The trail was all clear of snow right up until after the couple of switchbacks after the beaver pond. Then some lovely snow to post hole through. Also there are quite a few trees over the trail in different areas but especially after the beaver pond. Sometimes there were trees on top of other trees. At the lake there were patches of snow but clear where you can camp on the right hand side of the lake. The lake is completely open. As you go around the lake it is all snow and was all right to cross when we did at 4:00am. The snow isn't great after the rocks. We were up there at 8:00am and it had all ready turned into garbage. We went up the left side of the snowmass and made it to the rocks under the ridge to the summit but by then (around 10:00am) we were sinking up to our waists and farther sometimes in snow in places. We would have fairly solid sections then start sinking for other sections. Another climber who was up at the ridge around 7:00am said he was post holing badly then. The log jam is easily managed with low water currently.
|
