Archive of Central Pennsylvania Ice Conditions

2002 / 2003 Season

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    01/25/03  Well, we finally have some favorable ice conditions to report. I didn't even bother updating this page last season, as last winter really never existed. I checked out Hidden Amphitheater today.   Wayne Barnard, James Tomalonis, and I headed up Rt. 120 this morning to check out the local ice. Stopped at Roadside Gully and watched at least three parties heading up the low angle stuff. The steep tiers up high look fat from the road. I will probably head up there tomorrow A.M. to check the pillars out. Seeing that Roadside was quite busy, we headed on up to the Hidden Amphitheater. This is in better shape than it has been in in the past several years, with all three tiers in fat and steep. The dead tree on the second tier seems to have fallen out of the way and is not hanging in the middle of the climb now.  There were tracks up the gully into Hidden (probably from last weekend) so we don't believe we got the first sticks into it this season.

    01/26/03 Took a solo trip up Roadside Gully to check the conditions of the steep pillars up in the amphitheater. The low angle ice up to the amphitheater is in with only a short gravel section just below the first steep bulge at the base of the first tier. On the second tier, Left Pillar is in and topping out doesn't seem too bad if you stay to the left of the pillar. The other pillars in the middle also seem to top out with only a few dirt sticks or root snags.  On the third tier. Glass Menagerie is just in and will support maybe one or two ascents. It is still quite thin and would not hold up to an afternoon top rope session on it. On the left side of the third tier a rare flow has just touched down. It is not thick enough yet to support an ascent, but if the cold temps hang on for a few more weeks, the unnamed vertical 40 plus foot route will be a grade 4+. Ran into Dennis Yonkin (Elvis) high on the climb and we combined ropes to rap the route.

    02/02/03 Rob Ginieczki (Griz) and I headed across the river and spent the morning in both left and right Gemini Gullies. Both routes are in great condition; offering fat hero ice with the warm weather. Right Gemini gully has changed with two fallen trees blocking the flow around half way up. They can be passed with a few dirt sticks on the right. Hopefully the warm temps and expected rain doesn't wipe out our season.

    02/02/03 Kristian Carney emailed me information concerning access problems at the ice climbs on the river cliffs at Shikellamy State Park near Shamokin Dam. He talked to the head of the park on 1/29/03.  The land is now privately owned, so there is no climbing allowed there at the present time.  Talks are under way for possible climbing in the future.  He suggested I could put this info on this web site to not climb there right now to prevent any problems with the officials.  We would hate to lose it while they are discussing access. Good luck with the negotiations.

02/09/03 Wayne Barnard and I headed up Roadside Gully today and Wayne led Left Pillar on the second tier and Glass Menagerie on the third tier. Griz and Brint joined us and they led the thin discontinuous pillars on the left of the third tier. We left before they topped out and I don't know the grade of the route other than it looked HARD....Has anyone led this route before or is this a first ascent? Kurt Merrill had a mixed project up through the roof to the right of this but I know of no other climbs here. Roadside is in the best shape I have seen in the past ten years as are all of the Lock Haven/Renovo climbs. Come check them out before we get a thaw.

02/09/03 Did you know ice climbing is not a legal activity at Worlds End State Park????? Evidently it is not as a strong party from southeastern PA, Zirg and Tnirb (names changed to protect the innocent), received a citation from the authorities while climbing a BIG route there over the weekend. Check the photo below of the ice flows on High Rocks in the park. The climb on the left is now know as Citation Pillar, grade 5. I just received some pics of the ascent before the ranger showed up, they were still all smiles then. Here's another project for the Access Fund.

02/09/03 Great conditions also in Williamsport, PA along Lycoming Creek at the Weis Amphitheater.   At least that's what I call the area. Please correct me if there is a better name. Several lines here including some mixed routes. Hope to climb there next weekend and will give a more detailed report then.

03/04/03 Wow, this winter just keeps holding on. Played hooky today from school and Wayne and I headed over to the Gemini Gullies for a little PA. ice climbing. The Geminis are in fatter than they were a month ago, the recent rains and warm temps have not hurt this area. I checked out Roadside last Saturday and took a few pics of a party from Maryland climbing there. The low angle approach has developed a few holes from the running water, but the steep stuff up high still looks good from the road.

03/24/03 Well it's over. Had an email from David Luber. His party may have got the last sticks of this season in Left Gemini Gully on Friday 03/15/03. The warm spring temps and rain the following weekend has wiped everything out. It's time to think about rock. Catch you folks out there next winter and thanks for your info to keep this site up to date.

    If you're in the area ice climbing, please email me a report on conditions which I'd be glad to include on this page. dave@hikebikeclimb.net Thanks, Dave Seasholtz
 

 See the local condition pics below. 

For directions to these areas, check the "Bellefonte Climbing Guide" by Jim Bowers.

Possibly the hardest ice in Central Pennsylvania; the BIG (80 to 100') vertical flows on High Rocks, along Loyalsock Creek in World End State Park. The pillar on the left is Citation Pillar, grade 5. Beware, climbing is not an approved activity here; and the authorities are not friendly to climbers.