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Looks like great conditions! Feels wrong to enjoy it while knowing it's not supposed to be like this but it is what it is. Thanks for the TR, will definitely try to make it up this year!

Glad to hear folks were getting after it on the black spider! I kind of assumed there would be plenty of ice but the inversion/warm temps at upper elevations kind of scared me off anything. I guess I was too cautious this time! Also the lack of enjoyable skiing lol. I’d like to get up the right gully if we get a nice day. Seems in fun condition if accessible past the schrund.

Thanks very much for the photo! I just went up by TJ this morning to take a look for myself. Based on my photos, the Eliot HW looked pretty damn good!... but now looking at yours, I'm not so sure. What I thought was blue water ice is maybe just plastered ice/rime...? The upper ice step on the right n face gully looked good too. But both gullies seem very protected by the bergschrund. Hard to say if easily passable.

Anyone been up on the N side?

@SeaLevel at least we did it on purpose this time!

Did a nice variation to the Reid a couple weeks back. The business was all in the first belayed pitch. A fairly steep full length pitch consisting of steps of rock, rime, and ice. Thankfully broken up by more gentle terrain. Required a mixed bag of tricks and pro. Sadly we only had screws and pickets since we intended to go up the standard left Reid route but saw this and did it on a whim. Some nuts would have been nice. There were steps kicked in going up to the base of the first pitch, but it appeared whoever put that booter in turned around without doing the climb. There wasn't obvious evidence of people having climbed it recently. Anyway it was really fun, though harder than expected! Looking up at the first pitch: Climbing the first pitch: Looking down during the first pitch: Approximate route:

Today we did what would have been a fun gully on the east crater wall. I don't know what number it's supposed to be. v4? Or is it between v3 and v4? Anyway it would have been more fun in firmer snow/rime. But we were wallowing in deep snow, and the rime was so fragile it could barely support itself. Though that did make all the excavation easy. Took WAY too long to get up there and we dealt with a lot of hollow snow. Went down v4(?) instead of finishing the traverse. The soft snow made for an absolutely blissful ride down to the lot. Beautiful day ? Also saw a pretty massive avalanche crown on the west crater.

Nick this looks fantastic! Definitely going on my list. I really enjoyed the sawtooths last year and look forward to getting back to see more of Idaho!

Great photos!

Awesome route. So much happening on the Eliot since that solo of yours a month back. How was the top out on your final lap? Any ice left or was it all rock in that upper rockband. We scouted the top Saturday but got socked in by clouds and decided not to try.

Thanks all for the photos and info. The HW looks fantastic. Nice work out there

Hey Nolan how was the ice on the Eliot HW and what top out did you take?

Near rock outcrops it's likely melt from the sun heating the rock. Otherwise steam vents.

LOL Nice work!

Nice to meet you up there too. Looking forward to seeing your TR! Yea I'm not a fan of those mini rides...