Observations

Eagle River: Echo Bend ice climbs

The river from Rapids Camp provides fast, easy access and is well frozen.  However, beware of snow covering thin ice bridges and choose the most solid path.  We hiked in with our boots and microspikes, which is currently the most efficient means of travel (only a couples inches of snow on river).  If we get more than a few inches of snow tomorrow-Friday, cross country skis may be warranted.

Three Ring Circus is nice and fat.  Be advised that this gully is a serious avalanche path and the snow slopes between ice pitches could also slide.

There is A LOT of ice in the Spruce Pitch area.

Hollow Icicle is more solid than it has been in years.  Be advised advised that the climb is also in a serious avalanche path.  The snow slope between the ice pitches could also slide.

Today we observed debris from a large slide likely naturally triggered from the upper elevations above Hollow Icicle.  Debris from this avalanche that descended the Hollow Icicle path from ~3500′ to below ~1000′ scoured the gully (N aspect likely heavily cross loaded from typically strong E winds).  It made the approach relatively clean and easy.