This trail could benefit from two things: more snow, and less postholes. Today, we found the trail to be a rock-solid, frozen pock-marked path with 2-3 inches of fresh powder. That was soon packed and scattered by the many weekend hikers. Many areas of the first mile were almost bare, with protruding rocks. It is not the nice, smooth winter highway that we look forward to all summer. Most hikers were at least starting out in snowshoes, maybe to straddle the postholes. Eventually, the icy ledges made microspikes safer, but hikers were still floating on top of the hard surface unless they got off the trail. Some were wearing full crampons.
Our original intention was to head over to Rocky Peak Ridge. The snow after the junction was deep enough to warrant changing back to snowshoes. An impressive ice flow a couple of hundred feet down into the col made us change our minds. Others were continuing though, some with crampons and ice ax. We could hear the winds howling, which also influenced our decision on this day.
Our original intention was to head over to Rocky Peak Ridge. The snow after the junction was deep enough to warrant changing back to snowshoes. An impressive ice flow a couple of hundred feet down into the col made us change our minds. Others were continuing though, some with crampons and ice ax. We could hear the winds howling, which also influenced our decision on this day.
