Cerise or Joffre Creek approach?

[sverdina]

Curious as to the driving conditions to the above "trailheads". Cerise is higher, but is it snow-free yet? Interested in Matier's NW Face and Joffre's SW Couloir (Australian Gully?) and descending SE Face, and getting some turns in while we're there as well. What would be the better approach for the above itinerary?

[glassgowkiss]

depends what u want to climb. for the nw face rotes cerise is the only way to go. also for the descent australian gully is the ticket

[PaulB]

I've never been in there at this time of year, but in general I prefer the Cerise Creek approach for everything other than routes on Slalok (Stonecrop Face or West Ridge).

[sverdina]

Thx - based on above comments & info on Biv.com, seems like Cerise is the way to go. Any idea where snow starts? Any sense in packing in skis this time of yr?

[Dru]

go in cerise

 

why the hell would you want to go down the se face at this time of year? just kick steps back down aus gully until you can see your runout then glissade.

 

the snowline is enough you can take the summer approach and drive to the trailhead. no doubt there will be snow around the hut, and patches under the trees lower down.

 

you could take your skis, they will be irrelevant before about 10 am and increasingly useful thereafter. several years ago in late may the snow on the anniversary was too soft to even butt slide in mid afternoon

[snoboy]

Dru giving advice on skis... never thought I'd see the day.

 

Yeah, I'd go in Cerise too, I dunno why anyone would go in via the lakes, unless they wanted to see the lakes, but it sounds like you want to climb.