2011 BACKCOUNTRY CONDITIONS UPDATES

[quentinc]

Flux, thanks for the report. Thinking of heading into Dusy and maybe over Knapsack next weekend.

[Packtofish]

New Army Pass - 7/16/2011

My wife and I did a three day hike up through Cottonwood Lakes Basin and a dayhike up Langley this last weekend. Conditions were beautiful, trail is completely snow free till just above Long Lake. The skeets were out in force in the meadows during the day, but it wasn't too bad at the lakes. I'd give it a rating of "mildly annoying" on the skeet scale. New Army Pass still has some snow covering the trail and the use of an ice axe proved helpful, but not necessary in midday. There are currently two traverses of about 30ft and 75ft and then it's dry trail on either side. It was a little sporty for my wife who had never experienced anything bordering class 2, let alone a snow slope. It was a non issue if you were careful as there are some nice kicked steps across the areas. We went up to the Left of all the snow trying to stay on a dry rock line, but in hindsight that turned out to be much more effort and exposure than just staying on the trail and doing the traverse. Once on top of the pass all is clear and open as far as I could see and I talked to a guy coming out of Miter that said Sky Blue was clear. Old Army Pass was still a snow climb and I would not recommend heading that way with full packs unless you are comfortable with some mixed climbing.

Here's a few pics.....






Looking towards the top of Langley

[Ursula]

Gorgeous photos! Thanks for posting them. It give the rest of us an idea of the snow melt and it is so nice to see things finally clearing out!

New Army Pass - 7/16/2011

My wife and I did a three day hike up through Cottonwood Lakes Basin and a dayhike up Langley this last weekend. Conditions were beautiful, trail is completely snow free till just above Long Lake. The skeets were out in force in the meadows during the day, but it wasn't too bad at the lakes. I'd give it a rating of "mildly annoying" on the skeet scale. New Army Pass still has some snow covering the trail and the use of an ice axe proved helpful, but not necessary in midday. There are currently two traverses of about 30ft and 75ft and then it's dry trail on either side. It was a little sporty for my wife who had never experienced anything bordering class 2, let alone a snow slope. It was a non issue if you were careful as there are some nice kicked steps across the areas. We went up to the Left of all the snow trying to stay on a dry rock line, but in hindsight that turned out to be much more effort and exposure than just staying on the trail and doing the traverse. Once on top of the pass all is clear and open as far as I could see and I talked to a guy coming out of Miter that said Sky Blue was clear. Old Army Pass was still a snow climb and I would not recommend heading that way with full packs unless you are comfortable with some mixed climbing.

Here's a few pics.....






Looking towards the top of Langley

[ChinMusic]

7/20: Clouds Rest - zero snow to south, very little snow on north, no traction devices

7/19: Sunrise Camp to Sunrise Lakes - little snow camp side. Still some 10-ft deep spots going down to the lakes. Route finding fairly easy. No traction devices

7/19: Cathedral Pass - some minor snow. Route finding fairly easy. No traction devices.

[Flux]

Flux, thanks for the report. Thinking of heading into Dusy and maybe over Knapsack next weekend.

Should be pretty good at that point. Things are changing quick, but there will be snow. Extra socks and an axe. Crampons would be good if you hit steeper sections early up high. But if you wait them out, the sun will gush em up.

[Hobbes]

New Army Pass - 7/16/2011
Old Army Pass was still a snow climb and I would not recommend heading that way with full packs unless you are comfortable with some mixed climbing.

I was up last weekend as well fishing a complete loop of all the CW lakes. I was heading out from #4/5 around 8am (I was the only one around - most were down by the #1/2/3 junction) and ran into a clean-cut kid (22-24 yo - looked like an AF 2nd lieutenant) on his way up over Army to Langley. He looked like he was in great shape, and didn't seem to think it was that challenging to day hike the entire loop from the HM TH.

Thing is, he had neither his crampons nor axe - and if you saw Army, you'd probably be thinking that might be a little gnarly. In fact, kudos to you going over New Army - I met other various people by Long who had turned back from that route as well.

Anyway, to finish the story, later that afternoon around 4pm, I was nearing the HM TH after coming down the SF lake trail. As I was passing someone, I looked over and saw that it was the same kid from earlier that morning. I stopped and said hi and asked him how he had fared.

Well, as you might expect from the tone of this tale, he actually didn't make it over Army. In fact, as he described it, he "involuntarily glissaded" around 300 ft! What! Yep, and somehow he arrested his "descent" via the use of his hands/forearms that looked like he taken a motorcycle spill from both elbows to wrists.

Well, at this point I went into 'dad mode' and asked him if that was his closest near death experience, one that he would later tell to his g/f, wife, kids, etc., that he had experienced to date. Well, of course it was. As we talked a little longer, he mentioned that it took around 20 minutes for the uncontrollable shaking from the post-adrenaline high to wear off. Besides avoiding flying off the side of the mountain, he still couldn't believe he hadn't at least shattered both legs up to his pelvis.

