Waterfall Ice South

     All climbing areas south of Anchorage are accessed by the only highway heading south; The Seward Highway. All major streets running East-West within Anchorage will intersect the Seward Highway. Driving the Seward Highway can be the crux and more dangerous than climbing. An area known as Bird Hill is the scene of major avalanches during times of instability. Large slides in this area both natural and controlled cross the highway and can close the highway trapping drivers in this area for sometime.

      Seward Highway: The climbing starts five-minutes south of Anchorage and is 15-miles of belay-from-the-car climbing. The climbs face south and west, and become climbable around Thanksgiving. Some routes can melt out during warm chinooks during December and January and these are the first cicles to disappear in spring. The routes are marked by milepost from the weigh station heading south. All climbs have plowed pullouts for parking either directly next to or near the vicinity of the climb. Be a courteous climber and park in these plowed areas and if you have to, walk the few extra hundred feet to your climb and not belay from your vehicle's bumber. If the snow is falling, it's wise to not climb along the Highway for safety reasons. Troopers are known to be easy to get along with for those who give them respect. Obey their minor requests and do not give all climbers a bad name. Beware of snowplows to include driving!

• Scales, grade 1+, 75': Located by the truck weigh station, these two, left (hardest) and right cicles are great for first time ice climbers and leaders. These are fun to climb at night when the street lights around the weigh station are on.
• Horn Honkers, grade 4, 100': Milepost .8. Scratch up thin ice to a large hand crack in the rock with dry tool hooking to a small line of really thin ice to steep near over-hung rock face. If you can't make the upper face, traverse right and up somewhat easier terrain but with less protection or bail off a hex. For the thin ice, equalize 10cm screws clipped with a Screamer. Soft catching half-ropes are smart! Walk off to the north, left of climb.
• Eagle Perch, grade 2, 100': Milepost .9. A steep but short pillar of ice to moderate angle ice up a gully. Not much protection in the gully and no real anchor at the top. Walk off to the north, left of climb per Horn Honkers.
• Rampo, grade 2, 100': Milepost 1. A short but steep curtain to the long low angle ramp to a tree. Climbing the far right of the curtain will add some difficulty.
• Twin Pillars, grade 2-3, 75': Milepost 1. Several cicles in this area but these are the favorites. Twin Pillar Left has a very short but steep pillar at the base, with the left side shorter and easier. Twin Pillar Right is steeper, can be thin and has a descent dirt roof to mount to reach the trees. At times, these two climbs can freeze into one sheet of ice.
• Rusty Pins, grade 3, 80': On the far left side of the same road cut wall as Roadside, climb the sliver of thin ice that has a tricky out of balance reach to clip the pins at the finish. The ice is rarley thick enough to hold even a 10cm screw. I found very rusty pins along this cicle, the name I give it, which I cleaned and pounded in new at the finish for an anchor. If you cannot climb this route banging pins for pro, please do not bolt it.

