Rock terrain

Snow terrain

Ice Terrain

I love early season ice! But how do you know where to find it, and if it’s going to fall down when you climb it? And early season ice doesn’t just mean “early.” If you live in a warmer climate you may have “early season” ice a half dozen times a year. Here are a few things I think about,  but hit me with questions, I'll respond in the comments:

Ice climb stability is first determined by the bond between the ice and the ground/rock it’s on. If the ground isn’t frozen then ice may form, but it will fall off quickly. Think about snow: Early season snow storms usually melt quickly on the ground regardless of the air temperature because the ground melts the snow. Same for ice. In Canada it can be -15C, but ice won’t form until the ground has cooled down and actually frozen.

How long has it been below freezing? If it’s been +20/70F for a week and suddenly it goes to -10 overnight then the ground isn't frozen more than a cm or two at most. Maybe the surface of the moss has frozen, but the moss hasn’t frozen to the ground, sketchy. I often check how far down the ground has frozen early season on the way into climbs.

Sun angle is the next factor. Most early season ice climbs form not primarily due to just “cold" temperatures, but when sun no longer hits an area, resulting in a cold microclimate. As fall progresses the sun drops lower and lower in the sky, and suddenly much of the north-facing steep terrain gets no or very minimal sun. Ice forms even if the temperature in the valleys or on ridges is still way above freezing. Cold temps early in the fall won’t produce much reliable ice if the sun is still high in the sky and hitting an area.

What’s the water source and path? If the source is higher volume then ice won’t form for a long time (water, latent heat, warm), but if it’s a freeze/thaw seep that runs down onto a cold north face then ice will form.

Danger signs: Recent warmth, water flowing on the rock, the ground not frozen, sun hitting the climb (before it’s really frozen up well), and free-hanging ice that may pull down the stuff it’s stuck too. @christianpondella Norway shot, not early season but rad!

And there are a thousand other variables too--altitude, sublimation, attachment structure, etc. etc., but as it's early season ice I thought I'd share a few thoughts. Here's to the season getting going!

My go to ice anchor is still a directional equalized with a cord. In this case it was rapidly warming in the sun so I also drilled a thread and used that as part of my anchor as it would resist melting much much betterAlso tried to get in this little shady nook
.
Ice screws do melt out fairly quickly in the full sun. Obviously cold helps but even in fairly brrrrrrrrr temps I have seen them loosen up

Mountain Bikes while not typically considered tools for "climbing" are amazing at covering long distances quickly.  They are used to approach climbs more often than commonly thought. 

Water makes up a significant portion of the earths surface and is frequently crossed in order to access climbing routes. 

Rain

Waterfall

Water crossings.