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Blue Lake 8th July

Damien Gildea

9-Jul-2012
9:58:46 AM

The ice is not bad, not great. Very good tracks in from Guthega, lots of people have been out the back. 2.5hrs each way on snowshoes. Not so many look to have been climbing though, as most of the better flows had no tracks up to them yesterday (Sunday 8/7).

Lots of the steeper stuff that looks decent from a distance is weak and chandeliered up close. The fatter low angle stuff is OK but more dinner-plating than looks would suggest - cold and brittle. I just tooled around solo on some low easy stuff, most of the longer/connected lines are not as in good a nick as in a truly good season. It's been cold though (was -5C driving past Canberra) so if it keeps up like this the flows should fatten and be good through July.

I walked on the edge of the lake, seemed OK. No tracks across the centre. There was a cornice over the top of the main gully, mainly on the left, not as big as some years. Backcountry cover is OK, a bit thin, looks like it's been quite cold and windy more than snowy.

Mike Bee

9-Jul-2012
10:27:02 AM

Thanks for the update. I'm headed over that way next week for a bit of skiing, but a small part of me is tempted to throw in the axes and crampons too!

Damien Gildea

9-Jul-2012
10:38:14 AM

Snow forecast all this week and weekend. Skiing should be good next week. Might need a bit more sun for the ice to get fatter. There was some nice snow up there in general yesterday, but lots of large icy areas too.

citationx

9-Jul-2012
12:39:42 PM

Next week or this weekend, mike? i'm tempted for some backcountry skiing on sunday (probably a resort day on saturday). If you or someone in general interested in doing some skiing down sirensong or around the carruthers area I'd be keen cause I don't want to do these places alone...
Anyone possibly around in the area?

Mike Bee

10-Jul-2012
2:10:13 PM

On 9/07/2012 citationx wrote:
>Next week or this weekend, mike? i'm tempted for some backcountry skiing
>on sunday (probably a resort day on saturday). If you or someone in general
>interested in doing some skiing down sirensong or around the carruthers
>area I'd be keen cause I don't want to do these places alone...
>Anyone possibly around in the area?

Next weekend.
We're heading out for 4 nights, Wednesday-Sunday. Probably basecamping near Kozi and exploring on day trips, though we might move around a bit, depending on the group and the weather.

PThomson

10-Jul-2012
7:16:40 PM

Nice update, Damo666, and thanks for the photos.

I'd been hoping to get out to the Blue Lake ice before I leave for Kyrgyzstan in 6 weeks. But due to some scheduling conflicts with my climbing partner it may be off the cards.

In your experience, how does the ice out there hold out as the winter progresses? I'll be back from Kyrg at the end of September. I've got no problems with a bit of mixed climbing, but definately don't want to damage the rock.

Damien Gildea

10-Jul-2012
8:03:43 PM

It's really hard to tell how it will develop. I think if it keeps getting cold at night like it has then things should fatten up a bit. The steeper sections are quite weak and chandeliered and these could fill in with some more melt-freeze, which would be good. I've definitely seen these vert sections fatter and stronger than they are now, but it's only early July. Things can be good into August, but usually by late August they're on the way out. I've often gone there in Sept but usually the actual water ice is gone. Some of the gullies are OK though, into early October. Last week July, first week August is usually the best bet.

I leave for Kyrgyzstan in 8 days ;-)

widewetandslippery

10-Jul-2012
8:49:18 PM

On 10/07/2012 PThomson wrote:
>Nice update, Damo666, and thanks for the photos.
>
>I'd been hoping to get out to the Blue Lake ice before I leave for Kyrgyzstan
>in 6 weeks. But due to some scheduling conflicts with my climbing partner
>it may be off the cards.
>
>In your experience, how does the ice out there hold out as the winter
>progresses? I'll be back from Kyrg at the end of September. I've got no
>problems with a bit of mixed climbing, but definately don't want to damage
>the rock.

Where in kyrgzstan are you going? Been there twice, bit of a fan.

Damien Gildea

10-Jul-2012
9:19:33 PM

Khan Tengri. Actually going in north side from Almaty, KAZ but then either over into KGZ side for something there, or out and further south to Lenin.

Zarb

11-Jul-2012
4:52:23 PM

Wintery Update:

Can't say anything about the ice situation, but there is waist deep powder on the hills across from Guthega Dam. So for the skiers and snowboarders, there is plenty of day-trip fun to be had. Went out today to get in some turns.

There are 10 messages in this topic.