The Tooth Question

[spotly]

I've been there once during early summer and the route was obvious - follow the trail to above Source Lake then cut across the slope well above the lake to the trees, up a gully to Great Scott then on to Pineapple Pass blah blah. Anyhoo, we plan on heading up there next weekend in the late evening and bivying so, since I have a bad memory, I decided to look up the approach in the "Selected Climbs" book to see how long it would take. I noticed (if I read correctly) that the book says to go below the lake to the ridge then up through the trees. Is that correct or would the correct approach cut across the top of the lake? Also, how long (average pace) does it take to get to Pineapple Pass? How were the snow conditions up there last weekend? Thanks for whatever you have.

[Bug]

Due to avalanch danger, it is usually safer to go up the south side through the trees. If you go up the north side and cut over above the lake you will be crossing a lot of wide open 35 degree slopes.

Have fun!

[mattp]

When the snow is gone, there used to be a path that headed up onto that ridge accross the bowl from the Tooth, but now that the other approach has become such a trail, this path may be fading away.

[chucK]

When the snow is there (like it probably is now), follow a cat road that leaves the furthest N Alpental parking lot. Then follow the ski path up, which skirts the South side of the drainage. This is all further South than the usual summer approach (and all S of Source Lake).

 

View snow level here http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/info/winter/cams.asp

 

General approach idea when trail (and brush) is snowcovered