armor":

Image

http://www.fortyfivedegreesnorth.com/bl ... -gorge-ice
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Don Nelsen
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Don Nelsen » January 9th, 2017, 4:47 pm

Thanks everyone who replied and thanks for educating me on ice climbing. I had no idea!!

On my way up the gorge Saturday morning I again took a photo of the falls in question and sure enough, there were climbers again. This time I paid better attention and noticed at least three others at the base of the falls and looking up the off ramp at Rooster Rock saw what I suppose were the climbers' cars parked on the shoulder.

BTW, checking the weather data at Crown Point, right above where these folks were at the time I took the following photos, the wind was steady at about 50 MPH with gusts to over 80!!

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telephoto:
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Didn't see anyone there today, though!!:
Image

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

Webfoot
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Webfoot » January 10th, 2017, 5:34 am

Don Nelsen wrote:BTW, checking the weather data at Crown Point, right above where these folks were at the time I took the following photos, the wind was steady at about 50 MPH with gusts to over 80!!
I drove around Vista House at just after 9 o'clock on Saturday morning and the wind gusts on the east side felt stronger from within my vehicle than any I have previously experienced.

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Chip Down
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Chip Down » January 10th, 2017, 5:56 am

Webfoot wrote:
Don Nelsen wrote:BTW, checking the weather data at Crown Point, right above where these folks were at the time I took the following photos, the wind was steady at about 50 MPH with gusts to over 80!!
I drove around Vista House at just after 9 o'clock on Saturday morning and the wind gusts on the east side felt stronger from within my vehicle than any I have previously experienced.
Was about 7am when I was there. If you were in my car wearing blindfold and earplugs, I could come to a stop at Crown Point and you'd think we were driving on a very bumpy road. :shock: And it was freezing too, so the thought of going on a hike was daunting. Of course, it was much gentler down lower. Still, at the base of Mist Falls there were gusts that nearly took me down, which could have resulted in a fast ride down the icy chute.

Webfoot
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Re: Ice climbing in the gorge? Yep! Check this out.

Post by Webfoot » January 10th, 2017, 6:58 am

You were at Mist Falls on Saturday? What time? I teetered my way up there to watch the ice climbers at around 10:30. I found myself unprepared for those gusts and didn't stay long!

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