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 Peak:  Mt. Sneffels
 Route:  Southwest Ridge
 Range:  San Juan
 Posted By:  Nelson
 Date of Info:  6/11/2013
 Date Posted:  6/11/2013
Details

I climbed the SW ridge today and it is in excellent condition. I had crampons on and was using the ax from 13,150 to 13650. This is about 75% snow. Above that to the summit it was pretty clean. It was very windy today and this kept the snow firm so you really did need the hardware. After you go through the notch at 13,500 you descend on snow and the reascend on snow up to 13,650. All this snow was very firm.

I descended the standard route. This is 80% snow and was firm enough that I put the spikes back on. The good news is the notch was pretty much melted out and I got through this pretty much like in summer. I did not have to do the class4 high descent.



Comments or Questions
lafutura
User
we saw you!
6/12/2013 3:50pm
hello!

nice job on your 6th time on sneffels!

wookie horn and i were coming up the standard route as you were going down. no question crampons and ice axes were needed to get up the gully. we had to go for the class 4 section to get out of the gully as wookie horn deemed the notch to not be passable going up.

thankfully the two guys behind us who were only dressed for a regular hike saw sense in not continuing to go up the gully.

no question the snow was a lot softer going down - we still used ice axes and crampons, though.


Nelson
User
Congrats
6/16/2013 10:53am
I'm glad you guys had the right equipment and made it.



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