More specifically, the upper section of the "X-country" section (leaving the Carnegie Institute) below the waterfall/cliff section is totally snowed in.
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 The waterfall/cliffy section WITHOUT snow. Credit: mlilly |
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The next section, after the cliffy section, is a monster snow field that leads up to "the Notch". The snowfield is totally sun-cupped from a few inches deep to 18" deep--firm enough to walk on in the a.m. and soft enough to launch down or glissade in the p.m. Very little post-holing. We walked up the sun-cups to gain the East Ridge to the Notch to the summit plateau.
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 Looking down the East Ridge from the Notch Credit: mlilly |
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There was snow in the down climb gully but it was passable. A small snowfield on the summit down climb, but a small section of 3rd-class rock is passable on both sides of it.
All in all, snowy but definitely do-able. We hike in our approach shoes--no crampons, no gaiters (they would not help much), no mountaineers boots. That said, we were wet the entire day. We did each carry a trekking pole--very helpful.
Weather was perfect, climb was outstanding. We were not the only people to have the idea to do it. There were at least three OTHER parties on the West Ridge and at least two on the North Ridge.
