Ice - Beowulf

<p>Drive: Tracks were getting drifted in fairly quickly but not really filled so it was possible to chew through it. Wully crossing was bridged going in but coming out the east side had collapsed and was open water. 39 and 40 were open but had quite large ice shelves. Climb: Lower pitches were dry and brittle. First pitch was steep on the right and had more rests on the left. Screws all seemed decent. Some dinner plating and fracturing. Middle rambles were dry climbing but had some wet sections on the walk. Final pitches were also dry but brittle. The very upper part looked chandeliered and wet and one of our party wasn't feeling well so we skipped it. Hazard: Boobytraps at the edge of ice to snow. Three places had flat ice changing to steeper ice, becoming snow. As it changes to snow it seems to be holding back open water hidden by the snow. I stepped to below the knee on one, and mid thigh on another. Fortunately the latter was as leaving and immediately downstream from the last pitch because it filled my boot. One of our party ventured a little further up the canyon in the direction of the punchbowl and broke some sort of dam resulting in a mini tsunami surge. No open pools on the climb today however. </p>

Weather Report

<p>Warm and windy. Winds increased later in the afternoon.</p>

Avalanche Conditions

Whumpfing or drum-like sounds or shooting cracks.

Weather Conditions

Cloudy, Sunny, Warm, Windy.