alexmtn
Member
Out-and-back hike from the Kanc over East Osceola to Osceola via the Greeley Ponds and Mt. Osceola Trails
3/14/2016
Trail Conditions: The route is a continuous blue ice flow over 99%+ of its length, from lot to summits. Some very shallow stretches of consolidated snow atop the ice flow help the traction, but they were few and far between, especially on the steep upper pitches. Water crossing was easy. Primary chimney route blocked to anyone without full ice climbing gear. Lower 4th of the alternate route (N edge) was easy bare rock, with manageable ice flows on the upper 3/4.
Special Equipment Required: Light traction OK for low-angle portions, though preferably Hillsound Trail Crampons or better. Full, sharpened crampons essential on the numerous steep pitches. Ice axes helped us feel a little more secure as well.
Comments: The steeps were sometimes by-passable in the adjacent trees with difficulty, but not all the time. The choke point near the top of the east face had no bypass options. We managed with our ice axes and crampons using extreme care, but true security would have required full technical ice gear. Between the peaks on our way to the main peak, we encountered a mother and two young kids (8-12 range) heading to the East peak. We were horrified to learn that they were following the same route as us, using just MicroSpikes! Luck was with them, thankfully - we did not see them again as we completed the hike. Apart from the technical difficulty, the temps and winds were moderate, and the views amazing although a little hazy. Later in the day as we descended, snow ensued, per the day's forecast
alexmtn
3/14/2016
Trail Conditions: The route is a continuous blue ice flow over 99%+ of its length, from lot to summits. Some very shallow stretches of consolidated snow atop the ice flow help the traction, but they were few and far between, especially on the steep upper pitches. Water crossing was easy. Primary chimney route blocked to anyone without full ice climbing gear. Lower 4th of the alternate route (N edge) was easy bare rock, with manageable ice flows on the upper 3/4.
Special Equipment Required: Light traction OK for low-angle portions, though preferably Hillsound Trail Crampons or better. Full, sharpened crampons essential on the numerous steep pitches. Ice axes helped us feel a little more secure as well.
Comments: The steeps were sometimes by-passable in the adjacent trees with difficulty, but not all the time. The choke point near the top of the east face had no bypass options. We managed with our ice axes and crampons using extreme care, but true security would have required full technical ice gear. Between the peaks on our way to the main peak, we encountered a mother and two young kids (8-12 range) heading to the East peak. We were horrified to learn that they were following the same route as us, using just MicroSpikes! Luck was with them, thankfully - we did not see them again as we completed the hike. Apart from the technical difficulty, the temps and winds were moderate, and the views amazing although a little hazy. Later in the day as we descended, snow ensued, per the day's forecast
alexmtn
