Blackcat Hill and Kluke Lookout, Sunday March 20, 2011
Dave heading up Fatcat, March 20, 2011
Kluke Lookout, March 20, 2011I was at Blackcat Hill on Sunday with Joe, Fernando and David. Incredibly (to me) there were signs that other climbers had made been in there this year (we found footsteps, a toonie in the ice, and a lighter). Glad to see that there are other folk making the slog into Blackcat.
The ice was in very good shape, although prone to big deep fractures/dinnerplates.
Fatcat - fat
Alleycat- in well, solid pillar on the right side
Junglecat and Thundercat - out,
Tomcat - the bottom was in (couldn't see the top)
Pussycat - in as usual (you have to traverse in from Tomcat).
The ice in there should be good for a couple more weeks - it gets almost no sun. In fact, I suspect that with these cold nightime lows the ice will continue to build this week.
The snow was very supportive on the walk in with snowshoes (no postholing at all) and the ice on the lakes (Bear Lake and Little Cub Bay) was solid as well for the most part (starting to break up on one of the "ponds"). 1.5 hours in.
We walked past Kluke Lookout on our way to Blackcat Hill. Ursus looked good, everything else was looking baked out or gone.
Danylo
