Stuart-enchantments in march?

[GraH]

Thinking of heading to the Stuart-enchantments in mid-march. Thinking of Gerber-sink, Triple couloirs, or Stuart glacier. Do these routes normally get done in March or is it a total snow slog? 

[JasonG]

Usually it takes some melt/freeze to get ice on these routes, often not coming into good shape until later in April. Given the March we are having I would expect powder, spindrift and rock.

[GraH]

Bummer. Any recommendations for routes or areas of similar quality/style that might be in better condition?

[DPS]

On 3/1/2023 at 4:00 PM, GraH said:

Bummer. Any recommendations for routes or areas of similar quality/style that might be in better condition?

Chair Peak

 

[montypiton]

Gerber/Sink may be OK - more mixed than Triple Couloir, and doesn't hold near as much snow.  NE couloir on Colchuck, but you'd likely have to tunnel through a cornice at top.  On Stuart there are three "seasonal" couloirs between Stuart Glacier Couloir and the old NW Buttress route that disappear by June.   Bill Dobbins and I climbed one of them about ten years ago and took the liberty of naming the trio the Mixed Blessings (easy mixed M-fun).  They should be in reasonable shape, and if not, I've climbed the old NW Buttress route in mixed conditions -- it goes fourth class in dry summer conditions.   Popular couloir routes like Triple couloir or Stuart Glacier couloir typically come in a month or so later; probably a wallow this early.

-Haireball

sorry about the BOLD -- don't know what turned it on, and I was unable to eliminate it.  digitally illiterate...

Edited March 29, 2023 by montypiton
self explanatory