PINPIN JUNIOR
New member
I have a friend is planning to go to Colden by the Trap Dike next Sunday, 29 Febuary.
What is the snow or ice conditions this week?
Pinpin Junior.
What is the snow or ice conditions this week?
Pinpin Junior.
Snow conditions in Trap Dike?
- Thread starter PINPIN JUNIOR
- Start date
Help Support vftt.org:
halfmoon
New member
Trap Dike
Myself and 2 friends were in the trap dike last weekend. There are 2 pitches that will require the use of rope and protection. I have some pictures of the route here http://www.pbase.com/pudgy_groundhog/colden_trap_dike . The snow is not too bad really until you exit the trap dike. After you leave the dike there is a wooded section in between the dike and the colden slide. In this wooded section snow is at least waste deep. Our group had decided not to carry snowshoes up the route to save weight so we were thwarted at this point. We rappeled down the roue which was quite nice. There are several nice long glissades if you choose to descend the route. Gear wise, crampons are a most, as well as snow shoes. We protected the route with rock gear, I guess you could also use ice screws. There is really only one section that you must protect, we went up the other steep pitch without protection, but I would not advise it. I thought it was a nice hike overall. There are some steep snow climb which I like tremendously. Have fun!
Myself and 2 friends were in the trap dike last weekend. There are 2 pitches that will require the use of rope and protection. I have some pictures of the route here http://www.pbase.com/pudgy_groundhog/colden_trap_dike . The snow is not too bad really until you exit the trap dike. After you leave the dike there is a wooded section in between the dike and the colden slide. In this wooded section snow is at least waste deep. Our group had decided not to carry snowshoes up the route to save weight so we were thwarted at this point. We rappeled down the roue which was quite nice. There are several nice long glissades if you choose to descend the route. Gear wise, crampons are a most, as well as snow shoes. We protected the route with rock gear, I guess you could also use ice screws. There is really only one section that you must protect, we went up the other steep pitch without protection, but I would not advise it. I thought it was a nice hike overall. There are some steep snow climb which I like tremendously. Have fun!
Dennis C.
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2003
- Messages
- 463
- Reaction score
- 31
Those are some great shots, "halfmoon". I've had my eye on this Trap Dike for some time now. Looks like a great adventure. Thanks for sharing.
Doc McPeak
New member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2003
- Messages
- 952
- Reaction score
- 71
BE CAREFUL
There could be avalanche warnings posted soon. Several people have reported hearing the whump whump sound of the layers settling, and the rangers have been keeping a close eye on the slides. If we get a wet heavy snow things could get dicey. Talking to the woman at the HPIC yesterday, she said conditions were ripening by the day, and it wasn't a question of if an avalanche would occur but when.
So careful near the slides everybody!
There could be avalanche warnings posted soon. Several people have reported hearing the whump whump sound of the layers settling, and the rangers have been keeping a close eye on the slides. If we get a wet heavy snow things could get dicey. Talking to the woman at the HPIC yesterday, she said conditions were ripening by the day, and it wasn't a question of if an avalanche would occur but when.
So careful near the slides everybody!
halfmoon
New member
Avalanche
Doc McPeak is right. 3 experienced ice climbers turned around on the dike as my group was going up. They felt that the slide was too dangerous, and thought an avalanche was eminent. This was after a fairly heavy snow on Friday night before we went up. We made it without incident, but others did feel it was dangerous. I guess everyone has to assess the situation themselves and decide how much risk they are willing to take.
Doc McPeak is right. 3 experienced ice climbers turned around on the dike as my group was going up. They felt that the slide was too dangerous, and thought an avalanche was eminent. This was after a fairly heavy snow on Friday night before we went up. We made it without incident, but others did feel it was dangerous. I guess everyone has to assess the situation themselves and decide how much risk they are willing to take.
Wild
New member
Gothics NF
We are tentatively planning on attempting Gothics North Face next weekend (3/6 - 3/7). Are the snow conditions similar there? If so, we may have to bag and just climb around Keene Valley.
We are tentatively planning on attempting Gothics North Face next weekend (3/6 - 3/7). Are the snow conditions similar there? If so, we may have to bag and just climb around Keene Valley.
![Yellowstone National Park [Map Pack Bundle] (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51kGuJ72qjL._SL500_.jpg)
![Grand Teton Day Hikes and National Park Map [Map Pack Bundle] (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41DB0jvRnbL._SL500_.jpg)
iceclimber
New member
trap dyke this winter
Well, having attempted the dike 3 times (first time just to check it out..., 2nd time, with my girl who has never ice climbed before), I finally made it up. On feb 14th, I set out from the loj at 5am... The wind was howling, and the snow was coming down. I have some pics up
http://www.babcamp.com/gallery/trap_dyke_3?page=2
No one had been up in days, or else there was some really heavy blowing, as I had to break trail waist up from the bottom. I don;'t reccommend doing this solo like I did, as it is / was a pretty serious climb for the conditions right now.
Halfmoon, it appears those pics are from Jan? You might have been the last one up before I went up.. in fact... I think you might have seen my tracks from Jan 19th -- a day before your page says you were up there...
Wild: if you take walk-ons, sign me up.. NF of gothics is one of my to-dos!
