smithtim
12-19-2010, 05:33 PM
so I've been up here on my annual reverse snowbird thing: climbed Huntington Central, lions head, Falling waters & Kings Ravine over the last few days and then going to do another ice course on Frankenstein Cliffs to fine tune skills and learn more about ropes etc
All in all the trail conditions were as expected for this time of year with the exception of the approach on tucks.. I'll post some pics over in the photo section when I get back to Florida, but in a nutshell ice ice and more ice mixed in with people that don't know what they are doing falling over and sliding down towards me :(
I'd strongly encourage getting an early start if you are going to avoid all that fun as I did
Once I got past the fire road junction ( went right on Thursday to get into Huntington & straight on Friday to Lion's head) it turned more to snow and the usual fun. Above treeline was brutal but everything looked stable and I had a good time.
On Friday I didn't bother plugging for the summit as been there done that and short of day light + wanted to save energy for the next days (think I turned around just at Lion's head itself)
On Thursday I ran all the way up Central Gully. The conditions are very nice over there: the approach is fun with a little still under the boulders then the fan is filling in for a good little snow climb and then the Gullies are in good shape with a few groups up there :)
All in all the trail conditions were as expected for this time of year with the exception of the approach on tucks.. I'll post some pics over in the photo section when I get back to Florida, but in a nutshell ice ice and more ice mixed in with people that don't know what they are doing falling over and sliding down towards me :(
I'd strongly encourage getting an early start if you are going to avoid all that fun as I did
Once I got past the fire road junction ( went right on Thursday to get into Huntington & straight on Friday to Lion's head) it turned more to snow and the usual fun. Above treeline was brutal but everything looked stable and I had a good time.
On Friday I didn't bother plugging for the summit as been there done that and short of day light + wanted to save energy for the next days (think I turned around just at Lion's head itself)
On Thursday I ran all the way up Central Gully. The conditions are very nice over there: the approach is fun with a little still under the boulders then the fan is filling in for a good little snow climb and then the Gullies are in good shape with a few groups up there :)