14ers.com • Peak Condition Update

Peak:	Bard Peak (13er)
Route:	via Parnassus
Range:	Front
Posted By:	madmattd
Date of Info:	09/02/2018
Date Posted:	09/02/2018

Details
Traversed over from Parnassus. There is a path from the Parnassus summit to very near the main saddle, though it braids several times. Mostly easy going, just a short stretch of talus around a projection halfway down. The ascent to Bard is mostly path-less, but mostly on tundra and pretty easy going. Overall a Class 2 traverse, I wouldn't even call it 2+ where I traveled, but there are definitely a few spots where you could get into 2+ and maybe even low 3 terrain for a short bit. I dropped down from the Bard-Parnassus saddle and picked up the Bard Creek Trail just below the alpine shoulder others have noted in trip reports, no need to deal with the scree gully (which is all of 50' before the trail appears). Other than a couple hundred yards of large talus near the trail, the descent is mostly steep tundra.

Details

Traversed over from Parnassus. There is a path from the Parnassus summit to very near the main saddle, though it braids several times. Mostly easy going, just a short stretch of talus around a projection halfway down. The ascent to Bard is mostly path-less, but mostly on tundra and pretty easy going. Overall a Class 2 traverse, I wouldn't even call it 2+ where I traveled, but there are definitely a few spots where you could get into 2+ and maybe even low 3 terrain for a short bit. I dropped down from the Bard-Parnassus saddle and picked up the Bard Creek Trail just below the alpine shoulder others have noted in trip reports, no need to deal with the scree gully (which is all of 50' before the trail appears). Other than a couple hundred yards of large talus near the trail, the descent is mostly steep tundra.

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