Peak Condition Update | Snowmass Mountain

Peak:	Snowmass Mountain
Route:	East Slopes
Range:	Elk
Posted By:	Bryan 1960
Date of Info:	6/24/2019
Date Posted:	6/24/2019

Details
I was planning to ski the snowfield the weekend of June 29, but hiked up Saturday 6/22 to recon the route (45 degrees, periodic rain on 6/22/19). IMO, the logjam is currently impassable, at least for me. The lake/pond/marsh is very swollen to the point that the logs in the logjam are buoyed and will move, shift and rotate under your weight. The high water level has reduced the stability of the logs to the point that I felt that trying to cross it was a poor decision. Others may deem the the risk acceptable, but in my view the mountain will still be there in a few weeks when the water is lower, the logs are stable and the temps are warmer. Other notes: 1. the avy debris paths others have mentioned have been cleaned up to the point that they no longer slow you down - other than to gawk at the enormous amount of energy released in these slides. 2. Snowmass creek is raging torrent. Really impressive and deafening when the trail gets close to it.. 3. From the view up bear creek at 4 miles it is amazing how much snow is still at the higher elevations. This leads me to believe that the logjam lake will remain swollen and the logs unstable for some time to come. 4. I started to encounter small snow deposits over the trail at about 5.75 miles, but nothing more than this up to the logjam at about 6.5 miles. 5. Very few tracks in the small snowfields leads me to think very few people have been up there this Spring. I doubt if anyone has summited from the East Slopes route since the very impressive guy on 4/21, when the logjam was likely frozen in place and stable. Bottom line here, at least for me, is that the logjam is unstable and represents a significant risk of taking a freezing bath. It seems likely to stay that way for quite awhile given the enormous amount of snow still on the peaks that drain into Snowmass Lake/Snowmass Creek.

Details

I was planning to ski the snowfield the weekend of June 29, but hiked up Saturday 6/22 to recon the route (45 degrees, periodic rain on 6/22/19). IMO, the logjam is currently impassable, at least for me. The lake/pond/marsh is very swollen to the point that the logs in the logjam are buoyed and will move, shift and rotate under your weight. The high water level has reduced the stability of the logs to the point that I felt that trying to cross it was a poor decision. Others may deem the the risk acceptable, but in my view the mountain will still be there in a few weeks when the water is lower, the logs are stable and the temps are warmer.

Other notes:

1. the avy debris paths others have mentioned have been cleaned up to the point that they no longer slow you down - other than to gawk at the enormous amount of energy released in these slides.

2. Snowmass creek is raging torrent. Really impressive and deafening when the trail gets close to it..

3. From the view up bear creek at 4 miles it is amazing how much snow is still at the higher elevations. This leads me to believe that the logjam lake will remain swollen and the logs unstable for some time to come.

4. I started to encounter small snow deposits over the trail at about 5.75 miles, but nothing more than this up to the logjam at about 6.5 miles.

5. Very few tracks in the small snowfields leads me to think very few people have been up there this Spring. I doubt if anyone has summited from the East Slopes route since the very impressive guy on 4/21, when the logjam was likely frozen in place and stable.

Bottom line here, at least for me, is that the logjam is unstable and represents a significant risk of taking a freezing bath. It seems likely to stay that way for quite awhile given the enormous amount of snow still on the peaks that drain into Snowmass Lake/Snowmass Creek.

Comments or Questions

dcsheldon	Thanks 6/24/2019 12:37pm Thanks for the info!
acmercer	I salute you 6/25/2019 7:27am Sounds like getting across will require a resilience to hypothermia or a pack raft. Your report confirms information I received from the Aspen-Sopris ranger district last week. They don't recommend a Snowmass Creek crossing at the present time. I'm heading out there Saturday morning but doubt conditions will improve much. I'll update the board accordingly. Appreciate your trail details!
HeartBreaker	Thanks 6/25/2019 4:42pm Yes thanks, appreciate the info. Trying to get up there next week but looking doubtful. Can't tell if I want it to melt faster or slower at this point!
mountainute	Thanks much 6/25/2019 11:26pm for the detailed info. That's what I have been thinking, given all creeks are swollen and the logjam is clearly a critical point during spring runoff. Did you see whether the banks of the lake were snow free? Probably not from the mile 6.5. We'll find some other peak to climb. - mountainute

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