PHONE 970-209-2985
MAIL Vince Anderson, PO Box 323, Ridgway, CO 81432
OVERVIEW
2/25/09
This will be the last updat for a while as I'll be gone for the next three weeks. It has been very warm and much ice is melting and wet, though if the temperatures return to seasonal norms, most ice climbs should be still be good and fat through March.

You can check the current weather forecast here.

FECMEC on 2/17/09.

Bridalveil Falls on 1/22/09.

Ames Ice Hose steep first pitch. Photo by Brian Davies.
Conditions Elsewhere
FATNESS
= Fat
= Healthy
= Thin
= Bony

Check with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center before going out into the back country.

Brian Gillmore on Fistfull of Steel.

AREA/CLIMB
IN?
FATNESS
COMMENTS
Ouray x xx
2/25/09
Ice Park yes
The Ice Park is super fat and should stay in good shape until mid March unless it gets unusually warm.
Skylight Area Climbs yes
All routes are pretty fat and relatively easy, including the Killer Pillar, which is now basically and ice route. The daggers above the Poser's Lounge are as big as they get.
Ribbon no
Thin, dangerous and under serious threat of avalanche hazard.
Bird Brain Boulevard yes

/no
There is not much ice on it and the littel that is there is old, brittle and dry. You can still climb it as a fun, mixed climb at M6 or so. Be careful as Tyler Jones took a whipper up there on the pooly protected slab pitch below the pillar.
Talisman yes
The Talisman is in on pitches two and three. The crux would be getting up the first pitch which really has no ice at all on it.
Dexter Slab yes
Dexter is very good right now and maybe WI 3+.
Horsetail Falls Area yes
In good shape but the top pitches are likely to be thin.
Engineer Pass Area no
Nothing.
Others yes
FECMEC is agreat 3-pitch WI 4 right now and has not seen much traffic so is not riddled with holes-real climbing.
Silverton x x
2/25/09
South Mineral Creek yes I doubt many people go up there now with all the snow and the lengthy approach, but the ice would bound to be fat, if you did go up there. There is probably big avalanche debris from the last cycle on the bottom of most routes.
Eureka Area Climbs yes Everything is in real good. Dukes of Hazard is an all ice route and there is a cool mixed route in way right of WWH.
Telluride x xx
2/25/09
Ames Ice Hose yes
The Ice Hose is described as "cruiser" and is as easy as it has been in many years, WI4.
Bridalveil Falls yes
Fat and getting fatter, though it has gotten a little harder as there are more cauliflauers covering up the easy ramps that formed earlier. Stlll only about WI 5-.
Silver Pick/ The Bone yes
The Silver Pick is in and looks fat! The Bone is also in and fun.
Others yes! Bear Creek climbs are in good shape.

Weather & Avalanche
Here is a link to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. They have all the latest information on mountain weather, snow and avalanche conditions for the entire state plus lots of other interesting and informative information. The site is updated daily. Conditions will be posted by region. Ouray, Silverton and Telluride are all in the Northern San Juan region. Check it out!

CONTACT US AT: Skyward Mountaineering - P.O. Box 323 Ridgway, CO 81432 - 970-209-2985 - vince@skyardmountaineering.com
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