RickB.
Active member
Jewell Trail is now nicely packed to timberline. We left Jewell above timberline and ascended/traversed, contouring a couple hundred feet above the Sphinx Col elevation on windpack and some deep stuff and intersecting Gulfside close to the Col. Gulfside is snowshoe broken and postholed in the drifts, but generally in great shape. On our return we took the lower traverse back to Jewell broken out by Roger, the Shrubber, who must have had a pact with the spruce because it was almost trap-free. This route comes into Gulfside right at the Col and avoids almost all the PUD factor, highly recommended. A little ice in places, not at all bad.
We wore snowshoes car-to-car to avoid postholing, but, once on Gulfside, encountered bunches of people on a Presi Traverse (nice to see Georg and Erica) who were bare booting without problems. Snowshoes probably still advisable on Jewell for efficiency.
It just doesn't get any better than today. Incredible esthetics, perfect trail and weather conditions and great hiking companions. Striking undercast most of the day. Cameras slowed us down big time. Morgan, Amy wants your phone number.
RickB., Amy, Joni and John L
[email protected]
We wore snowshoes car-to-car to avoid postholing, but, once on Gulfside, encountered bunches of people on a Presi Traverse (nice to see Georg and Erica) who were bare booting without problems. Snowshoes probably still advisable on Jewell for efficiency.
It just doesn't get any better than today. Incredible esthetics, perfect trail and weather conditions and great hiking companions. Striking undercast most of the day. Cameras slowed us down big time. Morgan, Amy wants your phone number.
RickB., Amy, Joni and John L
[email protected]
