Curtis Gilbert, Conrad Glacier

[Don_Gonthier]

Has anyone done this route in the last year or so? Becky's guide shows a snow finger that connects with the Conrad. I was there 9/1/2001 and the glacier now appears to be maybe 50 feet lower requiring rock climbing. We traversed to the Meade glacier and finished by that route, which was actually pretty nice. I was wondering if the route was still doable without climbing any rock.

[mikeadam]

I thought your knees or something were bad old man? Glad to see you're still out there plugging away at it

Mike

[wdietsch]

Don,

I have done this one many times from many angles while spending my younger years living in Yakima. Last fall (2nd or 3rd week Sept) I pulled a car to car leaving the parking lot at Conrad Meadows around 11:00 pm by headlight. There have been many years where the snow fingers Fred shows in the guide book, have receded from the rock so I am not surprise that you found them in this condition. Last year when I went into "The Rocks" via the "Conrad Glacier Lake" side the situation was the pretty much the same.

The Mead as you mentioned is always a decent alternative. I have seen the ice there on Labor Day weekend be as hard as a rock

From the "melt lake" below the Conrad my personal preferance has always been to cross the "Conrad-Tieton" saddle to the west and head up the eastern edge of the Tieton under Goat Citadel (serious "Goat City" once counted over 25 in this area).This time of year on the Tieton expect hard glacial ice, crampons & axe for sure. Was the Mead (Snow Dome) the same? For the Tieton, this time of year, I personaly would also carry a rope, length dependant on party size. Expect a couple of crevasses at the bottom in the "pressure zone" of the glacier.

Which way did you approach?