Mt Liberty from Basin parking, Sun 2/19/2012

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RoySwkr

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While this winter may be great for people who don't like wearing snowshoes, it's terrible for people like me who don't like walking in spikes. All of the NH4k I tried so far I quit early when the ice got too bad for my taste. But today there was an inch or so of fresh snow on top of the hardpack which made a good walking surface.

As usual this winter I had things to do at home and didn't get started hiking until nearly 10. I parked at the Basin NB where there were only a few cars some of which were Basin visitors. For some reason the snowmobiles didn't seem to pack the bike path as there was still loose snow on top coming back. I was pleased to see that the Ellozy Cutoff was tracked out, not that it saves a lot of distance but it's a nice psychological boost early on. Starting maybe halfway up, there was a clown-car load of people and dogs coming down - singles, couples, and small groups wearing a variety of creepers, crampons, mini-snowshoes or just boots. I wasn't sure why all these people had chosen the same mountain or how they could all fit into the cars until I realized that some had started at the Flume or elsewhere. There was a packed groove in the trail which buried all the roots and loose rocks found in the summer, although when I stepped aside to let people go by I often sank a couple feet. I had worn my boots with flat soles which best fit my G10s and don't have particularly good traction, but even so there were only a few steep spots where I had to place my feet carefully.

I stopped for lunch at the campsite and hid my water bottles behind the sign to cut down on weight for the final push, but needn't have bothered. I hadn't remembered that the trail up to the ridge wasn't as steep as some sections below, although I had remembered that the ridge was mostly easy. About .1 miles from the summit I decided I wasn't as young and agile as I used to be and put on crampons, which turned the last couple of scrambles from an adventure into a cakewalk. In seven previous snow-season visits, I had usually used snowshoes but never crampons. It was overcast with flurries and only nearby peaks were visible, so after touching various high rocks I didn't linger. I had thought that with my late start and slow pace I'd be the last one on the mountain, but as far down as the campsite I was still meeting day hikers going up. Once I took the crampons off I could glide right along more easily than summer, although I didn't do the leaping and sliding that some younger folks were. It was an easy walk down with even the uphill on the bikepath going well, and after the obligatory visit to the tramway exit I was back to the grocery store before sunset.
 
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