I spent a couple hours this AM checking Laurel Highlands ice conditions for you icehounds. I've got some great news... Conditions are still sweet! Read on.
Ohiopyle State Park
Lower Meadow Run is looking good and has survived the couple warm days. Plenty of ice to be climbed this weekend. Get on it while it lasts. Here are the lines as walking in on the approach trail.
Season Finale area looking good and climbable.
Hemlock L & R both very nice
Main Flow on the left is fat and the mixed lines are in perfect condition for sends
Didn't check the Upper Meadow Ampitheater on the parking side, but I'm guessing its in good shape too!
Cucumber Falls
More for novelty. Even when formed, the 12' of climbing after the cone isn't worth doing and quite dangerous. Here's what it looks like today. Not this season!
HIGH VOLUME WATER...
Irishtown is looking a lot better than it did last week when we were there. Its fat and blue ready to be screwed. This is the best its looked in years.
Mouth of Madness WI4+ looking good. Top might be a little thin. Take your shorties!
Newer to mixed? This climb is for you! The Prow WI3+, M4 We did it last week, great fun. Topout left. Sling the bent tree in the middle (seemed to work well). Take a few small TCU's for the rock between ice. Great Turf shots at the top.
Looking out of the mine opening at the back side of Mouth of Madness, PA's version of the Mica Mine. Its possible to climb upsidedown for hundreds of yards. (Yo! Will Gadd where are you?)
Here's another shot of the futuristic roof 40' up from the aliens on the floor!
Melting Mount Rushmore in ice aliens... Am I reaching on this one? Its MY blog...
The other areas in SWPA...
Beast Wall
The Beast WI5+/6 appears to be "in" Monsta WI5+/6 looking a little "dicey". The right var. looking safer. left looking more balls out! (to me at least) Could build a little more by the weekend. I'd love to try Monsta!
Looking up the lines Monsta topout in upper left corner, The Beast on the right.
Right Wall
From Left to Right, G-Gully WI4+, Final Obligation WI5, The Awakening WI5, Unamed/Graded Torretti line, World of Pain WI5+, Called on Account of Security WI4 R All routes in reasonable condition after the warm.
Infinite Area
Shot from far away, sorry for the quality. The left line is The Infinite WI5 looking incredible. The SICK-le WI6 M5/6 appears to have a fracture at the lip. Way too scary for me! I saw it come crashing down (extremely close up) once. That was more than enough! I'll wait...again
Well thats my photo report on the areas I visited. Hope it helps in your planning. This may be our last weekend in the area, so get on it while its fat. If you have any questions, please get in touch. If you have conditions reports, photos you think are rad. Anything you'd like to share, get it to me. I'd be happy to post it up for others to see. Thanks and hope to see you out there! -Tim
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