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We had a great time on Sunday at White Oak Canyon!
After rallying in Oakton at 4:30am, we reached the WOC trailhead just after 6am. Andy H., Mike D., Paul W., and I climbed together throughout the day. Oh, the four of us, and dozens of other climbers from across the Mid-Atlantic. Nonetheless, there was more than enough ice for everyone.
We started off at the Lower Falls, which were the most frozen I've ever seen them. The left and right sides were fully frozen, and a center line was nearly frozen. I've led alpine ice before, but I led my first water ice pitches this trip. With Mike on belay, I safely led the left side, about 100' WI2, with two screws. This was probably our longest route of the day. I also led the right side, which was a bit shorter and easier. Paul led a few lines as well. We set a TR on each, and took some laps. I would highly recommend a small headwall to the upper-left of the left line. It was rather thin, but on TR, it was a great WI3 section!
Several people noted that the conditions for the Lower Falls were optimal. If you'd like to climb there, I would recommend heading out soon. We climbed climbed a few pitches there before the sun hit, and after it hit, the ice became noticeably weaker. The earlier you reach them, the better.
I had assumed that the Lower Falls was the focus of climbing in WOC. I wondered why everyone kept hiking past us, further up the trail. Little did I know that Second Falls was the epicenter!
We had a great time up at the Second Falls as well. There were lots of folks on the canyon walls climbing long pillars of seepage. Some of the routes looked like solid WI4 from the bottom, and would be leadable. We headed down to the falls, and climbed some steep lines on the left side. It was nice and shady down there, so the ice kept its integrity. For comic relief, some folks almost broke through the pool. I led a line that was WI2/3, and provided me with quite a challenge. I was very proud of myself, but Paul and Andy brought the goods, moving fluidly up some steep lines.
At one point, there were three TR lines in a 20' section of ice. I remarked that it was the Carderock of ice climbing, to which I received many laughs.
We had considered heading up to Hawksbill, but given the wealth of ice in WOC, we were happy to be where we were. Truthfully, we could go back for a few more days and not climb the same lines. When the conditions are right, there's a reason that WOC is the epicenter of Mid-Atlantic ice climbing!
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