First mile from the Fish Hatchery is in excellent condition with packed snow shoe and ski tracks like usual. I started breaking trail with snow shoes at the beginning of the Highline Trail. The trench leaves the Highline Trail and wanders through the trees to the Southwest toward Point 11,827. It ends up just to the South of this point and then heads West to tree line. The trench is not in great shape as I was the only one on it so far. It ranged from ankle deep all the way up to mid thigh in the deepest spots. There was some collapsing "whumphing" of the snow pack in the area near Point 11,827. Fortunately I was on lower angle terrain when it happened. I spent the night around 11,300. Very cold. It was all I could do just to break the trail to tree line and deal with the cold temps. I hope to go back with better weather and trench conditions with a summit attempt of Massive and North Massive.
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