Elmore Mountain 2-6-13

[Forester Jake]

This afternoon Fisher Cat and I needed to get out so we went for a quick hike up Elmore. Parking at the Elmore General Store, Scott donned his Micro Spikes and I wore my crampons. We struck across windswept Lake Elmore and up onto the Catamount Trail. Picking up the trail to the summit, conditions were good, shallow frozen snow with small patches of ice up to the old fire wardens cabin. From there conditions changed to steep and dangerous water ice due to the warm rain / thaw last week. Too difficult to ascend with micro spikes, we bushwacked up to the ridgeline, picking up the Balanced Rock trail then head southbound to the fire tower. Gusty snow squalls left a fresh 2" of snow and poor views from atop the fire tower.
Conditions good, but be aware the the uppermost section through the steep ledges, with its very deep water ice, is too dangerous to ascend / descend without crampons (& an axe even). Bushwacking north towards the ridgeline proper & intersecting the Balance Rock trail is a much safer alternative