Lock Haven Ice is currently in great condition. I am very surprised that the rain event last Thursday did not wipe things out. Here are a few pics from Roadside Gully and Hidden Amphitheater today 2/6/2022. Looking across the river, The Gemini Gullies also appear to be in good shape. Not sure how the Gemini approach road is, with the recent ice/sleet storm, and the river ice moving out. (It was an easy drive 2 weeks ago).

 Roadside Gully

     

 Hidden Amphitheater

Stayed local and headed up to Gemini Gullies for this weekend's climbing. We did see another party working their way up the lower pitches of Roadside Gully. The ice here really fattened up overnight in the cold temps, as it looked a bit thin the day before. The 7 mile dirt road approach to the Gemini Gullies was easily travelled with only a few icy sections. They even had the road plowed most of the way. Both gullies started out with leadable ice and we opted to start up the left route. Midway up, we looked at the upper amphitheater in the left gully, and topping out looked a bit sketchy. We then traversed over into the right gully, and found thicker ice there. Randy E. led the left option and other than the typical crux topping out, found the route leadable using shorter 13 cm. screws.

GoPro helmet cam video of today's outing in the Gemini Gullies on YouTube here:
Ice Climbing - Gemini Gullies, Sproul State Forest - Helmet Cam POV - January 22, 2022

Roadside Gully

Gemini Gullies

Left Gemini Gully (Upper Amphitheater)

Right Gemini Gully (Upper Amphitheater)

Central Pennsylvania has been experiencing some seasonable cold temperatures this past week, so we took a ride up Rt. 120, north of Lock Haven, to see if the ice is beginning to form. The photos below of Roadside Gully were a welcome sight. The low angle grade 3 approach gully is filling with ice, but will need several more days to a week of cold temperatures to be leadable. The third step in the approach gully is not yet iced over, and the rest of this pitch needs to fill in. The steep upper tiers in the upper amphitheater are not yet touching down, but do look to be growing. Give it another week, and hopefully this will be ready to climb.

The 2020-2021 ice climbing season in Pennsylvania allowed us around six weeks of climbing. It was much better than the non-existent previous season. Hope the 2021-2022 season allows even better ice climbing conditions than last year!

Feel free to check our Ice Condition Archive Pages located along the right sidebar to see what we can expect if the weather cooperates. Please use this site and  www.NEIce.com to assist you in determining where to climb.

HELP WANTED! Please help keep this site up to date. Use the email link listed on the "Contribute" tab above, or email your Pennsylvania Ice Climbing trip reports and photos to dave@hikebikeclimb.net and I will post them.