2004 ice Conditions archive
I am going to keep archiving all of the conditions for each year. I hope that after several years that I will be able to compare the data and notice trends to be better able to predict when we should have ice. I know betting on weather is goofy but it would be nice to know when the highest probability for local ice is so that I can plan my out of town trips when there are low probabilities of local ice and be at home when it should be good.
Due to quickly changing conditions, possible mistakes in submitted information and other unavoidable and unintended errors do not take this information as completely definitive. Once again I must place a disclaimer. Ice climbing is dangerous and can result in injury, death and other indignities. If you attempt to climb something just because this page says it is in climbable condition then you are dumb and we are not responsible. (Just ask anyone that knows me!) Always seek qualified instruction before attempting to climb ice.
WEDNESDAY: 29 DECEMBER 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Most of the routes fell down but have reformed nicely. All of the mixed routes are leadable and a couple of routes are leadable on screws.
NORTH CAROLINA
Hwy. 215: Decent ice but thinning. Don't know how long it will hold out.
Graveyard: Supposed to be in good shape.
Whitesides: "Sympathy" does not touch and all others are very thin or gone.
MONDAY: 27 DECEMBER 2004
NORTH CAROLINA
Graveyard: Best climbing in the region at present. At least half a dozen leadable lines at present.
THURSDAY: 23 DECEMBER 2004
IT IS RAINING FAIRLY HARD ALL THROUGH THE SOUTHERN APPILACHIANS DO NOT EXPECT MUCH ICE TO MAKE IT THROUGH THIS EVENT.
TUESDAY: 21 DECEMBER 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Road closed but the ice is good.
Yonah Mountain: No report.
NORTH CAROLINA
Big lost Cove: White fang is in and leadable but thin. The upper pitch of Paradise lost is topropeable and getting better.
Cedar Rock: Cedar Gem was thin but getting better. Nothing else much going on here.
Doughton Park: Big Daddy was thin and wet but the upper section was topropeable. The Drip is in and leadable along with the gulley climb.
Winding Stair: Good ice with leadable lines.
Hwy. 215: In pretty good shape.
Hwy. 221: No new report.
Whitesides: Thin but "Sympathy" was lead by at least one party.
SATURDAY: 18 DECEMBER 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Thin but some climbable lines..
NORTH CAROLINA
Big Lost Cove: Some toproping options but nothing leadable yet.
Hwy. 215: A couple of leadable lines and a few toproping options at present.
Whitesides: Coyote Ugly thin but leadable with some rock gear. Scotch looks good but everything else is too thin.
TENNESSEE
Roan Mountain: Some bouldering scattered around but not much.
THURSDAY: 18 NOVEMBER 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Thin but some climbable lines..
NORTH CAROLINA
Hwy. 221: Verglass but some lines coming in.
WEDNESDAY: 14 APRIL 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Some topropable verglass. This is the latest date which I was actually able to climb ice in Georgia.
NORTH CAROLINA
Hwy. 215: A little bouldering available
Graveyard: Some topropable verglass.
THURSDAY: 1 APRIL 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Some topropable verglass.
NORTH CAROLINA
Hwy. 215: A little bouldering available
Graveyard: Some topropable verglass.
TUESDAY: 24 FEBRUARY 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: The warm up has killed it. the only thing left standing are two boulder problems.
Yonah Mountain: Gone.
NORTH CAROLINA
Cedar Rock: No report.
Doughton Park: Big Daddy is thin but leadable. The upper routes are suffering but holding for the moment.
Winding Stair: A little ice but not enough to even be worth fooling with. Verglass with nothing that tops out.
Hwy. 215: Several leadable lines left but getting thin.
Graveyard: Best ice in the region at present.
Hwy. 221: No new report.
Whitesides: Everything is very thin and not really worth any effort here.
TUESDAY: 17 FEBRUARY 2004
I WAS SWINGING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE LAST WEEK AND THE HOTEL PHONE SYSTEM DIDN'T LIKE EITHER MODEM SO I WASN'T ABLE TO DO ANY UPDATES BUT I AM BACK NOW!
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: The melt freeze cycle has been tough here but several routes are standing and the bouldering is very good.
Yonah Mountain: North side very thin.
NORTH CAROLINA
Cedar Rock: No report.
Doughton Park: Big Daddy was in last weekend but crowds are still an issue.
Winding Stair: There was ice on the bottoms of the routes today but the top third of the climbs were nonexistent.
Hwy. 215: The lower wall only has two routes but the upper wall is in good shape.
Graveyard: Survived the warm temps mostly intact and is in great shape.
Hwy. 221: No new report.
Whitesides: Everything is very thin and not really worth any effort here.
