Hopefully useful info for Mountaineer's Route climbers from our experience on Sunday:
We went up on on May 20, leaving the portal early in the AM spend the maximum time on firm snow (single day push).
- No snow until above Lower Boy Scout Lake, and very spotty until above Upper Boy Scout Lake. Water available at UBSL, and all creeks are FLOWING! We wore trail runners until UBSL then changed into mountaineering boots.
- Main MR couloir filled with excellent firm snow when we went up (started around 6am), though loose rocks around rock bands are beginning to show through, and had a close call when a climber above us kicked a cinder-block sized rock down on us...bounced off my backpack
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- Final 400: We went up about 1/4 of the way (to the 2nd main rock band), and found the combination of ice on the rocks with a newer layer of 1-2 inches of snow were a dicey proposition (difficult to see where an axe/crampons could find purchase or hit icy rock). We had a close call slip that spooked us so we backed off, but did see 3 people continue on to summit. I would NOT want to descend the 400 unroped in those conditions.
-Snow was getting pretty soft already on our descent - get up there early!!!
Summary: Get up the couloir EARLY, and be ready to assess your abilities on the Final 400 rationally.
There was decent precipitation in the last couple days, so things may have changed a little, but hopefully this is useful for people looking currently.
