Western Colorado Climbing > Ice Climbs > Avocado Gully

Avocado Gully, WI3/4

An area classic. This climb really changes over the course of the season. Typically, the first pitch is snow and rock, with maybe some ice at the top. The 2nd pitch is a ramp up to a short steep section that may or may not protect well with screws and the rock gear is pretty marginal. The 3rd pitch is typically fat with several options. By the end of a good season, the entire climb can be big and cruiser. In the winter of 2007, it came in fatter than most people had ever seen it.

The 2nd pitch can be difficult to protect after mutiple ascents really start to beat up the ice and more than one person has whipped off this pitch.

The descent is from bolted anchors.

FA: Peter Hutter and John Cato, late 1970's.