ScaredSilly

FWIW I used Komito for several years. But Steve slowed down quite a bit in the past couple of years - he is well into his seventies and is a one person operation. The last time I had shoes to him he got so far behind that he had given up on the usual FIFO system and went to who was calling and wanting their shoes.

The process is being followed. In these types of cases there is no requirement that the FS put such a change out to public comment. That is because there is an issue, safety that needs to be addressed. Such actions are quire common. I have seen this occur at other trailheads, they get slightly overcrowded but there are no issues, but then get really overcrowded and something has to change. What should be looked at is how best accommodate the large number of people. Does that mean operating a shuttle? Expanding the parking? That does require public involvement.

If they are Sportiva shoes I send them to Rock and Resole as they have the Sportiva lasts so the shoes come back great.

Nice sleuthing and good conclusion to the snow pack.

Nice, like Jason we had the hill to ourselves. The interesting bit is that though less snow the shrund was crossable. We had more snow but the shrund was wide open. Here is a picture of the summit ridge from July 2014.

Bring a duffle and bag check it at Timberline Lodge.

I can not remember how high we camped but we were not too far from the toe of the Jeff Park Glacier. Maybe around 7k??? The Mill Creek facing west can be interesting and will have the potential for wet slides.

We did a single rappel to the west. Which seems pretty standard as from there one can traverse to Red Saddle via the west side of the summit pinnacle. Regarding a descent. We headed down the Mill Creek Glacier which was wet and sloppy. But then gained the Russell Glacier which we traversed to the Jeff Park Glacier. Not sure it was any better than going via the Whitewater Glacier but we did get a great bum slide in.

I think you will find the glacier portion to be okay if the shrund can be crossed. But given the overall snow conditions (poor) the ridge is going to be choss. Getting to the summit will probably be okay but then there is the descent. Which is going to be sloppy.

Nice, especially taking time to enjoy the view.

Very nice and way to do something different.

The numbers are for people attempting the routes ... not necessarily those who were successful.

I looked at pictures from when we did it the ~1 July 2016 and the conditions look to be about the same. That seemed to be a normal year. So I would say conditions are a month ahead.

Did anyone else look at the photos posted by the NPS? It looks to me that they might have hunkered down in a crevasse as there is no sign of them in the photos.

The ridge is how I like my martinis, dry.