There Goes the Neighborhood

In 1993, Brad Fisk and Stuart Williams "discovered" the ice climbing potential of Salmon River Falls. The first known ice climbing was done the following season (1994) by myself, Jim Seeley, and Stuart Williams. Since that time, we've pretty much had Salmon River to ourselves. In fact, I've never seen another climbing party at the falls during any subsequent visit.

Last weekend, I discovered that not only is there now a parking lot (presumably for summer time visitors), but that it was overflowing with the cars of ice climbers. Word is out and our little private ice climbing are is no longer. Part of this leakage is due to the popularity of new ice climbing web sites (www.NEice.com) which featured Salmon River and published a "first ascent".

After reading NEice.com, I felt spurred into action. On wednesday of last week, Simon and I climbed the left side of the main falls. This has probably never been led, partly due to there never having been ice in this location before. Suprisingly, the ice was easy (NEI 3) but protection was a challenge; at the top, the 1" thick ice was barely covering a pounding waterfall. We did notice that due to the recent cold snap, the conditions at Salmon River are better than ever. Leadable ice is everywhere -- the rotten unsafe ice has been replaced with smooth sun-baked ice that takes screws easily and solidly. Even the moderate looking flows looked fat -- the beginners were out in mass with ropes hanging everwhere.

Last weekend, Jim Seeley, Tad Welch, and I climbed the right side of the main downstream flow on the north side of the river. To my knowledge, this has never been led due to unsafe protection (although it has been top roped at 5/5+); last weekend this climb was nothing more than 4.

We then proceeded downstream to the unclimbed columns of the overhanging rock area. One line in particular looked reasonable -- a column of ice that ended in a rock overhang with a convenient tree, avoiding the impossible-looking rock above. This is probably the hardest pure ice yet led in the gorge, NEI 5. From the top of the pillar, one must reach outwards and hook a sizable root, then hang by one arm while slinging the tree above.

We then diverted our attention to an impossible looking line to the left of the main falls. The climb starts at river level and immediately ascents a 2 foot rock overhang, then follows discontinuous drips for 100 feet to belay at the base of thin pencil column. Jeremy Haas (an instructor at Cornell Outdoor Education) scooped us on the line, but we climbed it as a second ascent. The quality of the shale was crap, so the only protection was slings around marginal icicles, a Spectre, and two stubbies. We rappelled off a bollard then quit for the day.