The Brothers - Conditions?

[Layback]

Has anyone been up there? I know the trail is snow-free to Lena Lake. Curious what it looks like beyond that at the present moment. I'd like to ski it next weekend if there's as much snow as I suspect (and perhaps a little more stable than what we're seeing in the Cascades at that elevation). Thanks.

[Drederek]

Got a late start yesterday so went up Ellinor instead of reconning the bros. No sno at 2500' and 2 feet plus at 3000' there. Heres a pic off that direction, pretty sure the bros are behind Mt Wa.

[Layback]

Cool. Thanks for the info.

[Xerinae]

What was the snowpack like up there on Ellinor? Thinking of doing The Brothers on Wednesday, wondering (roughly) what to expect.

[Layback]

If you do the Brothers Wednesday it would be awesome if you posted some pics. If the weather actually cooperates this weekend we're really on the fence about bringing skis.

 

Oh and kick some steps too please.

[Drederek]

What was the snowpack like up there on Ellinor? Thinking of doing The Brothers on Wednesday, wondering (roughly) what to expect.

It sucked once out from under the trees. Crust failing at 100 - 150 #. Soon after you lift your foot 4 outta 5 steps punch thru about a foot. Fine if you had snowshoes. That was on a se aspect late morning.

[robertjoy]

You mentioned "no snow at 2,500ft. Ranger told me I can't drive to the lower Ellinor trailhead at 2,600ft. What is your opinion on that?

[Drederek]

There was still a couple feet of snow at the lower th. I walked past it on the way down for a couple hundred yards before cutting back over to the trail that goes down to Big Creek campground. At the cutover point there was no snow at all. A guy I talked to on the summit said the sno stopped him at the last crossing of Big creek about a mile or so before the lower th. He didn't say how deep the snow was there but I would guess it could very easily be drivable to close to the lower th by the weekend.

[Layback]

Turns out I have pneumonia so you don't need to kick steps or take pics (but have fun nonetheless). The decision of to ski or not to ski just got a lot easier...

[Xerinae]

Wow, what timing. I was needed at work so didn't end up heading up there. Thinking about going this weekend if weather cooperates.

[jayhawk]

Skied and climbed the standard route on Monday evening/Tuesday morning. Wasn't worth taking skis at all, but the conditions were good for climbing with well-consolidated snow for easy step-kicking. Left the skis at the Lunch ledge, where I camped for the night, as the snow to that point sucked for skiing with lots of old crusty avy debris and deep runnels. Weather was great on top with undercast conditions. Got about 10 nice turns on the lower snowfield before battling it out down to climbers camp.

[sprocket]

Any updates?

 

Looking for an overnight conditioner/shakedown trip and Adams might be too much driving for me especially with the road still blocked part of the way.

 

Thanks

[Drederek]

This was taken 7/4 looking north from mt ellinor past mt washington. I'd thought the south brother should be in it but I can't make it out. Anyway thats what stuff up there looks like.

[sprocket]

Thanks, still lots of snow.

 

Probably looking at Baker this weekend if the weather holds.

[Ian in Seattle]

I just posted a new Trip Report on The Brothers from 7/2/11. Conditions were awesome...check it out.

 

I'll try to figure out how to upload a few pictures.