SAT 5/4: Went up North Fork to Mountaineer's Route. Carried ice axe and microspikes, needed nothing until Iceberg Lake. Unfortunately, our day ended there as the warmth of the day had turned the snowfield to slush and we were punching through up to our waists just trying to get to the chute. Reports from another pair coming down said that the chute was complete slush & they couldn't get any purchase to get up. Of course, the rocks are always available, but it was sketchy with the melting snow and sluff coming down, knocking stuff loose. Heard that a group that camped the night before and then hit the chute before dawn, when still frozen were successful. We didn't even start until 9:30 am, so we were hitting that stuff right smack dab in the middle of the day.
SUN 5/5: Went up via the main trail – carried microspikes, but never felt the need to put them on. Was wearing a pair of New Balance 910 trail shoes and a 10 lb day pack. Started at 8:40 am. Only small patches of "no big deal” snow until the switchbacks – but even then it was soft and the footing was great. Summited around 3 & a storm was whipping up, temps dropped. The snow was starting to harden up on the way back and I was glad to have carried an ice axe for "confidence.” That said, my boyfriend never pulled his out and was fine – I'm the safe one:) I was particularly glad to have it on the snowfield on the south side of the summit, since I was in running shoes. If I had been backpacking and carrying a bunch of weight on my back, I would have definitely needed it! As we descended a light snow began to fall (between Trail Camp and Mirror Lake), so I don't know what that did up high. The sky would alternate grey and opening up to sun the whole way down, so who knows?
Beautiful weekend up there - can't believe it's May.