Well, having attempted the dike 3 times (first time just to check it out..., 2nd time, with my girl who has never ice climbed before), I finally made it up. On feb 14th, I set out from the loj at 5am... The wind was howling, and the snow was coming down. I have some pics up
http://www.babcamp.com/gallery/trap_dyke_3?page=2
No one had been up in days, or else there was some really heavy blowing, as I had to break trail waist up from the bottom. I don;'t reccommend doing this solo like I did, as it is / was a pretty serious climb for the conditions right now.
Halfmoon, it appears those pics are from Jan? You might have been the last one up before I went up.. in fact... I think you might have seen my tracks from Jan 19th -- a day before your page says you were up there...
Wild: if you take walk-ons, sign me up.. NF of gothics is one of my to-dos!
halfmoon
New member
Iceclimber,
I screwed up my trip report and said we climbed Jan 20-22. It was actually Feb. 20-22 (I corrected my web page). We also ran into very deep snow in the dike, but when we exited the dike it got even deeper...we were waist deep, and that is no exaggeration. I want badly to climb the northface of Gothics. Does anyone know what technical gear is required for this route? Will I need ice screws and ropes, or just a mountaineering ice axe and crampons?
I screwed up my trip report and said we climbed Jan 20-22. It was actually Feb. 20-22 (I corrected my web page). We also ran into very deep snow in the dike, but when we exited the dike it got even deeper...we were waist deep, and that is no exaggeration. I want badly to climb the northface of Gothics. Does anyone know what technical gear is required for this route? Will I need ice screws and ropes, or just a mountaineering ice axe and crampons?
iceclimber
New member
i see i see. So, in that case, did you see my tracks up? I wonder if my trail was still broke for a week?
As for NF of gothics... I would assume that you or whoever you are going with would carry a pretty solid rack... meaning ice screws, prolly 9mm rope, ice tools, and both be on rope. With the high snow, and increasing temps, it's perfect conditions for avalanches right now.
Let me know if you want a partner... I am dying ot do this route!
As for NF of gothics... I would assume that you or whoever you are going with would carry a pretty solid rack... meaning ice screws, prolly 9mm rope, ice tools, and both be on rope. With the high snow, and increasing temps, it's perfect conditions for avalanches right now.
Let me know if you want a partner... I am dying ot do this route!
snowman
New member
Halfmoon,
neice.com has a long discussion about the NF of the gothics - go under commmunity and scan. It was a couple of weeks ago now.
Question: I want to climb more in the adirondaks but don't have snow shoes I I've always heard they are required up there.
I noticed in your trip report that you did not have them.
Are they not required there? Or perhaps just no enforecement and not a concern?
BTW: Anyone that wants to look more into a NF gothics trip, I would love to get up there myself. I lead -3/3ish ice.
neice.com has a long discussion about the NF of the gothics - go under commmunity and scan. It was a couple of weeks ago now.
Question: I want to climb more in the adirondaks but don't have snow shoes I I've always heard they are required up there.
I noticed in your trip report that you did not have them.
Are they not required there? Or perhaps just no enforecement and not a concern?
BTW: Anyone that wants to look more into a NF gothics trip, I would love to get up there myself. I lead -3/3ish ice.
iceclimber
New member
snowman said:
Yes, to get to any of the climbs / mountains, you will need snowshoes if more than 8 inches of snow is on the ground. And I am sure he had teh shoes to get into avalanche lake and then left them at the bottom of the dyke.
halfmoon
New member
Snowshoes
I did use snowshoes to get to the trap dike. We left them at the bottom of the route to save weight. In hindsight I would have brought them up the route because we were swimming in snow after exiting the dike.
I did use snowshoes to get to the trap dike. We left them at the bottom of the route to save weight. In hindsight I would have brought them up the route because we were swimming in snow after exiting the dike.
iceclimber
New member
yeah... be glad you werent in there a week before with me... the *entire* dyke was up to my waist.
halfmoon
New member
snowman said:
snowman/iceclimber, i would like very much to do the Gothics NF. Admittedly, I am not an ice climber, although I want to be (hopfully next year), and probaly could not safely lead the route, I have no ice screws or ice climbing axes, just a mountaineering ice axe. Do you think this is something I could do with an experienced leader? It looks like a ton of fun, but I think I should do it with someone with leading skills.
Bhoody
Member
To Wild
Wild,
I'm sure that someone knows more about the NFG better than me, but a few years ago in March when climbing Sawteeth, my buddy and I heard 3 avalanches in the course of the early after noon. Couldn't see the face due to where we were on the mountain, but there was a distinct rifle reports type of cracking and then a huge thundering noise as the face slid. Quite unnerving and we weren't even near it.
Brian H.
Wild,
I'm sure that someone knows more about the NFG better than me, but a few years ago in March when climbing Sawteeth, my buddy and I heard 3 avalanches in the course of the early after noon. Couldn't see the face due to where we were on the mountain, but there was a distinct rifle reports type of cracking and then a huge thundering noise as the face slid. Quite unnerving and we weren't even near it.
Brian H.
Wild
New member
Thanks for the input, Brian. Just in case the Face is too dangerous to climb, has anyone seen other ice in the area? We'll have all the gear, so it would be great if we could climb something.
Similar threads