As an aside, he mentioned he had been in scarier situations on other summits, but then I replied that he hadn't fallen. That was one lucky kid. As I took off, I told him he was fortunate to be young - it usually takes me an overnighter or two to expect to travel that far.

PS My brother and I are going over both passes to/from Miter & Crabtree after Labor day.

PPS Just took a look @ the NPS page. Here's what they posted on 7/19:

New Army Pass 7/19 Large snow cornice covering top of switchbacks on eastern side. Can be avoided by going up a rock/dirt chute on the northerly side of the cornice. A 30-yard snow chute needs to be traversed below the cornice. It may require crampons and/or ice axe, depending on the time of day. May be hazardous.

Army Pass 7/19 Not recommended. Impassable except to skilled mountaineers. Lots of snow - ice axe, crampons, etc. necessary.

[quentinc]

Flux, thanks for the report. Thinking of heading into Dusy and maybe over Knapsack next weekend.

Should be pretty good at that point. Things are changing quick, but there will be snow. Extra socks and an axe. Crampons would be good if you hit steeper sections early up high. But if you wait them out, the sun will gush em up.

Did you feel you needed an axe? I did Glen Pass two weeks ago, and although the north side was pretty much covered with snow it was comfortable with hiking poles. The snow was soft enough that you could easily self arrest with your hands if need be. (And not like that self-arrest Hobbes described hearing about on OA! That trail is notorious for icy snow just below the pass, on an insanely steep slope.)

[Packtofish]

New Army Pass - 7/16/2011
Old Army Pass was still a snow climb and I would not recommend heading that way with full packs unless you are comfortable with some mixed climbing.

Anyway, to finish the story, later that afternoon around 4pm, I was nearing the HM TH after coming down the SF lake trail. As I was passing someone, I looked over and saw that it was the same kid from earlier that morning. I stopped and said hi and asked him how he had fared.

Well, as you might expect from the tone of this tale, he actually didn't make it over Army. In fact, as he described it, he "involuntarily glissaded" around 300 ft! What! Yep, and somehow he arrested his "descent" via the use of his hands/forearms that looked like he taken a motorcycle spill from both elbows to wrists.

Well, at this point I went into 'dad mode' and asked him if that was his closest near death experience, one that he would later tell to his g/f, wife, kids, etc., that he had experienced to date. Well, of course it was. As we talked a little longer, he mentioned that it took around 20 minutes for the uncontrollable shaking from the post-adrenaline high to wear off. Besides avoiding flying off the side of the mountain, he still couldn't believe he hadn't at least shattered both legs up to his pelvis.

As an aside, he mentioned he had been in scarier situations on other summits, but then I replied that he hadn't fallen. That was one lucky kid. As I took off, I told him he was fortunate to be young - it usually takes me an overnighter or two to expect to travel that far.

PS My brother and I are going over both passes to/from Miter & Crabtree after Labor day.

PPS Just took a look @ the NPS page. Here's what they posted on 7/19:

New Army Pass 7/19 Large snow cornice covering top of switchbacks on eastern side. Can be avoided by going up a rock/dirt chute on the northerly side of the cornice. A 30-yard snow chute needs to be traversed below the cornice. It may require crampons and/or ice axe, depending on the time of day. May be hazardous.

Army Pass 7/19 Not recommended. Impassable except to skilled mountaineers. Lots of snow - ice axe, crampons, etc. necessary.

Wow, brave kid. Obviously it was not the best decision he's ever made, but I'm glad to hear all turned out OK. There in no chance I would have tried Old Army last weekend, New Army was sporting enough. We probably crossed paths at some point last weekend..... thanks for the update.

[maverick]

Packtofish wrote "Wow, brave kid." Really? Brave.

[Flux]

Flux, thanks for the report. Thinking of heading into Dusy and maybe over Knapsack next weekend.

Should be pretty good at that point. Things are changing quick, but there will be snow. Extra socks and an axe. Crampons would be good if you hit steeper sections early up high. But if you wait them out, the sun will gush em up.

Did you feel you needed an axe? I did Glen Pass two weeks ago, and although the north side was pretty much covered with snow it was comfortable with hiking poles. The snow was soft enough that you could easily self arrest with your hands if need be. (And not like that self-arrest Hobbes described hearing about on OA! That trail is notorious for icy snow just below the pass, on an insanely steep slope.)

We bagged the peak and headed up a fairly steep slope early in the day (Base of Agassiz). Snow was hard and I could have easily slipped, so we needed axes. once we got higher up we transferred to rock from the snow and it got steep. No way I would have walked on that slope without crampons let alone an axe, it was dang steep though and the runout went right into a choke, so no way.

I suppose it depends where you go and when you do it. We glissaded too so having an axe is key! I am not familiar with Knapsack pass, but I would bet there will be no trail and it will be alot of snow. It's hard for me to say, but I always err on the side of caution. I got a lightweight axe that weighs a pound so I can't see a reason not to take it. Again, I think if you hit a slope that was hard and scary, you either back off and wait til it softens or say screw it.

Plus I look all extreme with my axe on my pack, it helps diffuse that desk jockey flatlander sucking wind look that I always have on the trail.