Any new ice climbing areas open up as a result, e.g. different melt patterns?
Any ice climbing areas improve?

There are certainly some differences from the late 70s/early 80s, but that seems to have been an unusually cold/snowy period. The overal temps, at least in the northeast, have been stable for about 13 years, so unlikely to see much change in the near future.
Some of the best ice conditions are after we get lots of snow melt and then everything re-freezes.
We might be entering a colder phase globally that may last 10-30 years based on sun spot activity changes. We'll see. I'm told that the last time the sun spots were this low, during a period that should be rapidly building, we entered the "Little Ice Age" in the late 1600s. Smike is feeling it.

I forgot to add that there was significant Volcano activity that added to the changes in the late 1600s.

A summer shortcut sea route (Northwest Passage) from Europe to & from east Asia might be one benefit. Improved ice climbing? Lots of luck. And wouldn't palm trees look nice in New Paltz?

OK, so maybe a Northwest Passage etc. would make access to ice climbs in Baffin Island easier?
C'mon, people, ideas here.

"Northwest Passage" no such luck: http://www.intellicast.com/Community/Content.aspx?ref=rss&a=199

Everything is a cycle, beyond any influence man thinks he has had, or will....