Kane Creek Ice

I headed out yesterday with fellow guide, Drew Daly, to climb ice in the Pioneer Mountains. I had been to Kane Lake in the summer and noticed an impressive waterfall above the lake. Our mission was to hike in and climb this water ice, before returning to Ketchum. I was scheduled to work at the YMCA Climbing Wall at 4PM. We left Ketchum at 5AM, left the trailhead just after 6, and arrived at Kane Lake just after 8. The sun rise in the canyon was spectacular and we saw lots of smaller ice flows on the hike in. When we arrived at the lake, there was absolutely no trace of the waterfall we had seen in summer. My hunch is that the waterfall is a result of snow melt on the slabs above and it eventually dries up before the cold temps arrive. We did climb a short ice pitch of probably WI4- ice as a consolation prize, but I think both of us were a bit disappointed. Next we moved down canyon and Drew lead his first ice climb on one of the many lower angle WI3- flows. After which, we packed it up and headed back to Ketchum for me to arrive at the Y at 3:55PM. Perfect timing and a fun day in the alpine!

Kane Lake and the waterfall in summer.

Drew rapping off the first ice flow climbed.

The impressive Devil's Bedstead West. Earlier this year, Erik Leidecker guided the right ridge to the summit.

Drew, racking up for his first ice lead.