enem Posted May 19, 2003 Posted May 19, 2003 has anyone been up recently ? how far ? any open crevasses ? thx Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted May 20, 2003 Posted May 20, 2003 Was up there yesterday 5/18. We camped just below the glacier on saturday night and planned on heading out around 2am. It snowed on and off all night. By the time we got going around 2:45am where we were camped the snow was nice and packed. After when moved onto Heliotrope Ridge proper the snow started to get really deep and we had to break trail after some camps higher up than ours. After reaching around 8500' near the base of the highest Black Butte the snow turn from just-above-the-knees postholing to chest deep backstroking. We decided to turn around there because it was just getting light and we figure it woould take us most of the rest of the day to tag the top. I would say that if we got a couple of real nice days with no precipitation and high temps it may go, but plan on doing some serious post-holing in some areas. Good luck. Quote
enem Posted May 20, 2003 Author Posted May 20, 2003 weekend_climberz: thanks for the info. and dru: skis, tho' with no sub-freezing temps forecasted for the rest of the week, there shalt be mush i dare say...still way better than postholing... Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted May 20, 2003 Posted May 20, 2003 i think dru was asking why they didn't take them... Quote
Dru Posted May 20, 2003 Posted May 20, 2003 ya when i saw ol Weekend Climberz write "chest deep post holing" that was the thought that came to mind, why the hell would anyone go up there at this time of yr without flotation devices especially when there was freshiez coming down to 3000' on friday afternoon? Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted May 21, 2003 Posted May 21, 2003 how probably would a one day ascent be? assuming you started early in the night on the approach? is the snow really tha bad with snowshoes? gracias Quote
Bill_Simpkins Posted May 21, 2003 Posted May 21, 2003 Leave at midnight. If your average-paced, it shouldn't be a problem. Still have time for a nap halfway up . That is when you can drive to the parking lot and if you don't need snowshoes. I heard of a badass with skies doing it in 6 hours, car-to car. Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted May 21, 2003 Posted May 21, 2003 so mabe if i left at 8:00 or a bit later it wouldn't be a problem...i wanna go sailing saturday damnit! oh well mabe i'll scrap the sailing... Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted May 24, 2003 Posted May 24, 2003 road is cleared within 200 meters of the trail head should be completely melted out in a couple of days as it is warm up there. Quote
enem Posted May 26, 2003 Author Posted May 26, 2003 went up the 23 and 24th, road indeed clear to the trailhead, patchy snow up to the kulshan cabin site, than mushy aaall the way to how far we got, which was the saddle at 9000, where we turned back due to visibility down to 30ft and strong gusty winds. encountered only one slightly open crevasse on the upper coleman. things looked pretty stable, considering the warm temps, saw only minor sluffs but some more noticeable rockfall. Â best skiing btw 5 and 7000ft. did on lap after setting camp friday night, have never skied bc at 9 pm...add good snow, great views and it adds up to a good trip, even without summiting... Quote
skyclimb Posted May 26, 2003 Posted May 26, 2003 Was that your rope team of four coming up the escalator hill to black buttes at 2:00 sat. morning?? I was dude on snowshoes coming down from snowcave! Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted May 26, 2003 Posted May 26, 2003 and i was the one who talked to you about the snowcave... how was it without flotation? Quote
tobytortorelli Posted May 26, 2003 Posted May 26, 2003 that snowcave looked like a cool spot for a sleep!! (seemed like you may of had a little water perculation(sp?) problem though??) Those spires and notches along the ridge are inspiring. The water running of that rock, then getting blasted by the wind before it hit the ground!!!! YES! Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted May 26, 2003 Posted May 26, 2003 yeah we actually kicked the roof down so no-one would walk on top of it and it would cave in... that is why there was only a 2 foot roof...it was sweet digs for the night.. Quote
enem Posted May 27, 2003 Author Posted May 27, 2003 that wasn't us. we were a group of 3 on skis, i think we did talk to tobyt though... Quote
robert Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 I am planning a trip this weekend. Was some form of flotation a huge help last weekend, or should we plan to leave the snowshoes at home? Quote
skyclimb Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 Snowshoes are a must. Fence sitter and myself took turns making trail in snowshoes. However fence mainly took honors! Thank god. Without some form of flotation you b fucked. Check the freezing levels. If it has gotten really cold this week(doubtful) then it may be hardened up. Quote
robert Posted May 29, 2003 Posted May 29, 2003 It hasn't been cold, so snowshoes it is. Thanks for the update. Quote
JoshK Posted May 31, 2003 Posted May 31, 2003 used the C/D for a descent today (on skis, actually) conditions are good. if you climb when the snow is hard, I can't imagine flotation would be needed. things seem to have consolidated well. Quote
Dru Posted May 31, 2003 Posted May 31, 2003 a week of +25C does wonders for da solidity of da sno Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted May 31, 2003 Posted May 31, 2003 i was feeling that too! my face was roasted...even with sundscreen! it was scorchin up there... (that is what my face looked like! ) haha Quote
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