TR Mt. Adams by Kings Ravine trail 12/16

[smithtim]

IS IT FINALLY WINTER ON THE MTN ?????


so regular start time from Appalachia, perhaps 7 ish. my kinda conditions 30's with lots of wind (20-30 knts) and poor visibility, 2nd punch of cold front moving through with "high wind advisory"... ahh beautiful day for a walk in the woods that reminded me of why I travel halfway across the country every winter to visit your beautiful mountain region :->


Anyways, the start of the trail was clear: no snow but quite a bit of water trickling down.

After a miles or so a little dusting of snow, around the short line junction, but no concern nor need for any traction

Near the Kings Ravine junction started to look like a winter mountain, but still not very deep snow so most people would be fine bare boots.

Little further up, where it starts to become a real mountain, the ravine had mixed ice / exposed rock so I threw on the Crampons...

I was heading for one of the technical climbs up the ravine wall but I did not top out as the conditions were poor - little sketchy with snow pack not quite filled in and big holes between rocks - and I just wasn't really feeling it today, kinda hung over...

The climbs - Kings little secret etc - did not look like they were really filled in yet... give it a few weeks ... but if you're dying they're probably are climbable; I'd just throw a little rock protection on the the climbing harness in addition to the ice screws. Of course the more stuff on your rack the better of and safer your day will be ;) I've heard Huntington's is a go though???



Wish I had some pics to share, but as usual only cell pics since I go light, and I won't disrespect by posting that crap... Perhaps another old shot from out west this spring will make up for it

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5075/5806130215_10e9b3ef72_b.jpg

Mt Whitney from visitor center @ end of climbing day when I was returning permit bags... I liked the flag in foreground... BTW Whitney is a great climb with stunning views up there

[smithtim]

EDIT: update

Today, 12/19, I took another trip up I-93 as I thought with the snow last weekend + 2 days with the temps staying below freezing there just might be you know ICE...flume-slide (http://www.summitpost.org/flume-slide-off-trail-version/707045)

Good day, apline start leaving my condo on Sailsury beach around 5ish so I was on the mountain per sunrise 7sih and found coditions have very much improved :D:D:D Down low - on the approachs - a light constant coating of snow but in no way so deep that you'd need any snowshoes ;)

lots of frozen water on the trail so traction would be useful... but for some reason I plugged up bareboot until the base of flume slide :confused: I loathe walking tampons, I mean crampons. Actually I did not go up the slide as still too much loose rock around - it hasn't quite filled in yet, but on the trail - or around the trail - much of the rock was iced over making for some fun climbing

Ice very thin - can't get a swing in - but enough to get in a 1-2-3 ice tool cane if you know what I mean, and even a few fun little bulges were climbable enough to get in some frontpoints :cool:

let's hope it stays cold and doesn't melt out... please Santa for christmas a little snow and lot of climabe ice please pretty please


Anyways, all in all great conditions for a walk in the woods on a regular trail, and for those looking for a challenge most of the technical climbs should be in soon... A a little birdie (http://neice.com/2011/12/real-ice-climbing/) told me that someone is out there climbing, and I'm hoping for Huningtons next week???

http://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/wp-content/gallery/huntington-december-2011/2011-12-13-pinnacle.jpg

[BlueDog]

Sorry to detour the thread, but I'd love to hear more about the Mt Witney climb! Me and another friend of the forum are planning to be up there end of August 2012.

Did you just do the Whitney climb? How many days?

[smithtim]

NP... I'm always happy to share some beta


I did an alpine start 1 day up and back... backed of the summit bid though as it looked like the weather was turning and a conversation with the USFW ranger verified my observations so I just ran upto the ridge and then back down by 3 ish

With a good start most people can easily make it to trail crest and back in a day ( which technically is the top of the sierra's so walking over to summit Whitney is really just 3 mile or so walk along the equivalent of the franconia ridge trail which you may or may not desire to do)... In August the whitney trail is pretty much a class 1-2 hiking trail


This site will tell you tons of beta on the climb
http://www.summitpost.org/whitney-trail/156374
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-whitney/150227


And this is a good site for local conditions - road acess, but in summer it should be a no brainier
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/

And finally here is a good place to dontat $30 a pair to the broke CA government
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/passes-permits/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5150055



Enjoy your time out there... Whitney's great probably next - talking USA only - to only Teton OR North Cascades

[BlueDog]

Thanks for the info! I'm planning on being out there for 30 days to hike the John Muir Trail. Buddy and I will be SoBo, so Whitney will be the end of the trail. From what I've read, the special permit just for Whitney doesn't apply to SoBo thru hikes. Can't wait to get out there!

[smithtim]

nice!

think you're right about the permit only applying to people heading up the whitney trail from portal, but I'm not 100% sure though

hope you enjoy it out there

-tim

[smithtim]

EDIT / UPDATE

went back and did the Flume Slide the day before yesterday... it's in really good condition now :)

Nice snowpack on the approach so easy walking with no worries about rocks, and the stream crossing pretty easy as ice filled in

The trail up to the base of the slide was in good condition! Nice fun class 3 ice in good shape, maybe W4 if you pick the worst line ; ) the slide itself was filling in nicely... I intentionally lost trail but didn't go up the main gully rather found some buschwack type route up that was a fun mixed snow / ice climb



Well the condition's firm up as soon as it's time for me to head back to FL & work next week... oh well already looking forward to spring break travels back up to NH + happy new year to you all

-tim