Ice Conditions Report 12-12-22

December 12, 2022 Bill

The Michigan Ice Fest Guides were out in force this weekend exploring all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore looking for any climbable ice and documenting climbs as they become closer to becoming climbable. The good news is that they were successful on the ultra classic HMR! The climb is reported to be thin but remarkably dry!

*Colton Harris getting the goods. Pc David Hixenbaugh*

Elsewhere in the park, John Miller explored some of the front country climbs which are starting to form but not climbable yet. The good news is that the ice is building each day and hopefully soon the front country will open up!

Please be mind full that Munising early season formations are extremely delicate and knocking any pillars down at this point may take a month to reform. BEFORE MAKING THE LONG DRIVE UP– please call Down Wind Sports for up to the minute conditions: 906-226-7112

Weather and ice conditions can change hourly and what may appear to be “good conditions” to one climber may not be so to another. Please remember that just because a conditions report says that a particular climb is “in”, each individual is ultimately responsible for making his/her own climbing decisions.

At Michigan Ice we take pride in being your go to site for current ice climbing conditions for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as climbs throughout the Upper Peninsula. Planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? We have you covered for all the latest snow and ice conditions on all of your favorite climbs. We also offer a full guide service and are currently booking guided ice climbing trips for the 22/23 season! Check back often for updates, pictures, and trip reports!

Ice Conditions Report 12-5-22

December 5, 2022December 5, 2022 Bill

Michigan Ice Fest Guides Brian Rajdl and Luke Baker found the ice in the Keweenaw is still in and climbable! It certainly has us in Marquette and Munising a bit jealous as winter still hasn’t fully descended upon this part of the Upper Peninsula.

The good news is that the weather forecast for this week is promising for making ice. From the folks at TV 6 Weather:

Breezy conditions and snow skies are sticking around for some of our central and eastern counties this afternoon. Chances of snow are shaping up to be on and off throughout the next few days. Moderate snow is planned for Monday and is shaping up to be a slight mix in some areas which could lead to slick roads. The other thing to keep in mind is that temperatures are looking to be mostly below average for the next few days so be sure to bundle up on the colder days.

We will cross our fingers for some potential ice in Munising and we will keep everyone updated on its progress next weekend. On a side note while we patiently wait for the ice to form don’t forget Michigan Ice Fest staff will be in Madison Heights Michigan for the Planet Rock goes cold this coming Saturday night! Hope to see our lower Michigan Friends!

Ice Conditions Report 11-20-22 It Begins!

November 20, 2022November 20, 2022 Bill

We’re back! While our brothers and sisters in Cody, Bozeman, Ouray and Canmore have been swinging tools we are sitting here wondering when is our turn! The Michigan Ice Fest Guides have been chomping at the bit to get on some ice and today Brian Rjadl found some climbable ice in the western U.P.! While it is still very early, we are excited that the freeze has begun! All climbs in Munising are still not formed yet and hopefully soon with colder temperatures we will be getting closer. As always we will be posting the most up to date conditions so please keep checking back. Please be mind full that these formations are extremely delicate and knocking any pillars down at this point may take a long time to reform. BEFORE MAKING THE LONG DRIVE UP– please call Down Wind Sports for up to the minute conditions: 906-226-7112

Ice Conditions Report 3-21-22

March 21, 2022 Bill

This past week we experienced warm sunny conditions which took its toll on many of the ice formations in the park. While the true waterfalls are unstable to climb, there is still plenty of ice to be climbed. True seeps like HMR are in and as fat as they have been all season. Brian Kaufman’s crew headed out to find HMR fat but really wet this past weekend!

In the Front Country, (because Michael Ganley wants to know) the Dryer Hose is currently unclimbable, but who knows, maybe by the weekend it will heal up! The true seeps such as Prelude, Opening Curtains, Boomer Falls, The Curtains, Lake Shore Curtains, Totally Todd and timeless Art of Seduction are in prime condition. The advantage of coming up and climbing in March is that the seeps are bigger, the ice is solid, our days are longer and after suffering all winter long sunshine and warmer temperatures makes for easier climbing! Another bonus is that there are less climbers so there won’t be a competition for the climbs.

Over the next three days, we will have rounds of wintry precipitation ahead of a strong storm system. We should see icy/slippery roads, and accumulating snow. We’re looking at around a quarter of an inch of ice and 3-6 inches of wet snow with more than 7 inches in the higher elevations.

Be sure to check our website of social media channels for the latest ice conditions reports. If your group needs to rent gear Down Wind Sports in Munising offers Ice Gear rentals and are open 7 days a week. Check out the rental details here!

At Michigan Ice we take pride in being your go to site for current ice climbing conditions for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as climbs throughout the Upper Peninsula. Planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? We have you covered for all the latest snow and ice conditions on all of your favorite climbs. Check back often for updates, pictures, and trip reports!

Ice Conditions Report- Grand Island Edition 3-15-22

March 15, 2022March 15, 2022 Bill

This past weekend saw brutally cold conditions on Saturday, warmer temps on Sunday and perfect conditions on Monday! The ice is as fat as it has been all winter and thankfully we are looking at an extended ice season in the U.P.!

On Monday, Michigan Ice Fest Guides were spread out all over Grand Island enjoying long routes, soft ice and SUNSHINE! So good after suffering cold temps all winter to get out and bask in the warmth of the sun. If you have some time off coming up, get on up here and head out to the island.

The public launch at Grand Island is still the preferred starting point and the lake ice is still solid and surprisingly smooth all the way out to O Brother Where Art Thou Wall.

