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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6 |
Want to know if anyone has been on the trail the past week-can you describe the conditions of the bowl that people are summiting (instead of the switchbacks) as well as the trail crest? 3 of us are set to climb Thursday the 15th and I am having some anxiety regarding snow/ice as we are new to using ice ax, crampons. Any advice or descriptions of these parts of the trail would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!! Thank you so much...mandymoore
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 35
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 35 |
Hi Mandy,
Check out the 'current trail conditions' topic posted by Robert Rainey a couple days ago.
The conditions won't have changed drasticly since then, there are great pictures of the trail.
I have been there twice, did day hikes each time. What will be an advantage for you coming down will be if you can glissade down this 'bowl', but watch out for rocks just under the snow.
I don't think I would take the axe or crampons, maybe others can add to this, but right now I don't think you'll need them.
I have started at midnight, using head lamps obviously. Reason being that when you get up to the snow, it is still hard from the night cool temperatues thus not so much postholing. If you can 'slide' down, this will be sweet.
Enjoy, and best of luck
Lance
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 35
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Posts: 35 |
Hi again,
I would suggest poles. The cables are down, and when you're trying to hike the ice/snow that may be there, the stability is great.
Lance
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 447
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 447 |
Mandy, here is an old pic of the chute from Trail Camp to Trail Crest around the same time of year. Take crampons just in case, but you most likely will not need them. Forget the switchbacks, the straight shot is much easier and enjoyable, have kicked stepped this several times in winter conditions with no crampons. relax and have fun. Dave. http://community.webshots.com/photo/108997220/108998012LZqIJf
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 18
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 18 |
My wife and I went to the summit on Saturday. I will upload some pictures later. As mentioned earlier, the post from last week with pictures is exactly what we had this week. I am sure you will face the smae conditions.
Right after Lone Pine Lake the trail disappears in snow almost everyone gave up on the standard trail and took a direct route traversing the left side of the valley up to Consultation Lake and then back over to Trail Camp. By mid morning the snow conditions are soft so that you could go without crampons. However, we wore them the whole way. I only saw two people without crampons and I don’t know if they made the summit.
The climb up the face is sketchy looking but I recommend you wait for a few groups to go ahead and allow for the snow to soften (8am start). This way you can just follow the steps made by those with more experience. Also the snow will be softer which will require less technique. I don’t recommend poles over ice axe on this climb. We used pole to trail camp and axe to the summit. The axe is critical for self-belay on the accent and then for glissading on the decent.
If you have no experience then your only choice at this late time is to read about the use of crampons and ice axe. You have no time to take a class so this is a must for the basics. I saw many stupid people up there this weekend. I saw people starting to glissade with their crampons and when I recommend they take them off they said, “Oh, thanks this is my first time”. Later I watched as a person explained self-arrest with an ice axe totally wrong to his group, as they got ready to glissade the face. I did not interrupt but though what could be worse then to have come up the face without knowing the most basic safety.
By far the worst thing that happened was there was a large group of 40+’s that left one person on the trail between trail crest and the summit. We found him on our descent in a drunken stupor!! He asked how far to the summit and I told him there was no way he would make it and he need to descend. He agreed explaining that he did not feel good but did no know how to get back!!! He then asked if I could help him – it was right out of “In to Thin Air” – I was shocked to be but in this position!!
I am not so comfortable with what I said but I told him “I will lead him to Trail Crest but I cannot be responsible for you and I cannot get you down the face”. We lead him back and helped past a few difficult snow areas. Below the crest we stopped to bundle up of the glissade and I gave him a few pointers on how to use his axe and then move to the crest. He did not follow, I am embarrassed to say, but I felt a bit relieved. We glissaded down and hiked back to our tent at trail camp. About an hour later he came staggering into trail camp and I felt so relieved. With shock I watched as he staggered by his large group without noticing them (I did not know he was with them at the time). Then one of his group yelled, “Hey we are over here – did you make it”. No one asked if he was ok they just went on about how they all made it. No one even came to help him. I cannot tell you the rage I felt as I watched this happen!!!!
Bottom line is this is not a very difficult climb and the most basic skill and respect will reward you with your goal – but don’t be one of these idiots and don’t let one endanger you.
Good luck be safe and be smart.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6
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Posts: 6 |
Mandy,
I was at trail camp the same day as bfrank. Like frank said, an ice ax and crampons are very necessary for the bowl (where the switchbacks are covered in snow). My group of 4 decided against acending the bowl to trail crest because we had no previous experience with crampons. I've read about self arrest and how to glissade in Freedom Of The Hills (a very good book), but had never actually done it.
If you do decide to push for the summit, I'd reccomend picking up a copy of Freedom of The Hills today, reading up on self arrest and glissading, and then testing out those techniques on a safe somewhat steep section of snow.
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