Too early for Serpentine arete??

[111]

some friends and I were going to have a try on the serpentine arete of dragontail this weekend and I was wondering if anyone has been up to the lake. Where's the snow at? postholing to the lake or no? snow on route? Is it just too early to be trying for this peak and expecting it to be snow free on the route?

Thanks for any input.

[montypiton]

Colchuck Lake will have snow, was still frozen two weeks ago. Trail in is negotiable without snowshoes or skis -- boot-packed. N. Face of Dragontail looks fairly dry, but I'd expect occasional snow and or ice along the route. Haven't been on the face this year yet, but have done mixed variations on routes on this face in April of some years, and enjoyed them. Just understand that until July or so, these climbs more resemble "classical" style mixed routes than alpine rock-climbs. You know -- boots & crampons rather than rock shoes...

 

 

 

[mattp]

I climbed Backbone in early May with an average early May snowpack and we brought comfy loose rock shoes and the shells of our plastic boots for approach and deproach. On the actual rock climbing, there was enough snow just to provide some drinking water but not to impead climbing or require donning the plastic shells.

[jared_j]

You keep it real... loose rock shoes inside plastic shells sounds like the worst of both worlds to me, comfort-wise.

[Jens]

I remember that rock shoes in plastic shells was a somewhat common strategy for folks in the 80's.

[Ade]

it's never too early for the Serpentine

[Marko]

Ade, wouldn't November be a couple months early?

[Zoran]

Ade,

My comment is off this topic above.

I apologize ...

 

You HAVE TO go to bivouac to see one picture of Mt. Augusta. It's from the plane made by Edwina from Edmonton. I checked your pictures from your gallery but this one is something! Many people haven't realized how dramatic that ridge is, and how good your climb was.

Congrats again on your hard work!

Zoran