TENNESSEE
Roan Mountain: No new report
Sunset Park: Nada.
THURSDAY: 29 JANUARY 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Conditions here have improved dramatically. Should be good climbing by the weekend.
Yonah Mountain: We climbed Xanadu on the main face this morning. Mixed conditions on first pitch and second pitch had 50 meters of very nice ice. One of the ice climbs on the army colored routes is almost touching. North face is getting decent also.
NORTH CAROLINA
No new reports since Sunday but it all should be improving.
TENNESSEE
No new reports since Sunday but it all should be improving.
MonDAY: 26 JANUARY 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Got screwed by the heat. Only three routes left standing but everything was refreezing today.
Yonah Mountain: North side very thin.
NORTH CAROLINA
Cedar Rock: No report.
Doughton Park: Big Daddy is not in and the gulley was running but climbable. There were several of the shorter lines o.k. for top ropes. There were 23 climbers counted at one point on Saturday. Folks need to try exploring some other areas.
Winding Stair: We led 5 routes here on Saturday and lots more were toproped. Probably the best ice in N.C.
Hwy. 215: The ice had taken a beating in the heat but it was healing well. 5 inches of snow fell here on Sunday and only one party was climbing.
Graveyard: Survived the warm temps mostly intact and is improving.
Hwy. 221: No new report.
Whitesides: Everything is thin except the top section above Scotch which is way fat with lots of short toprope possibilities. The upper column was touching on Mother Russia but the bottom pitch was very thin. Sympathy was also very thin.
TENNESSEE
Roan Mountain: At least 6 fat leadable lines in. nothing over 30 ft tall and be sure to bring your skis with you. Lots of snow.
Sunset Park: We managed to lead three mixed routes there on Thursday and boulder a couple of gullies. If it didn't rain on them Saturday they should be getting really fat by now.
SATURDAY: 17 JANUARY 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: There were at least four routes led today and several top rope options. The recent heat has not done it any good and I think the rain is going to screw it.
Yonah Mountain: Actually had some decent ice north side on Wednesday but have not checked it out since then.
NORTH CAROLINA
Big Lost Cove: Closed Thursday for the falcons. Gotta wait till nest year. Didn't know ice climbing disturbed the birds. If they placed the nesting boxes in the middle of an ice climb I think the birds would have bigger problems than a few ice climbers.
Cedar Rock: No report.
Doughton Park: Big Daddy is not in and the gulley is running but climbable. There were several of the shorter lines o.k. for top ropes but with at least 20 climbers hacking and warm afternoon temps what little that was there got hacked all to heck.
Winding Stair: Very thin but lots of top rope possibilities. There was only one route led there this weekend and the culprit claims it was a mistake. There were lots of folks here.
Hwy. 215: There was climbable ice today but it was reported that rain started moving in during the afternoon and was starting to beat it down.
Graveyard: Hope it survives tonight's rain.
Hwy. 221: No new report.
Whitesides: No new report.
MONDAY: 12 JANUARY 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: The road reopened about 4:00 pm on Friday. The conditions here were better than anywhere else reported in the South. There were 7 separate routes led by 3 different leaders for at least 15 total lead climbs. With all the new wave bolted climbs this was the place to be.
Yonah Mountain: A few smears starting to form but nothing looks continuous.
NORTH CAROLINA
Big Lost Cove: The slab was thin but coming in.
Cedar Rock: Not yet.
Doughton Park: Big Daddy is not in and the gulley is running but climbable. There were several of the shorter lines o.k. for top ropes but with at least 20 climbers hacking and warm afternoon temps what little that was there got hacked all to heck.
Winding Stair: Very thin but lots of top rope possibilities. There was only one route led there this weekend and the culprit claims it was a mistake. There were lots of folks here.
Hwy. 215: A few leadable lines and many top rope options.
Graveyard: In good shape.
Hwy. 221: No new report.
Whitesides: Not much but improving. Sympathy for the Devil and Mother Russia saw toprope ascents but not even the bold were willing to lead anything of any significance. Yellow Belly is the best line at present.
tHURSDAY: 8 JANUARY 2004
Georgia:
Hogpen Gap: Starting to come in. Its supposed to precipitate up there tonight and tomorrow so I anticipate the road closing before long.
NORTH CAROLINA
Big Lost Cove: No report.
Cedar Rock: Not yet.
Doughton Park: No report..
Winding Stair: Not yet.
Hwy. 215: There are a few very thin routes but it is getting better quickly.
Graveyard: Its coming back and will be good by Saturday.
Hwy. 221: No new report.
Whitesides: Not much.
tHURSDAY: 1 JANUARY 2004
EVERYTHING HAS FALLEN OUT. THE BIG FLOOD WASHED IT ALL AWAY.
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