icebat

Wow--would've expected at least a little ice after all that snow this past winter.

Your plan (1 night Horse Camp/1 night Lake Helen) sounds like a good, conservative way to do the climb. Many will disagree, but I am convinced that rushing up from sea level and sleeping at 10,400+ is not a good way to acclimatize. I would put the priority on getting a good night's rest. The day sortie should help reset your respiration rate to the higher elevation. Night 2 at Lake Helen has the disadvantage of the weather/wind issue (I've been hammered by wind up there), plus the additional elev. which could make sleep difficult. That said, it's a long way from Horse Camp to the summit. Cutting it in half is probably a good compromise. You might enjoy the Avalanche Gulch Trip Report I just posted on my site. Andy

The Backcountry.net has an active board on backcountry skiing in the Sierra: http://www.thebackcountry.net/bb/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=21094eae65cd69d7a787b53e0b26969e Andy