A Good Start But Not Quite In - Bucktail Canyon
January 27, 2007
Conditions are improving, but the main Lock Haven / Renovo areas are not ready. Roadside Gully’s low angle approach is now forming, but is still quite thin and has several areas of open flowing water. The steep upper tiers are slowly coming in, but are still thin and poorly bonded to the rock. Another week of cold weather should have this gully in climbable condition by next weekend. The seven day weather report is still favorable with lows in the teens. (If you would like to see what the low angle approach looks like in a good year, check out the 2002/2003 Archive on this site)
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Roadside Gully, January 27, 2007 |
Hidden Amphitheater shows similar conditions as Roadside Gully with thin poorly bonded ice and patches of flowing water. Another party had hiked up into Hidden this morning, but decided to let it grow for another week. Thank you for not bashing it to the ground in it’s fragile state. It should also be ready by next weekend.
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Hidden Amphitheater, January 27, 2007> |
I noticed a party across the river starting up the Gemini Gullies. I suspect this was the same party that had done the recon of Hidden. Later, I learned it was Tom Mrotek from State College. Tom reports: Both right and left Gemini Gullies have solid ice on the low angled section. The upper tiers were not fully in, they were thin with some running water. The curtains looked unstable and were about 8 feet short of touching the ground. In fact on Sunday, two people (whom I will leave anonymous) were climbing in the left gulley and a section of the curtain collapsed and hit the belayer’s foot (slight injury resulting). They should both be in this weekend.
Dave in Ice Conditions, 1/27/2007 •
Copyright © 2007, all rights reserved
Ice Climbing Links
- Directions and Beta for Central PA Ice Climbing Areas
- Ten Day Weather Forecast for Lock Haven, PA
- North East Ice (NEIce.com)
- Tim Anderson's ClimbPA (Western PA)
- Cris Brady's Narrows Mini Guide (Eastern PA.)
- Pennsylvania Ice Climbing Guide (GrizGuides.com)
- Southern Fried ICE (This guide devotes 33 pages to PA
ice)
- Archive of 2002 / 2003 Season Central PA Ice Condition Reports
- Archive of 2003 / 2004 Season Central PA Ice Condition Reports
- Archive of 2004 / 2005 Season Central PA Ice Condition Reports