14ers.com • Peak Condition Update

Peak:	Mt. Aetna (13er)
Route:	Grand Couloir
Range:	Sawatch
Posted By:	BobbyFinn
Date of Info:	05/12/2013
Date Posted:	05/13/2013

Details
From ~11.2k to ~11.9k we had intermittent postholing on ~2 to ~5 inch crust over wet, faceted snow. We bailed out of the couloir to the ridge on climber's right at 11.9k. This sucked. Don't do it. It would be better to take the climber's left ridge. There was a weak freeze the night before our hike. It got very warm on 5/12, but the couloir needs more time and more hard freezing. There was evidence of multiple wet slides in the couloir coming from the ridge on climbers left. They were sliding on a dust layer. We did not need snowshoes for the approach road. Pic 1 - Aetna Grand Couloir from Monarch Pass on 5/11/13 Pic 2 - Grand Couloir from about 10.9k ish.

Details

From ~11.2k to ~11.9k we had intermittent postholing on ~2 to ~5 inch crust over wet, faceted snow. We bailed out of the couloir to the ridge on climber's right at 11.9k. This sucked. Don't do it. It would be better to take the climber's left ridge.

There was a weak freeze the night before our hike. It got very warm on 5/12, but the couloir needs more time and more hard freezing.

There was evidence of multiple wet slides in the couloir coming from the ridge on climbers left. They were sliding on a dust layer.

We did not need snowshoes for the approach road.

Pic 1 - Aetna Grand Couloir from Monarch Pass on 5/11/13
Pic 2 - Grand Couloir from about 10.9k ish.

Comments or Questions

WSN	TH status? 05/14/2013 06:24 What is the situation about the TH? How far is it from where you park to the base of couloir?
BobbyFinn	TH 05/14/2013 15:53 We were able to drive ~.4 miles up the road. There is room for 3 cars to park on the left side of the road there. This is a little short of the turn off to get to the cemetery. You'll be able to drive to the cemetery turn off soon. From where we parked, it was about 2 miles to the base. The road is definitely 4WD.