[TR] Mount Washington - Route 1 6/25/2011

[Fairweather]

Trip: Mount Washington - Route 1

 

Date: 6/25/2011

 

Trip Report:

Wow, still an amazing amount of snow on Mount Washington--and it's almost July. You can drive to the normal Mt. Washington trail head now, but the road is blocked by debris beyond here. (Note that the spur road to the upper Mt Ellinor trail head and parking lot is still completely blocked by snow.) The Olympics were totally socked in today despite the nice weather in town--rarely had more than 100 feet of visibility. The first meadow is still covered by about five to eight feet of snow, but good step-kicking is to be had from here all the way to the second meadow and on up the big gully/headwall of the standard route. A big moat has opened up at the base of the gully--don't slip. The summit block ledge is free of snow but the final gully is still snow filled. Amazing year for snow in the Olympic Mountains.

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Ice axe - no crampons needed in gully

 

Approach Notes:

Snow--lots of it--starts about ten minutes up the trail.

[Drederek]

Wow, still 5-8 feet in the first meadow, thats about how much was there at the end of february!

[Crickette]

Anyone going up this route in the next 2 weeks? If so, please post an update. I hope to climb Aug 4 or Aug 5.

 

I am interested in conditions from the large meadow basin to the climbers memorial. I climbed it the same foggy day as Fairweather a few weeks. Also climbed it last summer without snow and the huge moat. So, now I am not sure what to expect with conditions in between. Wondering if the huge moat will be there or if I can and should stick to the summer rocks by then.

 

Thanks.

 

[Drederek]

Heres a few shots from today. Theres no all on snow way up that I could see.

[Crickette]

Thanks Drederek.