Catskill Ice Climbing 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 judgment 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 decision is up to you

For directions to ice climbing location, please see the bottom of the page.

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 was a massive rock fall (2007) that has taken out the lower 1/3 of the corner. That horizontal that you could put a .75 Camalot in is no longer there. The ice is still form in pretty much the same place/way it has in the past.

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

2011/2012 CONDITIONS

Conditions as of 1/16/12

Winter has finally arrived and temperatures have been below freezing both at night, and during the day for the past few days. There is ice to cimb in the Catskills!

"Climbed on west side of Stony Clove yesterday and today. Things are coming along. Even though it was so cold and windy today there was still quite a lot of water moving around which is promising.

Ron's, Climb Axe, Entertainer all good to go with bony top outs. Saw lots of top rope laps the last two days.

LBD is sturdy.

Other things like Spiral Staircase, Sorenson's, That Climb have a ways to go. Somebody led the first pitch of The Curtain yesterday which was pretty bold.

Also climbed in the Playground, the central pillar is dripping water like mad but fifteen or so feet from touching down; fragile. All the stuff in the big corner is good enough to go and sun wall and right of it was popular.

The two week fore cast looks excellent with night temps in teens and twenties with days in the thirties. Should be good". - J. Vitti, Alpine Endeavors Senior Guide

"Hillyer Falls is in quite fat. Bring long screws if you want to lead the steep lines (airy ice).Buttermilk Falls in mostly in - If you can find a solid place to cross the Kaaterskill Creek (took us a LONG time today. Look for the large sticks on the ice just upstream of the new, LARGE erosion on the north (road side) bank) then Buttermilk offers protectable lines on pitches 1,3, 5, and 6. Pitch 4 - the tallest of the lower flows - is closed in but is really just a thin shell of fresh vertical slush. We did a short wall about 50 ft to the left that snaked awkwardly behind an inverted uprooted tree. Hard shell clothing and extra gloves would be a good idea. The top pitch needs at least a week to come in solid, and I expect it will still be tinsel-y then. " - M.Rawdon, Alpine Endeavors Senior Guide

Conditions as of 1/6/12

"Jon and I headed through Kaaterskill Clove (Moores and Asbestos are thin-to-out, Palenville Corner is not down yet, Kaaterskill Flows aren't in), checked out Platte Clove where we bumped into Joe, Ryan, and some others there was thin ice on the Smear and Purgatory but the warm temps in the afternoon were causing things to delaniate and fall. Checked out Bridalveil and Platte Falls (not in), then drove to Stony Clove - where we saw people on Entertainer, Ice Capades, Climb-Axe, and Ron's; all looked early-season in. LBD, too. We went to the Playground (too thin, and with toaster-sized chunks coming loose from the big pillars), then went on the Sun Wall which looked pretty good, but baked out quickly. The bad news is that the temps this weekend are not looking very conducive to good ice building. The good news is that the pull-outs are all very clear". - Tai.

"Hey all, I was guiding in Stoney today. Only looked closely at Entertainer to Ron's. It was 50 degrees today in the shade and we stuck with Ron's. Ice is not well bonded and just one step above formed slush. Super sticky sticks with no pro worth a damn except, maybe, a directional. Ron's has a dry top out for last 15 to 20 feet and the upper pillar(on left) has a 1 inch thick on the slab top out. A lot of large pieces came down from random places on East and West side, though lots of stuff still hanging in there. With an overnight low of high 20's, I doubt conditions will improve for tomorrow." - Jason (EMS)

Conditions as of 1/5/12

Temperatures have been cold and the ice has started to come in. There is some thin ice in Stoney Clove and Deep Notch. Some routes may be cimbable -Little Black Dike, Entertainer, etc.., please use caution as the ice is thin and may not protect or even climb well. Remember, these are the first days and while you're dying to get out, you can do a lot of damage to how things form for the rest of the season. If you have to climb, please be gentle. The temps are forecast to be below freezing the next few nights so things will get better soon!

Conditions as of 12/26/11

Unfortunately nothing yet... The temperatures have been unseasonally warm providing us with some nice sunny days for rock climbing and some rain as well. We need at least one week of temperatures below freezing to be in business - Stoney Clove is always the first place to climb for the season. If you're searching, check that out first.

Last year we were good to go on December 5, we are currently three weeks behind as of today. Keep you fingers crossed for winter to arrive soon.

DIRECTIONS to Catskill Ice Climbing Locations

• Take the New York State Thruway north to exit 20, Saugerties.
• Now reset your trip odometer to help orient yourself below.
• From the toll booth, make a left at the light onto Rt. 32N and follow Rt. 32N until it intersects with Rt. 32A (6 miles from the toll booth).
• Merge onto Rt. 32A and follow it into Palenville to its intersection with Rt. 23A at the traffic light (8.1 miles from toll booth).
• Bear left onto Rt. 23A and follow it up the mountain into Kaaterskill Clove.
• At 9.3 miles from the toll booth, there is a pull out on the right hand side of the road. (This will fit four cars if you park considerately)
• Right across the creek are the Palenville Corner and Palenville Pillar, below is the
Chasm, and upstream is Jeff ’s Wet Dream.
• At 9.6 miles from the toll booth there is a large parking lot and trail head on the left hand side of the road. This will fit a good number of cars, but it rarely gets plowed—if at all.
• At 10 miles from the toll booth you will come upon Moore’s Bridge.
• At 10.8 miles, just before the “Right Lane Ends” sign, you can look up and left into the
ravine and see Buttermilk Falls.
• At 11.1 miles from the toll booth, you will come to a parking lot on the left, which gets plowed most of the time. This is where you should park for Buttermilk Falls, Wild Cat Falls, Viloa Falls, and the Asbestos Wall. The Asbestos Wall is located across from the parking lot; it has a good number of nice top-ropable routes on it. However, it does face south and gets much sunlight causing it to come and go frequently.
• At 11.5 miles from the toll booth, you will see a sharp bend in the road and the trailhead to Kaaterskill Falls.
• At 11.8 miles, you will come to another parking lot on your left. This is the one to use if you are hiking into Kaaterskill Falls.

• At 15.2 miles from the toll booth, you will come to the traffic light in Tannersville. For access to the Platte Clove Waterfalls, the Devil’s Kitchen, or the Black Chasm, make a left here onto country Rt. 16 (Railroad Ave) and continue until you merge with Platte
Clove Rd. Follow Platte Clove road to the end of the maintained section and park in the
Long Path Trailhead parking lot on the left. Please do not park on or at the end of the
road because the plows need this space to turn around.

• At 17.5 miles (if you did not make the left onto country Rt.16 at the traffic light), you
will come to the intersection of Rt. 214 and Rt. 23A. If you take a left here, you will be
at Stoney Clove, then Phoenicia and Rt. 28.
• Continuing on Rt. 23A will take you into the town of Hunter.

• Continuing farther on Rt. 23A will take you to Lexington. Turning left onto Rt. 42 will take you to Deep Notch and eventually to Rt. 28.