Wayne Barnard took a recon trip to Montgomery today. The routes currently look climbable and protectable, but the weather forecast for tomorrow is quite dismal. Hopefully this is not a "here today and gone tomorrow" scenario with the record highs that are forecast. Hopefully some ice will remain and cold weather will return to recover the routes.

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Route 2 and Route 3 at Montgomery Cliffs 1/29/13. Photos by Wayne Barnard.

Route 4 at Montgomery Cliffs 1/29/2013. Wayne Barnard photo.

Randy Edelman, Dutch Sanders, Dwight Kempf, Roger Moore, and I spent most of the day in Hidden Amphitheater. We were able to get good screw placements in all three pitches, and then finished up the day doing top rope laps on the second and third tiers. At least three other parties were taking advantage of the fine local conditions and were climbing in Bucktail Canyon today.

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Come and get it!  Took a solo recon up Rt 120 to see how the ice conditions were progressing. With only 5 nights of single digit temps this past week, I was not expecting the ice to be in as good of condition as it really is. The photos below show why I am currently thumping my tail in delight. Have at it folks!.

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Roadside Gully: Observations from the road 1/26/2013. The low angle approach is filling in nicely. The first steep tier (buldge) appears climbable. The second steep tier looks a bit thin. Glass Menangerie on the third tier appears to be touching down.

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Hidden Amphitheater 1/26/2013. All three tiers appear thin but IN! Topping out on the second and third pitches look to be quite sporting.

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Hidden Amhitheater: The first tier looks a bit thin but still an easy route. The second tier looks pretty good considering the short cold snap we have experienced. Topping out on the third tier will be a scratch fest.

Not sure how things will fare next week as the temps are supposed to rise up to the high 40's. Then, cold conditions are supposed to return by the weekend.

Wayne Barnard, Randy Edelman and I took an early morning recon trip up into Bucktail Canyon to assess the ice conditions on Roadside Gully, the Gemini Gullies, and Hidden Amphitheater. Nope, not ready yet folks.

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Roadside Gully - Jan. 5, 2013                                                                                  Hidden Amphitheater - Jan. 5, 2012

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Gemini Gullies - Jan 5, 3013                                                                                   New sign in front of the Geminis.