Mat and I made the pilgrimage to Lillooet to kick off the ice season with some classic climbs in the Rambles and Deeping Wall areas. Like any good start-of-season trip, it was a healthy combination of suffering, poor circulation, and asking ourselves why we voluntarily do this.
Rambles Center:
We focused our energy here first. The ice is still holding up well overall. Here's the quick breakdown:
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Top Tier:
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Left Finish: Pretty brittle—imagine swinging into glassware and hoping for the best.
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Right Finish: Some thin sections, but passable with care.
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Robber Baron: In surprisingly good shape. Probably the highlight of the day.
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Unnamed Route Next to Robber Baron: Still bare at the bottom, save that one for later in the season.
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We rapped off in the dark, because tradition. And also because our time management skills are about as sharp as my frozen fingers.
Deeping Wall & IcyBC:
This is where the true early-season humility set in. IcyBC lived up to its name, and then some:
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IcyBC:
I drew the short straw and led this one. The top portion had water running behind it, and the ice was not confidence-inspiring. Screw placements were sketchy but doable if you squinted hard and believed in yourself. My forearms were pumped, my fingers were screaming, and halfway up I questioned every life decision that brought me to this point. Standard ice climbing stuff. -
Second Tier:
In good shape, and a nice recovery after IcyBC tried to break me. -
Third Tier:
Water was running on the left. We avoided it and kept things spicy but sane.
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