Catskill Ice Climbing Conditions

WARNING -ICE CLIMBING IS DANGEROUS!
Please keep in mind that the conditions on this page are very subjective, what may be considered "IN" to some is "OUT" to others, and vice versa. These conditions can change at any moment due to sun, water, temperature, etc. Please use your judgment as the final factor in deciding if you want to climb the route or not. We assume no responsibility for posting this info, the final decision is up to you

For directions to ice climbing location, please see the bottom of the page.

News/Alerts:

Bad news - since they improved the drainage in the road, they put up fencing alongside or RT 23A in the area of Moore's bridge. The space for for vehicles near the bridge by the telephone is now gone. They also fenced in most of the area about 1/8 mile down where you could park about five cars. There is now only room for about three vehicles. If you park there this winter, please park with consideration for other climbers who need a space as well.

LITTLE BLACK DIKE - there was a massive rock fall (2007) that has taken out the lower 1/3 of the corner. That horizontal that you could put a .75 Camalot in is no longer there. The ice is still form in pretty much the same place/way it has in the past.

If you have been out climbing and would like to add comments on the conditions, please send an email to info@alpineendeavors.com

2013 CONDITIONS

Conditions as of 2/18/13

We had our share of warm-ups this season. Things are coming back, but there has been some damage.

Moore's Bridge had some good ice on the left side. Right side not too good.

The Ravines are in and have been climbed a fair amount this weekend.

Asbestos is out, mostly rock.

Stoney Clove is in decent shape, lots of stuff to do -and LOT's of new stuff getting done!

The Platte Clove Waterfalls are open - you can climb Bridal Veil on it's sides. The Lower Kitchen has decent ice.

Black Chasm, things are thin, the Advocate has the most potential

Deep Notch, most lines are in.

Now's the time to get out. The only issue I would like to make everyone away of is PARKING. We have such limited parking at theses areas. Please park with consideration for the others who will be arriving after you. Consider car-pooling. Tannersville has a municipal lot behind Last Chance Cheese. You can always meet there and then take one car to the climbing area.

Conditions as of 2/2/13

It's been cold for the past four days and the temps did do some damage, but there is ice and it's growing. Many of the routes are wet, bring extra gloves.

Palenville Corner is fully down, although thready and chandeliered down low.

Moores - Gully is in, Telephone pole Face is in, the corner to the right looked OK.  The big RF corner is in but fragile-looking at the crux.  The Central Buttress and Moores Right don't really have any "in" lines yet. 

Ravines - The waterfalls are out, obviouly. There may be some ice in on their sides.

Asbestos - there is a fair amount of white up there.

Devil's Kitchen - All the corners are climbable and maybe half could be led safely.  A party TRed Purgatory but probably shouldn't have.  The streambed is walkable, with caution.  Lots of dripping on the walls in there.

Plattekill, Bridal Veil & Japanese Falls - open

Black Chasm - right side of Black Chasm Falls climbable, everything else thin or super wet

Stoney Clove - East Side routes looked the best, West Side - only lower routes possible.

Deep Notch - looked decent

This coming weekend is the Catskill Ice Festival, conditions are looking to be good for it!

Conditions as of 1/25/13

It is great to have winter back!! We've been out a good amount the last week, here are some reports from the guides:

Aesbestos has some lines in as of yesterday - viewed from the road.
Buttermilk is good through the top with some chandeliered ice here and there
Devil's Kitchen is mostly in.
Moore's Gully is climbable, and corner is doable but has a tricky top.
Playground is in.
Sunwall is in
Stoney Clove west side is back in decent shape - looking from the road
Bridal Veil is climbable on the sides
Black Chasm Falls is climbable on the sides
Deep Notch in

The parking lots have been full the past weekends, please park using the least amount of space so there is room for others.

