Conditions in Leuthold's

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Anyone been up there recently?

[Water]

yes yesterday and while i would have thought given that storms came in from the west last week that the west side would be more consolidated. NWAC spoke of lee slopes.. The wind was confusing-high clouds came from NW, but we got blasted by west wind and east winds/downdrafts. I figured cooper spur would be the loaded slope being in the lee from storms in the west but perhaps it is an awesome windpacked consolidated conditions. the vast majority of reid traverse area twas not and was a lot of lousy trudging and thick yet breakable crusts with loose almost sugary snow beneath. we stuck to the left margin of the couloir up to the hourglass for somewhat more firm conditions, but not great.

 

the hourglass was a bizarro river of rime ice, crust chunk, and snow, which flowed through a 2-4ft deep channel with vertical and undercut side walls.. im not sure if that is a just a winter 'runnel' but i had never seen that before. it ebbed and flowed but if you were in it when a new stream started you risk it suddenly bunching up and piling up immense weight on you/pushing you back down/covering you in waterboard fashion (not necessarily bury you in feet of snow). i didn't snap a picture but the way the river of debris was coming down to the hourglass it was really whipping and scouring through there just like fast moving water would do if it came to a quick zig-zag in a stream. no rope/pro and the flow seemed sketchy, then a helmet hit from ice enough to give an immediate headache we retreated.

 

 

from an acquaintance and from someone on here (maybe going together) I believe two people are up there right now/earlier today.

 

 

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

Much appreciated, Water!

 

[Major Major]

I am the one whose head was pelted with something large enough to jog my cabeca and instantly cause a headache. The problem with the route is a narrow ditch approximately 3 feet wide and 3-4 feet high on each side in which snow is constantly flowing down when any bit of wind is coming from the top of the mountain. It forces one to cross at the hourglass (now a crux) from left to right side. Both sides are precarious crusty layers of 3-6 feet of unstable ice and snow. There's no way to know if this crust would fail, thus pushing the climber down into the ditch and into a tulmutuous ride approximately 300 yards down from the hourglass. These characteristics were so unrecognizable, I couldn't even identify it as Leutholds. I believe it is possible to climb Leutholds, but I would also recommend a completely windless day, plenty of sunlight, and plenty of time to ensure safe passage to the summit. Otherwise, I suspect Leutholds will clear up in the next few weeks. The so-called ditch in the middle should get flushed out or fall out, allowing climbers to pass without interuption.