Sloan Peak conditions?

[jstreet]

Anyone been to Sloan Peak recently? I'm interested in snow conditions. Particularly on the crorkscrew route and the SE Face

[wotan_of_ballard]

it's probably a bit early, crossing the Sauk without a bridge could be epic! unless you have a BIG bar on your chain saw. another option is the Bedal creek approach, go around the South side of sloan, not the North. and give us a report. I'd guess there's still a fair amount of sloppy snow but the S facing rock will be ok.

[jstreet]

Thanks for the info. If I try sloan this weekend I post a report.

PS/ I may rent a chain saw

[mneagle]

I've done both approaches and found the Bedal Creek to be less complicated but more work. If you're doing the Bedal Creek approach, be sure to use Bedal Creek road, which cuts 4 miles off. The major difficulty w/ the standard approach is finding the trail on the other side of the river. If memory serves me correct, the first half mile is good trail leading to a 15 foot wide stream. On the other side is a Cairn and a trail leading about another half mile to the river. The stream can be crossed either where the trail meets it if the water is low, or you can follow a faint trail that goes right and over a large tree that spans the stream and then find your way back to the cairn. At the river, you'll come to a bank w/ a wide area of exposed rocky streambed on the other side of the water. Turn right and continue on another faint trail and walk about 200-300 meters, while keeping a sharp eye on the opposite bank for surveyor's tape. I was able to see the tape in several trees and found a relatively shallow spot to wade/rock hop to the other side. The trail swings off left and from there on is well marked w/ tape, cairns and an arrow created out of stones on the old road that gets you to the main trail. I climbed the lower ramp on the Bedal Creek approach, which was exposed and dangerous at the base due to wet rock, but it may be covered w/ snow now. Higher up there are a few exposed sections before reaching the upper ledge after which it's pretty straight forward 3rd class. On the Sloan Glacier, I went late in the season and was turned back by gigantic seracs and crevasses on the upper part of the glacier. Walking over that glacier without a rope would be a death wish. Good luck.