This report is probably useless for 2014 since winter really kicked in the day after we were there. However, maybe it can give a general indication of what it can be like at this time of the year. I'm guessing it had only snowed about 6" in the two weeks prior. However conditions up high were very tough. There was snow filled in between all the boulders and talus, and once you reach the shelter it's pretty much all talus hopping along the ridge line for 2.5 mi. to the summit. To make matters worse because the snow was between rocks it was always soft and never wind blown so you could never count on solid steps on the snow. Traction or snowshoes would have been useless. It took us twice as long to cover the 2.5 mi. ridge as it took to climb the 5 mi. to the shelter. Brutal.
Went down the North Ridge route because we wanted to get as far away from Halo Ridge as possible. Half Moon Pass (1k vertical climb) was worth not having to retrace that ridge in the semi-winter conditions. It seems to me that Halo Ridge would be easier in Summer or Winter. However it really is a long route!! Be careful descending the North Ridge route in snow (it was pretty much all snow down to about 11k ft). It's very easy to lose the trail. Make sure you find your way to the trail leading E over Half Moon Pass. Veer right below tree line across the fall line. If you don't you can end up lost in the valley where dozens of people get lost every summer. Not a good thing in the winter.
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