Conditions as of 1/15/13

Alan was up in the Catskills today, here is his report:

Went up to the Cats today to see what condition things were in and here is what i found:

Stoney clove: LBD and Gurgler still had ice on them, very wet, detached and were not ice to the trees.

Moores bridge: Very wet and things were dropping off in front of our eyes.

Devils kitchen: LOTS of water coming down stuff, just like everywhere else, detached, bleached, and falling off.

Pray for cold temps!!

Conditions as of 1/11/13

Warm temps and rain are forecast for this weekend. We were out yesterday at Stoney Clove and conditons were good, but still boney in places - not sure how things will hold up this weekend. With the forecast, we have decided to reschedule all parties booked for the weekend - no need to destroy what's there or risk anyone to ice fall from the warm up. Let's hope it get cold again soon.

Conditions as of 1/1/13

Happy New Year! The temps have been below freezing for the past week and there is ice to climb. Angelo, Mike, and Marty climbed in the Catskills this past week. Stoney Clove and Deep Notch are the places to climb. There is a lot of water still running and the ground is still not frozen so top-outs are sketchier than normal.

East Crag yesterday was good enough, East Pillar almost good. Smear in between climbed on t/r. The wet wall 100 yd left is coming along,

Deep Notch - thin setions mixed with ice.

DIRECTIONS to Catskill Ice Climbing Locations

• Take the New York State Thruway north to exit 20, Saugerties.
• Now reset your trip odometer to help orient yourself below.
• From the toll booth, make a left at the light onto Rt. 32N and follow Rt. 32N until it intersects with Rt. 32A (6 miles from the toll booth).
• Merge onto Rt. 32A and follow it into Palenville to its intersection with Rt. 23A at the traffic light (8.1 miles from toll booth).
• Bear left onto Rt. 23A and follow it up the mountain into Kaaterskill Clove.
• At 9.3 miles from the toll booth, there is a pull out on the right hand side of the road. (This will fit four cars if you park considerately)
• Right across the creek are the Palenville Corner and Palenville Pillar, below is the
Chasm, and upstream is Jeff ’s Wet Dream.
• At 9.6 miles from the toll booth there is a large parking lot and trail head on the left hand side of the road. This will fit a good number of cars, but it rarely gets plowed—if at all.
• At 10 miles from the toll booth you will come upon Moore’s Bridge.
• At 10.8 miles, just before the “Right Lane Ends” sign, you can look up and left into the
ravine and see Buttermilk Falls.
• At 11.1 miles from the toll booth, you will come to a parking lot on the left, which gets plowed most of the time. This is where you should park for Buttermilk Falls, Wild Cat Falls, Viloa Falls, and the Asbestos Wall. The Asbestos Wall is located across from the parking lot; it has a good number of nice top-ropable routes on it. However, it does face south and gets much sunlight causing it to come and go frequently.
• At 11.5 miles from the toll booth, you will see a sharp bend in the road and the trailhead to Kaaterskill Falls.
• At 11.8 miles, you will come to another parking lot on your left. This is the one to use if you are hiking into Kaaterskill Falls.

• At 15.2 miles from the toll booth, you will come to the traffic light in Tannersville. For access to the Platte Clove Waterfalls, the Devil’s Kitchen, or the Black Chasm, make a left here onto country Rt. 16 (Railroad Ave) and continue until you merge with Platte
Clove Rd. Follow Platte Clove road to the end of the maintained section and park in the
Long Path Trailhead parking lot on the left. Please do not park on or at the end of the
road because the plows need this space to turn around.

• At 17.5 miles (if you did not make the left onto country Rt.16 at the traffic light), you
will come to the intersection of Rt. 214 and Rt. 23A. If you take a left here, you will be
at Stoney Clove, then Phoenicia and Rt. 28.
• Continuing on Rt. 23A will take you into the town of Hunter.

• Continuing farther on Rt. 23A will take you to Lexington. Turning left onto Rt. 42 will take you to Deep Notch and eventually to Rt. 28.