Lower section of road is driveable with only a few snow drifts. I parked 3 miles in, stopping because I was getting nervous about getting stuck. Someone has been driving ATVs up to 9500, so no snowshoes required until you get into the drainage below the creek crossing. Road was easy snowshoeing. Snow didn't get deep until Lake Como where the trenching became tougher, especially later in the day where the snow turned heavy. A fair amount of snow in the upper basins required more trenching (quickly filling in with snow due to the winds). Blanca didn't have much snow to contend with. Ellingwood had a fair amount of snow, most of it knee deep. The traverse was mostly knee deep with some waist deep sections. Avy danger seemed okay; I spend a LOT of time on dangerous slope angles and nothing seemed ready to slide. Very cold in the basin; the only sun hit was high on Ellingwood.
|