Pikes Peak Conditions

[MuchosPixels]

Hi, I hiked up Barr Trail to Barr Camp the 30th and attempted the summit from Barr camp the 31ist and Hiked down from Camp the 1st.

The trail up to 1/2 mile before barr camp was very dry. Near and above camp the micro spikes were almost mandatory to make good progress safely. That was the 30-31st. The 1st was much warmer and the ice and snow was much softer but keep in mind that might change to hard ice again at night and after a cold spell. But I could tell there was a lot of melting going on the 1st.

I got up from camp to the a frame pretty easily and was just enjoying the blue bird day but could hear the wind gusting over the top of the trees when heading up. At treeline I could feel the gusts and almost lost a glove at a frame. The creek was frozen solid. I probed with my trekking pole to find a weakness to see if I could get some water but no luck. I still had some 2L so I proceeded. I could see the trail after the 3 mile to summit sign but barely. It was drifted in so I headed south at the sign. I got to the snow gully and the snow was styrofoamish, very nice but couldnt support my weight consistently but it definitely wasnt corn or slush at all. Temps probably low to mid 20's at this point. I was comfortable in my base, marmot variant hybrid fleece (front zipper open) and the shell (first ascent frontpoint) zippered up. I put on my mittens at treeline and were really a must. I had smartwool mountaineering socks and my regular vasque hiking boots with the kahtoola microsprikes. My feet were fine, never felt the need for anything more.

Since the snow couldnt support me well I crossed the snow gully (made two big x's with my poles at the spot I crossed) and traversed a bit towards the south east ridge and found my way through the maze fo snow drifts (1-3ft deep) and bigger boulders just left (south) of the snow gully. I meandered my way up about 1000 ft vertical through the easier path I could find. BUT, the wind kept knocking me down at times. Wind was very inconsistent. There wasnt any steady wind but strong gusts would just rumble down the slope from the west at irregular intervals. Most times I could brace and just hold on for a few seconds till it passed. It was nuts it went from 0mph to 50-60 in a second and howl then stop. After a while I decided to call it quits and started heading down, at 13,000 ft.

I was alone up there, there wasnt anybody above Barr Camp that day. I figured the decent was going to be tough. I knew I could just keep heading up. slowly but I knew I could make it, maybe. But I was extremely worried about the descent. I felt fine, wasnt cold but knew that the risk of twisting an ankle or even breaking a bone in that terrain and gusty random wind was a very high possibility. So I headed down, found my marks and quickly went down past the a frame and into the trees and much safer terrain. I recall I had left barr camp at 8am and was down at camp around 2pm I think.

I later learned that that morning they closed the road o the top, the train and obviously the summit house, due to 80-100mph gusts. So I was going to be quite alone up there.

Overall I had fun. The east wall of pikes is just an amazing place to be.

I packed up and left the next morning (april 1st). Hiked down with Bryan (who I met the day before when he got to camp)and he told me he made it to a frame that morning (april 1st) and didnt go any further due to the wind gusts. BUT, as I was heading down to m springs I could tell the wind was decreasing. I decided to drive to the top to check things out. Lo and behold the summit was free from wind, just 15-30mph win which is nothing for that place. Overall there is a lack of snow in all areas of Pikes Peak.

I will write a full report with pics.