snowfield peak neve glacier?

[JoshK]

I know I have asked this before, but the search feature is pretty useless when your four search words are about as common as "the". Anyway...I think I remember TRs stating that this glacier is extremely gentle and would make an acceptable solo. Any first hand experience somebody could share?

 

thanks,

-josh

[off_the_hook]

Yep, I have been there twice. The glacier is gentle and both times (late June and late August) the crevasses were not a problem. Enjoy the beautiful area.

[charlesclaassen]

I was up there last week, and the glacier is (for an experienced climber) totally solo-able.

[forrest_m]

trip report

 

if you go to the trip report index an type in "snowfield peak", there are several other TRs

[Snafflehunter]

Hey Josh,

I soloed Snowfield in July of 2004, and it was one of the tamest glaciers I've ever been on, which is ironic because it is a large glacier. That whole place is pretty scenic, and it turned out to be a great trip. If I were to do it over again I'd probably spend 3 days in there and climb Colonial, and Pyramid as well.

[Juan]

Has anyone done this thing in the last two weeks? Would it be too muich for a day trip for the average white guy?

 

Thanks,

 

John Sharp

[DownInAHole]

Has anyone been up the Neve glacier the past few weeks?

[spicoli11]

Is there an echo in here????

[Jake]

Was up in that area a couple weeks ago. Just hiked up Pyramid via the glacier. Colonial Glacier is mostly ice at this point, though we did find a couple well hidden crevasses on it below Paul Bunyan's Stump. The Neve still looked pretty snowy, but I wasn't on it so I can't say with absolute certainty what condition it was in. The crevasses did look fairly straightforward though.

 

The hike from Pyramid Lake up to Col. Glacier is an assbuster if you are out of shape. Pretty steep. Not much water on the trail. The heinous little ponds above treeline may be dry and you could have to find a trickle from snow below Pyramid Pk or use really silty creeks below Col. Glacier.

 

A hike into Snowfield and back in a day would be long and you will want to be in pretty good shape.

[Juan]

I simul-soloed this route yesterday (Sat. 8/27) after catching up to the other solo climber (the other "Red-headed John") part way up the Neve Glacier. We finished the climb together, which was fun. Neither of us had a rope, and the glaciers (both Colonial and Neve) are as broken as any glacier I've ever been on in many years, so care must be taken. The glaciers are mostly ice, melting fast, and passable with a great deal of zig-zagging and easy stepping/jumping across cracks. Aluminum crampons were fine.

 

The bivi spot next to the little lake at the snout of the Colonial Glacier is quite nice. Soft sand and a pretty waterfall nearby. The Other John stayed up on the ridge, which was a good move given the incredible farts I had all night after eating Backpacker's Pantry Kung "Pow" Chicken. What do they put in that shit anyway??? My bivi sack was one major Dutch oven from dusk to dawn. Ugh.

 

The hike up there took me 4:15, and it is true that, this late in the year, you have to go all the way up the ridge and under Pyramid Peak before you'll find any drinkable water after leaving Pyramid "Lake." I think the approach rates somewhere between Boston Basin and Goodell Creek.

 

One exciting moment occurred when I was dropping down from the ridge to begin the scree traverse under Pyramid. About 150 yards in front of me and exactly where I needed to go was a large black bear eating the incredible blueberries. Haven't seen one in the mountains for many years. I did the "hey bear, you bear, go away bear" yell/arm waving thing, and, realizing that I can be a real prick, he ambled down slope and out of view. I took several great pictures with no film in my camera.

 

This is a fun route and a fine solo if you don't mind wandering around on an open glacier rather far from the road.

 

Cheers,

 

John Sharp

Edited August 29, 2005 by Juan

[Kyle_Flick]

Nice work John. Isn't that area something? Especially looking south to Klawatti, Eldorado and Logan from the Snowfield Peak. Too bad you didn't have film.

[Juan]

Hey Kyle:

 

I remember you guys climbed it Memorial Day weekend. I would have been up there too, but my partner was filled with "dread" because there was snow.

 

I put the slide film in my camera at my bivi and took lots of great shots Fri. afternoon and yesterday on the climb. But I missed the proof on the bear. It really looked like a big one. Getting bigger with every re-telling, in fact. Soon it will morph into a grizzly.

 

I'll respond to your e-mail of last week off line.

 

Cheers,

 

John

[Jake]

Nice work. Those waterfalls near that bivy site are really cool looking with all the ice and wildflowers nearby.

[Juan]

Yeah, very nice waterfalls. It's a neat place and worth the effort to get there. I love the ridge that leads up to Pyramid. Very alpine. The blueberries are DIVINE right now.