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 Peak:  Mt. Bierstadt
 Route:  West Slopes
 Range:  Front
 Posted By:  polar
 Date of Info:  4/19/2016
 Date Posted:  4/19/2016
Details

Hiked all the way to the summit in snowshoes. Brought microspikes but didn't need them. There were enough snow for me to stay in snowshoes the whole way. Breakable crust below treeline, between 7-8 am I was sinking to shin to knee deep even with snowshoes on. The willows had a weight supporting crust around 9-10 am, it was actually much easier to cross the willows than hiking up Guanella Pass Road. I did not follow the summer trail because at the steepest part between 12,000 and 12,200 feet it looks like the trail crossed some small wind loaded slope around some rock outcroppings. I chose to go far (climber's) right of the rock band to an open slope with minimal wind loading. Snow condition between the willow and the summit is variable, some thin sections, some powder, some crust. But overall there were surprising amount of powder. A motivated skier that doesn't mind dealing with some thin sections can definitely find enough snow to go top-to-bottom in skis.


Comments or Questions
bgsuvinc
wish I was there the 19th
4/24/2016 1:46pm
cannot make it out there until July 5th darn



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