Conditions and camping near Liberty Bell?

[clymbon]

Thinking of going up to do the Beckey Route on Liberty Bell this week. Anyone know what the snow conditions are in the gully up to the notch between Liberty Bell and Concord? Is it still snow filled? Is it icy?

 

Also, we were thinking of staying the night up near Blue Lake and then going to do SW Rib of South Early Winters Spire the next day. Is camping allowed up there? Do I need some kind of permit? (Could also hike back down the trail, sleep in the van, and hike back up the next day.)

 

[genepires]

no permit needed to camp up there. Plenty of places to pitch the tent up too. I heard the parking area is buggy. Not sure if it is buggy below the spires too.

 

 

[fredrogers]

Camping is allowed 1/4 mile from Blue Lake. Bugs are like a typical July right now- find a windy spot to camp.

 

Cutthroat TH is a much better bivvy spot than Blue Lake- farther off the HWY and less buggy.

 

No beta on the coulior.

 

[Buckaroo]

There's some flat spots on the south side of the spires sort of below North Early Winter.

 

There's still lots of snow but it's soft. Watch the freezing level though, I doubt it will drop down this low but the weather is strange this year.

 

The only reliable way to get away from the mosquitoes is to car camp East of the hairpin curve. If you bivy anywhere around the spires make sure you have netting on your bivy/tent. I remember one year when we did Liberty Crack. Partner didn't have netting on his bivy sack. He didn't want to totally seal the bivy sack for fear of suffocation. The skeeters bit him all around his mouth all night. Then they followed him up the first 3 pitches as he was prussiking. He almost went insane.

[clymbon]

Now I'm back I can answer my own question: No significant snow in the gullies on the south/southwest sides of Liberty Bell and the Spires. Looking down over the notch from the Liberty Bell gully below the Beckey route I could see lots of snow on that side - probably going to be there through the end of the season. So, if you're coming up from the SW (Blue Lake) side, don't bother bringing an ice axe. If you're coming up from the other side, bring an axe, and probably crampons too.