Icy patches starting very low, but could be bare booted until about 15 minutes before the hut. At that point 2 of the 3 of us had put on microspikes. The least experienced, who had microspikes on, went up a very steep part and slid about 20 feet down until she was stopped by some bushes and me (complete with a cut on my calf from a spike, luckily it was superficial). My partner put on his crampons, and walked up with the hiker that slipped, pulling her with him. I kept my microspikes on and did a very small detour in the woods for the 10 foot section. After that we had microspikes until tree line.
No ice from treeline to summit. We were originally planning to do a circuit, but falling waters was apparently a sheet of hard ice, and we were concerned about the 3rd member of our party. After all, the group is only as strong as the weakest member. So to be safe, we went down the same way we went up, and kept our microspikes on until the trail leveled off and we could safely navigate any ice in bare boots. It went very quickly, and as the ice had softened somewhat, the most difficult part on the way up was not difficult at all on the way down, with traction.
There were many people going up, and down, without any traction devices, or with insufficient traction, such as yak trax. In our opinion, this was unsafe. Apart from a couple people who obviously had a lot of experience, people were having a very hard time, slipping like crazy, and it was very slow going for these people. There were a lot of broken branches along the trail, no doubt from people desperately hanging on to trees on the side of the trail. Even though the ice was softening, it was still very slick.
Some mud on the way down from melting ice, but nothing too terrible, most could be walked through without paying much attention, and 2 places needed a bit of attention. This will obviously get worse as more ice melts.
Special equipment: decent traction, poles helpful, gaiters not needed.
No ice from treeline to summit. We were originally planning to do a circuit, but falling waters was apparently a sheet of hard ice, and we were concerned about the 3rd member of our party. After all, the group is only as strong as the weakest member. So to be safe, we went down the same way we went up, and kept our microspikes on until the trail leveled off and we could safely navigate any ice in bare boots. It went very quickly, and as the ice had softened somewhat, the most difficult part on the way up was not difficult at all on the way down, with traction.
There were many people going up, and down, without any traction devices, or with insufficient traction, such as yak trax. In our opinion, this was unsafe. Apart from a couple people who obviously had a lot of experience, people were having a very hard time, slipping like crazy, and it was very slow going for these people. There were a lot of broken branches along the trail, no doubt from people desperately hanging on to trees on the side of the trail. Even though the ice was softening, it was still very slick.
Some mud on the way down from melting ice, but nothing too terrible, most could be walked through without paying much attention, and 2 places needed a bit of attention. This will obviously get worse as more ice melts.
Special equipment: decent traction, poles helpful, gaiters not needed.
