Gothics and Armstrong 2-25-12

[Pine Marten]

Six of us did this hike from the Ausable Club. We went in and out Beaver Meadow trail. There are three inches of snow along the road. The snow depth got progressively deeper as the col was approached with depths reaching two feet in places. The road is skiable. Most of the rungs on the ladder at the falls are exposed. All the rock scrambles are filled in and easily climbed. Only one of the ladders nearing the col was exposed with a little ice at the top. Very little other ice is exposed. The cornice on Gothics is solidly wind packed. After finishing Gothics and Armstrong we met a group of 13 who had summited Gothics from the Gothics/Sawteeth. They headed to Armstrong and then out via Beaver Meadow so the entire trail is now thoroughly packed.