halia and flammeus
New member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2007
- Messages
- 149
- Reaction score
- 12
A gorgeous day for a hike!
We started out at 9:45 a.m., and the first half mile was a mix of light fresh snow (approx 6 inches), rugged ice (frozen slush with deep footprints), and running water. The trail was broken by plenty of others in snowshoes so the going was quite easy all the way to the escarpment trail. That is, we went on the yellow trail past the lean-to to the Escarpment trail, to attempt the ascent from that side.
We failed. We turned around probably only ten minutes or so from the summit. We tried both our snowshoes and our traction aid thingys. No way.
I think crampons would have been the only thing that would have gotten us up there. We turned around before ridiculous became stupid.
The issue is that there is approximately 6 inches of light loose snow atop deep thick ice. Even the dogs couldn't make it up. If there was the old fashioned several-feet-deep snowpack, the fresh snow on top would have been ok. As it was, we were disappointed but sensible and careful. Oh well.
Otherwise a totally gorgeous day to be out. Most important piece of equipment: an accurate sense of what one's own capabilities. After that, bungies for when you get fed up and take your snowshoes off, extra batteries for the camera (yes, I messed up there too!), dry socks for the after hike ride home (yup, forgot 'em again), an appetite for crazy good food (email us for the best place to go!), the obvious crampons and micro-ice traction aids, and a thermos of hot tea in the truck for the after hike warm up. We may not always make it to the top, but we have a ton of fun out there.
Halia and Flammeus
(and the canines)
We started out at 9:45 a.m., and the first half mile was a mix of light fresh snow (approx 6 inches), rugged ice (frozen slush with deep footprints), and running water. The trail was broken by plenty of others in snowshoes so the going was quite easy all the way to the escarpment trail. That is, we went on the yellow trail past the lean-to to the Escarpment trail, to attempt the ascent from that side.
We failed. We turned around probably only ten minutes or so from the summit. We tried both our snowshoes and our traction aid thingys. No way.
I think crampons would have been the only thing that would have gotten us up there. We turned around before ridiculous became stupid.
The issue is that there is approximately 6 inches of light loose snow atop deep thick ice. Even the dogs couldn't make it up. If there was the old fashioned several-feet-deep snowpack, the fresh snow on top would have been ok. As it was, we were disappointed but sensible and careful. Oh well.
Otherwise a totally gorgeous day to be out. Most important piece of equipment: an accurate sense of what one's own capabilities. After that, bungies for when you get fed up and take your snowshoes off, extra batteries for the camera (yes, I messed up there too!), dry socks for the after hike ride home (yup, forgot 'em again), an appetite for crazy good food (email us for the best place to go!), the obvious crampons and micro-ice traction aids, and a thermos of hot tea in the truck for the after hike warm up. We may not always make it to the top, but we have a ton of fun out there.
Halia and Flammeus
(and the canines)