• Roadside Attraction, grade 4, 110’: Milepost 1.5. The bottom is 25’ of steep ice before easing off a bit in a groove to a left traverse across a rotten ledge to the fixed anchor. There is another 40' of thin and steep ice to the rim but it is not wise to finish the climb to the rim in heavy traffic. Belayers take heed as you are standing less than 5-feet from passing cars and snowplows at highway speeds. As a post script, tales abound about falling ice and rocks hitting cars, and even one about a dropped ice tool hitting a car.
• Hypercard, grade 4, 110': Roadside's neighbor but not as friendly. The inital steep ice is longer than Roadside and has a tricky finish to reach the fixed anchor. Can also be finished to the rim but again not wise.
• The Beast, grade 5, 125': Hypercard's neighbor and not friendly at all. Starts with a section of steep thin ice, most-times rotten that may or may not take protection to somewhat thicker ice that can take a shortie screw. The exit pillar is honest dead vertical ice abruptly ending on a ledge. Walk right on the ledge to a fixed anchor, do not anchor to the small tree. This cicle generates many bail pieces.
• PFM Wall, grade 3-5+ ice and mixed nasties at milepost 3.5, just past McHugh Creek Park in a large road-cut cirque. It's a wild place to increase your bag-of-tricks. The best thing about climbing here is no traffic blasting by within arms reach and when the wind decides to howl along the arm, this area can be quite protected.
  • , grade 3, 100': From the large tree, climb moderate ice to a very steep curtain of ice. Traverse to the right to bolts.
  • PFM, grade 3, 100': A dry tool move or two to a hard to clip bolt then hanging cicles to thick ice. Since the DOT dumped piles of rocks here it allows an easier reach and shorter rock section. This climb has become easier but is still stiff.
  • Slim Jim, grade 3, 100': Moderate angle ice to a steep seam choked with thin ice that may require a drytool move or two. Either more thin ice moves up or traverse left to hanging candlesticks.
  • Cold Snap, grade 3, 100': Starts on the same ice as Slim Jim but traverses left up a steep ramp, instead of climbing the seam, then meets the upper ice of PFM.
  • To the left of these named cicles are several steep smears, pillars and iced-up bolted rock routes. All are very stiff.
    • Widow Maker, Grade 5, 115': The hardest recorded climb along the highway. Worthy of a stiffer grade if longer. Thin smear of ice, hard mixed and more thin ice over a roof.
• Buluga Point, milepost 4 is known for whale watching but also has four fine cicles. The first two are grade 2, 50' with some mixed terrain that can be top-roped and lead for the large and hard climber. The next cicle is a solid grade 3 with a tricky left traverse move near the top and the last cicle can be grade 2 or 3 depending on the amount of ice and has a very steep finish.
• Yellow Fever, grade 3, 150’: Milepost 5, high above the highway, this rarely formed gem involves thin ice in a dihedral to a curtain and probably is the most sought after cicle along the highway to add to the resume'. It is an absolute classic! On the upper rock buttress to the right, you will find some thin ice scratching too.
• Sunshine Buttress, milepost 8.5. This is the area that summertime tourist logjam the road to view Dall Sheep. There are several climbs in the general area but if the wind decides to blow, zipper up or go elsewhere.
  • Blue Ribbon, grade 2, 165': Starts with some easy rock moves to gain access to the start ledge. Steep ice to lower angle ice and the trees.
  • Pipeline, grade 2, 165': Ends with a large pillar / curtain near the top. In the best of the best years, these two cicles become one large sheet of ice.
  • Organ Pipes, grade 2, 100': Up high in a sort of alcove, moderate ice to the crux pipes. This area has several varitions and starts.
  • Flame Out, grade 4, 50’: A dead vertical thin ice smear from the ground up that abruptly ends requiring rock sketching onto a sloping ledge with protection far below on a single 1/4" bolt to reach the solid 3/8" anchor bolts. Most swear it’s beyond vertical once on it. Retreat from a piece in the ice is not possible and you must make the single 1/4" bolt on the left where the ice ends to bail or of course down climb. It's a pumper, beware of the name, not the grade.
• Waterworld, grade 2, 45': Located in the pullout at milepost 10, this cicle also has plenty of ice paralleling the highway for bouldering or working on the technique. Just left of the main cicle in the pullout are some short but mixed nasties.

     Bird Creek: South down the Seward Highway to milepost 27, turn off on Konikson Road. Park in the wide open area at roads end and gain access to the main snowmachine trail and follow to the log bridge. Once across the bridge, turn left and snake your way up hill. At the top of the hill, take the trail off to the left and follow it to the cliff. Traverse right through the trees along the top of the cliff to where the forest thickens and the angle of the cliff lessens, about a half-mile. Weave down through the trees and gain access to Bird Creek. There you will find two wide one-pitch, grade 2 cicles with several climbable lines to the top. Scratching around the natural dam in Bird Creek could be fun too.

     Candyland: Thirty minutes south of Anchorage this mile-long wall runs parallel to the Seward Highway. Not the sweetness of its name but it can provide some superb climbing when the ice is there. Known for high congestion when the ice is in though. The first wall encountered has a solid two pitch grade 3 climb. The second wall encountered has long one-pitch rope stretching grade 2's; steep sections with wide ledges between them. There are names of the individual routes but I elect to not included them. This is another area that when the wind decides to blow, it can howl here with great ferocity. An annual permit, currently free, is required from the Alaska Rail Road to climb here. Their rules are minimal and easy to abide by. Parking is hard to locate and the Troopers may ask you to move if you are blocking the normal flow of traffic or snowplows.

     Crow Pass: Located above the town of Girdwood, 35 miles from Anchorage. After about 2 miles from the Seward Highway turn left onto Crow Creek Road. Follow this narrow gravel road for 5 miles reaching the bridge. Turn right onto the even narrower road and head up hill to the parking area hoping you don't meet another vehicle. Access Crow Pass Trail reaching the old mining ruins. Stay on the steep trail till where you cross the creek that spills into the large waterfall beside the ruins. Follow this creek till reaching the upper Crow Pass trail. Follow the trail for about 300' finding a faint trail leading up the steep hillside on your right. Follow this steep trail which is just climbers left of the creek and a series of small falls (climbing up the creek after about half way up the trail can at times be easier) until reaching the valley of Jewel Glacier. The ice hangs on the buttress, climbers right about half way up the valley before Jewel Glacier. There are several climbable lines in a beautiful alpine setting; thin drips, smears and runnels. The ice is usually very thin and the rock rotten with protection poor to lousy or nonexistent. Take head descending any gully / slope from the top of all the climbs. There are many multi-pitch neve' gullies in this area on both sides of the valley too, some hard, some harder but all worth the effort. This area can have very early snowfall and extreme avalanche hazard meaning early season ice; a great late September and early October warm up.

