still not sold
In response to prino:
we didnt even attempt that... we just walked off in the trees to the right Jan '06 in 4 feet of snow. And descended to the ledges a little more securely.
Snow and Ice definately complicate things more. The saddleback cliffs in snow and ice are more difficult than the section i described during the summer. I have even climbed up the icefall where the armstrong ladder is in years that it was completely covered by ice.
I will admit there is a balancy move coming up the beckhorn in an open book slab.
Saddleback cliffs are higher and may require some mantles, but in terms of actual climbing moves, I think the wall on the west side of colvin's peak has it hands down for technicality in the summer. There is no way I would have wanted to downclimb that splitter crack... now if you went to the right there you could carefully slide on your butt down the wall a good 10-12 feet adjacent a log that someone propped up.
Even basin has its complexities on both sides, but I am not convinced. I was shocked to see that the # 30 something peak (Colvin) for me had this great splitter crack on it that seemed beyond safe to the novice hiker. But then again, how many places in the dacks are impassable without ladders...indian pass, the east side of haystack?
In response to Jay_H
Conversely... Snow and Ice make those boggy sections of trail much easier!
