Vermillion Peak/Ice Lake snowmelt

[ABQbaldy]

Anybody know if the snow has melted out of the Ice Lake basin up to the ridgeline between Fuller and Vermillion Peaks?

[highpilgrim]

Not as of last week. I'll try to find a pic from then...

Fuller Vermillion 2.jpg (304.63 KiB) Viewed 811 times

[ABQbaldy]

Good info. Can you give any more detail? Is Fuller Peak accessible? Ice axe required?

[Double Oh Seven]

I was up there last tuesday 9 days ago and almost all snow was gone or appeared like it could be bypassed i didnt climb vermillion and there was some snow right at the ridgeline so i cant gurantee you can get passed it. I will post a picture when i get home tonight

[highpilgrim]

The snow can be bypassed.

[ABQbaldy]

Wow, yeah. The snow is pretty clear all the way till just right at the ridgeline in that very steep grade where you'd come up against those towers and then you'd like to have an ice axe for about 50 feet. Amazing photo, High Pilgrim!

[Jay521]

Not as of last week. I'll try to find a pic from then...

Fuller Vermillion 2.jpg

Is that Pilot Knob or Golden Horn on the far right? And did you take the picture from V2 ?

Edit: And +1 on what ABQ wrote... GREAT picture!

[SnowAlien]

Wow, yeah. The snow is pretty clear all the way till just right at the ridgeline in that very steep grade where you'd come up against those towers and then you'd like to have an ice axe for about 50 feet.

yep, I was sure glad to have an ax with me because I slipped right in that spot (i just had microspikes and snow balled under). It is a surprisingly steep section and I thought ice ax there was mandatory. I don't think snow is completely bypassable one way or another even now (unless you are coming from lake Hope side). There is another tricky section just before the summit that might require an ax or even an ice tool if the snow is too icy. Here is the TR that describes the conditions (with one of the party turning around at that spot):
http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=15244" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[highpilgrim]

Is that Pilot Knob or Golden Horn on the far right? And did you take the picture from V2 ?

Yep, Jay; the pic was taken from near the summit of V2 and that is Golden Horn on the far right. Pilot Knob is out of view...

Thanks for you and ABQ liking the pic. I'm going to do a TR from the basin to show some of the other shots I got up there, last fall and this summer.

Here's a better wide view from near the same area...

Ice Lake Basin from V2 (2).jpg (299.46 KiB) Viewed 708 times

[12ersRule]

I summitted Vermillion a week or so after Natalie and the snow had melted quite a bit (7/26 I think?).

I brought microspikes and an axe but never really felt the need to use it. That top area is mostly loose dirt and small rocks. There's a good use trail that goes to the top from Fuller lake, but a good deal was still covered in snow. I ended up kicking steps and going straight up the snowfield.

Near the top was a cornice that I had to pull myself over. Basically just did a pullup over it, was about 5-6 feet high.

Note, snowfield a bit steeper than it appears in this pic.

Fuller Vermilion saddle from Fuller

VermilionGoldenHornFromFuller_Web.jpg (132.32 KiB) Viewed 674 times

[Jon Frohlich]

Anybody know if the snow has melted out of the Ice Lake basin up to the ridgeline between Fuller and Vermillion Peaks?

Two of us climbing it on Saturday. Depends on when you need the info but I can post some pics after.

[ABQbaldy]

Expect to be climbing it tomorrow a.m..