• Main Falls, grade 2, 125': This is the large waterfall seen in summer. There is a fixed anchor at top now, climbers right on a rock outcropping that can be reached from most climbs on this buttress.
• FacePlant, grade 4, 175': From climbers right at the base of Main Falls ice, climb the grade 1 entrance gully ice to the small cirque filled with snow. On the left wall, climb the thin smear and curtain of ice as high as possible, then traverse left heading for the ramp on whatever your commitment lets you. This climb had only one solid protection piece (#1 Camalot) on the traverse. Falling is not an option above the ice and thick half-ropes are a wise choice. Rappel from the fixed anchor on the main cicle.
• Tempest, grade 3, 200': Starts 150' left of the main falls. This non-descript line takes the hardest line up to reach the upper free hanging pillar. There is no solid anchor at the top. To descend, it is best to walk over to the fixed anchor at the main cicle and rappel. Walking off to the left is subject to slopes that are ideal to avalance.

     Portage Flats: The approach starts at the Railroad Depot to Whittier at milepost 43. From the weigh station, ski east up Portage Valley for about an hour (2.5 miles). Pay attention to avalanche conditions in this area.

• Indecision, grade 3, 750': This climb is more like a small alpine route. Climb a pillar of ice to a snaking snow gully inter-sped with ice bulges to reach the upper gully of ice in the rock. There are several more gully climbs in this area all worthy of an ascent.

     Portage: Driving forty-five minutes (milepost 45 from the weigh station) south of Anchorage to Portage Road puts you in spectacular glaciated mountain scenery. Look for ice along the 5-mile long Portage Road. Portage is known for Biblical amounts of snowfall and hurricane force wind that bury the climbs and orchestrate extreme avalanche danger. Most routes are near or in avalanche zones and are climbed early in the season or in stable snowpack.

• Five Fingers, grade 2-3, 165-200’: Resembles an upside down hand with fingers of ice. This area is a great first time lead or first time ice experience area. Parking can be hard if DOT fills up the parking area with snow. There are actually seven separate climbs; Thumb, Little Boy, First Finger, Middle Finger, Ring Finger, Gully 6 and Pinkie Finger in order from Portage Road going left. Gully 6 is my favorite with a 180' gully of ice in the trees to a 12' curtain of ice. This area is protected from avalanches but pay heed to the large slide area just left of the Fingers.
• Hanging Forest, grade 2-3, 100-150': Found just up road from Five Fingers among the steep forested buttress. If you look hard you will see the ice among the trees. The climbs are less than 1-pitch but consist of steep mixed terrain. Another area protected from avalanches.
• Middle Canyon has over a dozen routes made for the thin ice specialist. Park at the summertime fish viewing pullout and bridge, milepost 4, and walk directly across the closed camping area towards the canyon. When reaching the alders, turn left and follow the nature trail to the foot bridge. Once across the bridge, follow the right trail until the start of the canyon. Extreme avalanche hazard.
  • Secret Lover, grade 2, 250': The first cicle on the right at the canyons mouth. Snaking ice in a gully with short steep bulges and a 25' crux.
  • Lucky Man, grade 3, 280’: Go early for a mixed first pitch in a groove, then a headwall of thin ice.
  • The Fringe Wall, grade 4, 250': High up in the canyon on the left wall, this wall can be a solid sheet of thick ice or frozen as four or more separate thin smears.
• Gingus, grade 6, 260’: Across from The Fringe Wall. Thin ice to a thinner ice overhanging section. Bring pins and a bail piece if you dare.
• At the end of Portage Road you will find the Visitor Center. Park here but the parking area is not completely plowed snow free. Do not park that will block vehicles or snowplows.
  • Dreams of Brown Moose, grade 4, 425’: Found south of the visitor center hanging high on the right wall of the huge avalanche chute. The first pitch can lull you into confidence. The second pitch is a full 300’ to reach a belay, as the ice gets worse the higher you climb. Extreme avalanche hazard.
  • Bullwinkle, grade 3, 260': Located about 200' down the chute from Brown Moose. Ice in a rock gully to the crux pillar then easier ice.
  • Tall Man, Grade 3, 320': Cross the bridge that heads to Whittier and before entering the tunnel, head left and traverse the slope until the climb. The first major cicle found above the obvious snowcone. The start can be an easy cruise on thick ice or semi-desperate on mixed. The upper crux is a 50' free hanging pillar that can be hard to protect with the sun rotten ice. There are several more cicles in this area but this is the prize.
  • Follies, grade 3, 250’: The last climb found on the traverse and this climb is obvious from the road both in winter and summer. The second pitch is a rope stretcher to find a decent belay among shrubs, remember you have been warned. No easy way down; sling several tiny veggies for anchors or traverse the dangerous avalanche slope.
  • Hands Across The Water, grade 4, 750’: Located across 600’ deep Portage Lake, which to cross can be the crux, either by illegal boat or walking on thin ice; high pucker value. Climb a groove to a long headwall then easier ice. Around the corner of Portage Lake to the right of this climb are several more cicles all similar to this cicle.
• Take the Whittier Road Tunnel and as you exit the first tunnel, look left on the wall of the road cut cirque. Several thin cicles that can be hard and run out. I have not climbed in this area but it has been described as climbing 5.11 with ice gear by the first ascentionists.