If you have never experienced the magic of Grand Island, you still have a chance this year! With some of the longest routes in the Midwest a trip to the island should be on everyone’s bucket list. Our temps are warming up this week but still overnight below freezing Friday and Saturday!

At Michigan Ice we take pride in being your go to site for current ice climbing conditions for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as climbs throughout the Upper Peninsula. Planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? We have you covered for all the latest snow and ice conditions on all of your favorite climbs. Check back often for updates, pictures, and trip reports!

Ice Conditions Report 3-8-22 Holding Our Own

March 8, 2022March 8, 2022 Bill

With a steady rain this past Saturday, we thought we would be writing a sad Ice Conditions report this week with the ending of the season but cold temperatures found their way back to us and the ice is still looking good with all formations still climbable. Our typical steel grey skies are starting to turn giving way to blue bird sunny skies! Now is the time to come up and enjoy climbing in warmer temps and softer ice!

This past weekend saw a flurry of activity on Grand Island with climbers having fun from Trout Bay to the East Channel all the way out to the West Shore climbs. Lake ice is still good from the public access to Grand Island.

Be sure to check our website of social media channels for the latest ice conditions reports. If your group need to rent gear Down Wind Sports in Munising offers Ice Gear rentals and are open 7 days a week. Check out the rental details here!

With these overnight lows we are looking at an extended climbing season!

At Michigan Ice we take pride in being your go to site for current ice climbing conditions for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as climbs throughout the Upper Peninsula. Planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? We have you covered for all the latest snow and ice conditions on all of your favorite climbs. Check back often for updates, pictures, and trip reports!

Ice Conditions Report 2-28-22

February 28, 2022February 28, 2022 Bill

The Munising area saw lots of action this past weekend with visiting climbers finding fat mid season conditions! On their day off, some of the Michigan Ice Fest Guides hit three of the PRNL Classics Dairyland, Strawberry Daze and Midnight Rambler during a rare bluebird day!

The Front Country is also going strong as the Dryer Hose has resealed it leak and isn’t as wet as it was last weekend. Grand Island is still seeing action with most climbers concentrating on the Trout Bays area. We still do not recommend crossing to the Island from Sand Point, please use the Public Access for Grand Island as the lake ice is much safer there. Based on what we saw this weekend, it looks like the next few weeks will be the perfect time to come up and climb in Munising!

For those adventurers who like solitude and want to escape the crowds, there is a lot of ice in the U.P. that is not in Munising. The Black River is an example of that, and Jeremiah Gourd sent a few photos of this past weekends exploration of the Black River.

The Black River is the Western U.P.’s mini ice destination in Big Snow Country, a region also known for its amount of alpine ski hills, and deep lake effect snow. The ice climbs are all located in a small canyon along the fast flowing Black River just a few miles upstream of where it drains into Lake Superior. On a normal season almost a half-dozen lines form along the sides of the canyon walls, with the actual river waterfall rarely freezing and never climbed. All but one of the climbs are located across the river from where you park, which means the river must be well frozen before you can get to the climbs, as the swim across would be rather cold.

Not to sound like a broken record, our extended forecast is still looking amazing for continued ice growth and excellent climbing conditions! Be sure to check our website of social media channels for the latest ice conditions reports. If your group need to rent gear Down Wind Sports in Munising offers Ice Gear rentals and are open 7 days a week. Check out the rental details here!

At Michigan Ice we take pride in being your go to site for current ice climbing conditions for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as climbs throughout the Upper Peninsula. Planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? We have you covered for all the latest snow and ice conditions on all of your favorite climbs. Check back often for updates, pictures, and trip reports!

Ice Conditions Report 2-22-22

February 22, 2022February 22, 2022 Bill

Now that the fest is over we are continuing to see many climbers coming up to enjoy fantastic ice conditions at PRNL and over at Grand Island. Cold weather is continuing and the forecast looks promising for a long season. We have also received a good amount of snow the last couple of days so prepare to bust a trail if you are heading into the backcountry.

Having said that, on Saturday the Dryer Hose did spring a leak and we are hoping that it will heal up this week. The left side was still climbable but straight on and climbers right were defiantly a no go. See video here!

This past holiday weekend we saw many climbers up and down Sand Point Road which is a good thing but remember there is great ice to climb, many formations still untouched this season, scattered throughout the park. Our friend Captin Scott Gnas sent us the following photos of routes in the Mosquito area that had nobody on the both Friday and Saturday of Ice Fest!

Grand Island has seen lots of action at Trout Bay. Just a reminder- it is never safe to cross the East Channel to access the East Channel Curtains. Please use the public access dock for Grand Island. As always, when planning to venture out to the island check with the Park service, Forrest Service, local Sherriff or Down Wind Sports in Munising to see if lake ice has changed.

Captin Scott also sent these photos of the seldom climbed formations on the east side of Trout Bay

For those looking for a bit of solitude, The Millers went out to the Rock River Canyon Wilderness Area and found the Subway in pristine condition. If you are looking for fresh ice and no other climbers, we recommend picking up the guidebook and checking this area out as many of these smaller formations never get climbed in a season.

Our extended forecast is still looking amazing for continued ice growth and excellent climbing conditions! Be sure to check our website of social media channels for the latest ice conditions reports. If your group need to rent gear Down Wind Sports in Munising offers Ice Gear rentals and are open 7 days a week. Check out the rental details here!

At Michigan Ice we take pride in being your go to site for current ice climbing conditions for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore as well as climbs throughout the Upper Peninsula. Planning a trip to Pictured Rocks? We have you covered for all the latest snow and ice conditions on all of your favorite climbs. Check back often for updates, pictures, and trip reports!