Lake Kushog, Saturday March 19, 2010

I was at Kushog on Saturday with David Britnell and David W. There was still a surprising amount of ice there.

The ice on the lake crossing was solid on the way in in the morning, but we punched through into ankle-deep wet subsurface glop for 3-4 steps near the shoreline on the way out (even in snowshoes).

Flaming Jubillee - solid ice, good screws, unexpectedly awkward little climb

Blue Pillar - a giant slushee late in the afternoon when I climbed it. Full pick sticks, but mostly useless screws. Better to get this one early in the morning before the sun beats down on it.

Dave Britnell led a variation of the Blue Pillar (or new route) that went up the big fat corner ice 10m right of the Blue Pillar, then traversed back left across the big ledge (rattly cams), then exited up WI3 ice 2-3m right of the top section of the Blue Pillar. Fun climbing (but I suspect that everything next to the Blue Pillar has been done before).

Spaghetti Wrestler and the route right of it - out.

Route right of Caramel Coating - ice still looked good.

Caramel Coating - fat, wet, hero ice. Dave W. said the screws weren't very good.

Cotton Candy - fat, decent ice.

Blue Boy - looked good from the lake but didn't check from up close.

I suspect that with the solid overnight freezes this week the ice in Kushog should still be Ok for this weekend, but be careful and exercise good judgement. Lots of ice was coming down in the sun from adjacent cliffs while we were there.

Danylo