     Tunnel Section: One of the best areas in South Central Alaska with almost twenty separate climbs. This area is not an area for novices. The approach starts at the intersection of the Seward Highway and Portage Road. This area is best reached with a snowmachine or ski 6-miles south down the RR tracks to find the first series of cicles. Ski 4-miles farther to reach the actual tunnel section, five tunnels in all. In this steep narrow canyon of tunnels is a paradise of cicles. Passing train engineers might call the Troopers if approaching by way of the RR tracks. There is a bush plane landing strip about halfway back but beware.

• Sunday School, grade 4, 180': This is the first cicle found at the tunnels and consists of a steep pillar in a rock chimney.
• Tunnel Vision, grade 5, 160': At the third tunnel you will find this spectacular series of pillars and curtains hanging from three separate roofs.
• Derailed, grade 5, 125’: A vertical curtain of brown-stained candlestick ice with overhanging sections. No place to rest.
• Eatin Crow, grade 5+, 240’: "Wow!" "No way!" is how this cicle is described by all who first view it. The upper pillar looks too thin to hold body weight. Climb the approach pitch to the left of the upper pillar, then whackers beware. Protection is non-existent in the airy candlesticks, even if you have the strength to stop and place it. Use 60 meter or longer ropes. The area test piece.

     Sawmill Creek: A bit of a challange to reach either by foot or by boat but is a delight to climb once committed to seek it out. At milepost 51 of the Seward Highway, park hopefully in the plowed area in the apex of the highway ascending to Turnagain Pass. Gain access to the shores of Turnagain Arm and ski north-northwest for 7.5 miles to reach Sawmill Creek. Ski nother mile up Sawmill Creek to find this grade 3, 110' cicle. There could be more cicles up this stream for those who seek or even up the other drainages in the area. Thanks must be given to local hunters for finding this climb.

     Hope Cut-Off: Not well known, climbed even less with no published names. These hard to reach grade 3, one-pitch cicles are a hidden delight but the approach is known for its high pucker value. Drive south down the Seward Highway and park in the rest area just before the bridge over Canyon Creek and the cut-off to the town of Hope. Gain access to Canyon Creek and head up stream. A 30-minute hair raising approach will bring these cicles into view on the right.

     Summit Creek: I have not climbed or even seen this cicle, the tale comes from several hunters. They report a cicle at least 100' tall and quite steep.

     Homer / Deep Creek / Ninilchik Beaches: Yes, ice climbing on a beach. Check the tide table before venturing out to climb or be prepared to swim. Three-dozen steep curtains and pillars of dirty looking grade 3-5 ice.

• Dog Day, grade 4, 300': A big curtain of ice with 2 tiers.
• Boredwalk, grade 3, 300': Easy ice to a 50' curtain and finishes with 3 or 4 easier curtains.
• Sea Wolf, grade 4, 300': A thick full-rope length pillar to easier ice in a gully.
• Tenticles, grade 5, 100': A 3-foot wide seem of thin ice that bulges at the top. Technically harder than its given grade.

     Victor Creek: At Milepost 20 of the Seward Highway or about 110 miles from Anchorage, find the obvious Victor Creek sign, ski up this valley for 30 minutes to find an excellent grade 4 cicle.

     Seldovia: Across the inlet from Homer is the town of Seldovia. Take Jack-a-Loff Road out of town for 14 miles.

• Call of the Wild, grade 5, 500': Wide moderate ice to a narrow gully.

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