Alpine Endeavors

Catskill Ice Conditions:

WARNING -ICE CLIMBING IS DANGEROUS!
Please keep in mind that the conditions on this page are very subjective, what may be considered "IN" to some is "OUT" to others, and vice versa.These conditions can change at any moment due to sun, water, temperature, etc. Please use your judgement as the final factor in deciding if you want to climb the route or not. We assume no responsibility for posting this info, the final decison is up to you.

If you have been out climbing and would like to add comments on the conditions, please send an email to info@alpineendeavors.com

News/Alerts:

Bad news - since they improved the drainage in the road, they put up fencing alongside or RT 23A in the area of Moore's bridge. The space for for vehicles near the bridge by the telephone is now gone. They also fenced in most of the area about 1/8 mile down where you could park about five cars. There is now only room for about three vehicles. If you park there this winter, please park with consideration for other climbers who need a space as well.

LITTLE BLACK DIKE - there is massive new rockfall that has taken out the lower 1/3 of the corner. That horizontal that you could put a .75 Camalot in is no longer a crack. There's a photo on NEICE from 2 yr ago showing the rockfall. The red area is GONE. It looks like the ice will still form in pretty much the same place.

2007-2008 CONDITIONS

Conditions as of 2/29/08
The cold temps have been doing us good up here. Moore's Bridge is in well, as is the West Side of Stoney Clove, the Playground, East Crag, and Deep Notch. The Devil's Kitchen and the Black Chasm all have ice, the creek may be open in places. The waterfalls (Plattekill, Bridal Veil, Japanese, etc) all had open sections. We haven't been to the ravines (Buttermilk, Wildcat, etc), I would guess they are in, but crossing the creek may be difficult. Kaaterskill is not in yet. Not sure what Monday will bring - get out this weekend if you can.

Conditions as of 1/28/08
The ice at Asbestos has touched down but it's pretty much a TR only
thickness - you could be a short screw at 2/3 height on a
couple of the lines. Lots of water dripping and no sun damage Saturday.

Moores is well covered but thin almost everywhere. Telephone Pole
Corner is very in and a good lead, with just one or two dirt sticks at
the top. The face 20' left is good to the bent tree. Big right facing corner is ice all the way but would be a thin lead. Pillars on the right are forming nicely. Another
week of cold and there should be some fun there.

Everything left of the T. Pole corner was too thin. The Gully was OK to
look at but really boney at the top compared to usual, and it was a
running stream.

Conditions as of 1/21/08
The temps have become cold again and the ice is coming back.
Mike Rawdon was out in Stoney Clove this morning.
Here is his report:
LBD is indeed in great shape. The Curtain looked barely in and a party
backed off P1 today; P2 looks good up high but isn't all the way down
(what a shock). Stage Fright lived up to its name, with the lower half
being chandeliered/tinsely and not taking solid screws. It was running
pretty well. Entertainer we ran TR laps on it but it'll take screws in
the middle and left edge. The right hand side isn't really consolidated
yet. Climax had ice all the way but it was short screws only. Ice
Capades was fatter with good screws. Didn't go any further right than
that. East Pillar and East Crag looked climbable but quite thin. Two
parties told me the Playground wasn't really in.

Asbestos is growing but nothing is touching down yet. Same at Moores
for the most part. The visible part of BMF shows big ice but not
touching down yet either.

Conditions as of 1/15/08
Happy New Year! Sorry for the delay in the ice reports. I just got in from a trip to Ecuador and were unable to keep the report updated.
The warm weather we received last week has taken its' toll on the ice. There is water running everywhere and little to no ice in the area (same as everywhere else in the Northeast). Hopefully the weather will be as cold as they predict and if so, we may be able to get in some on Sunday or early next week. Keep checking in.

Conditions as of 12/19/07
The ice has been good and we have been out climbing, There is plenty of ice to climb at Stoney Clove - especialy on the West side. The Devil's Kitchen is climbable, there are stil holes and opens sections of the stream. Bridalveil falls is climbable on the right side, the left is stil open and has running water. Asbestos Wall is climbable as is parts of Moore's bridge.
Have't been to or heard about the other locations.

Conditions as of 12/2/07
The temps have become cold again and the ice is growing.
Mike Rawdon was out in Stoney Clove this morning.
Here is his report:

"I'd say the ice is new, soft and thin for the most part. One guy who
posts on NEice as 'cramp' led Ron's Gully today for the second time in a
week but he was getting rock gear. My partner Jason and I looked at LBD
but didn't think it was a safe lead, though I read that it was led
yesterday (with no effective pro). It was quite a solid TR today
however. Ice is 10 cm thick in lots of places including the top out but
it's just too soft to think it'll really hold a screw. Across the road
we saw someone leading one of the unnamed flows, and it looked really
really thin. Another person I know was TRing at the Playground and said there's not much there. "

If it stays cold all week, we'll have some ice to climb with coming weekend.

Conditions as of 11/25/07
The temps have been cold and the ice is growing.
Mike Rawdon took a hike to Stoney Clove this morning.
Here is his report:
" Ice on the east side is still real thin (nothing climbable south of East Crag), but the west side is looking quite good from the road. Little Black Dike, Entertainer, Ice Capade all are continuous 2-3" of ice. Nothing solid enough to lead mind you, but ample for a TR. BUT... they are a soaking wet running drippy mess. Also IMPORTANT NEWS about the LITTLE BLACK DIKE- there is massive new rockfall that has taken out the lower 1/3 of the corner. That horizontal that you could put a .75 Camalot in is no longer a crack. There's a photo on NEICE from 2 yr ago showing the rockfall. The red area is GONE. It looks like the ice will still form in pretty much the same place. I don't think any of the rock above is in imminent danger of falling on the route."