Discussion Topic |
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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 13, 2008 - 04:19pm PT
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Hi all- how's the descent in May on a heavy snow year? How much extra time to allot? Thanks!
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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May 13, 2008 - 04:53pm PT
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It will involve a lot of rappels right now, unless you have boots and an ice axe. Better to do it in July.
[Edit to add: the above was from a friend who did it on April 19 - I didn't check the date and probably a lot is melted out by now. But it is one of the sketchier descents in Yosemite, so dry would be nice.]
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Ω
climber
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May 13, 2008 - 05:28pm PT
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Are you talking about this year? This is a very dry year and there is very little snow if any.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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May 13, 2008 - 06:22pm PT
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Jim,
That photo doesn't show into the gullies where the snow is, although it does show that snow remains in similar slopes above the gully and there is some along the creek.
This is a somewhat below average snow year.
Darshan did it on April 19 and said it was steep hard snow in the gully and they had to leave all their runners to do rappels. I'm sure some of the snow has melted since then, but given that there is still snow in the Cathedral Chimney / Katwalk descent from Middle, and Sentinel is higher, there is probably still snow in there. And often a couple of snow bridges across that creek too.
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burp
Trad climber
Salt Lake City
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May 13, 2008 - 06:44pm PT
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Cool pic!
Does the descent come down to the left or right while looking at the picture? Just curious.
burp
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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May 13, 2008 - 06:50pm PT
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Yeah, way more snow than you would guess from that photo, but just get up there and you will deal with it, cause ya gotta.
I did it( the descent) the last weekend of May in a heavy Snow year with haulbags (West face) we did not savor it, but were popping beer in the lodge lot by three.
steck salad (camp to camp) we were down, talking to walt over OEs way before it got dark.
If you can do SS, the descent, though it will be worse than you want it to be, wont really be an issue.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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May 13, 2008 - 06:56pm PT
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This photo from some past year (from summitpost.org) shows the creek alongside the left side of Sentinel which you have to cross twice on the descent.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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May 13, 2008 - 07:29pm PT
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I made the descent from In Cold Blood on May 21, 1973, which had more snowfall than this year. We had no serious troubles crossing the creek or descending the gully. The weather is supposed to be hot by the end of this week. I'd say don't worry.
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| Messages 1 - 8 of total 8 in this topic |
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