Hiking Out West vs. Mt. Washington, NH re: Weather Conditions, Gear, Etc.

[AntlerPeak]

All good advice listed above. I have hiked over 200 6-9K peaks in the Cascades. What is very typical and found on the majority are long switchbacks across high meadows. Granted, they are beautiful with expansive views. Even in the summer many of these can be snowfields. As the typical trail is very often only a foot wide when snow covered they resemble a long chute. One slip can result in one heck of a long slide. Usually at 6k they are snow free in late June-July. But there have been some years where this is not true.

Because the mountains are very steep the trails were cut with these long switchbacks, the only practical way to place a trail. A two thousand foot slope is often the norm. Check my avatar the craggy peak is 7017 while the bottom of that scree field you see is a tad below 5000.

For a very active and knowledgeable forum check out Nw Hikers you should be able to get some good info about the Cascades conditions. Oh and with all the severe weather suffered at Rainier park access is in question for this year. State Hwy 123 on the east side is not likely to be open. Major damage with work not set to begin until June at the earliest. Highway 410 on the NE side is open only to Crystal Mt effectively shutting down the east side. The approaches on the NW, Ipsut area is all but gone and the major approach to Paradise through Ashford is out of commission.

 

[blacknblue]

I'm not afraid of lots of snow, have seen plenty of it in the White Mts., ME, VT & the ADK, but have not yet experienced glacier/crevasse travel, and do not feel safe w/o proper stuff & real-life experience to get out of nasty situations that glaciers/crevasses can generate.

Anyway, would peaks like Wheeler (13k) in NM, most of CO's 14'ers, Boundary Peak (13k) in NV, involve glacier travel? More avalanche risk than the Presidentials? Timeframe is probably early March.

The amounts of snow in the NE does not prepare you for the snow out West, which can be much, much greater, including cornices, avy fields, and chest-deep quicksand snow on a warm spring day. It's just not a good comparison.

In early March it is still full-bore winter. Avy risk is much, much greater. While there are not technically any glaciers in Colorado, many peaks will require travel across permanent snowfields. Besides, in early March, everything is covered in deep snow anyway. (At least the crevasses are covered.) When I lived in Colorado, I generally started up in mid-May (when ski season died down) and even then there was significant risk b/c of snow levels.

If you still decide to go, shoot for a broad ridgeline, which will have most of its snow blown away, but you still could have a nightmare approach and will be exposed to the wind.

 

[expat]

Snow on Whitney?

The base of Mt. Whitney is only about a 5 hour drive from LAX, according to Mapquest. I'm not sure how much snow would be there in the late spring months, but it's a thought.

I did it in August, and at that time of year, there are only a few snowfields left around in gullies.

 

[dclynch]

Ski Area?

I realize it is not exactly in the hiking spirit, but you could start by climbing a ski mountain. I'm not sure what the highest one is, but Snowbird, about 30 minutes from Salt Lake City, tops out at over 11,000 feet. There might be a route from the top of a lift somewhere to a high summit where the ski area does not reach the top. You could walk all the way up, but this would provide a nice bailout option in case of trouble. Your friends can get an early read on how they handle altitude in a realtively safe environment and then tackle a regular hike.

(What about Pike's Peak? Is that open in the winter?)

 

[giggy]

hike to camp muir? (Rainier) - asuming the park is open by then.

you could also hike to the hogsback on hood - up until there its totally nontechnical and its only a a few hundered feet to the summit from there. so - your not missing much.

both those will get you to 10K+

on these routes - assuming weather is decent (personally, I wouldn't go high on these peaks in bad weather - but thats a personal preference) - there is prolly going to be a beaten path, etc.. well known, well traveled and you will see some cool sights,

never been to CO - so don't know about those 14'ers.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

The base of Mt. Whitney is only about a 5 hour drive from LAX, according to Mapquest. I'm not sure how much snow would be there in the late spring months, but it's a thought.

I did it in August, and at that time of year, there are only a few snowfields left around in gullies.

The road is maintained by the Inyo County, CA DOT. The goal is to get the Whitney Portal Road opened by the start of trout season, but it can delayed - last year it didn't open until around June 1st. Part of the problem is snow; what really holds them up is removing all the gravel and boulders that slide down into the road around 7K'.

Last year the snow level was 10K' on June 2nd; crampons weren't needed until 11 or 12'. The 100 switchbacks often don't open up until the end of June to mid-July; the route until then is more or less a straight shot up the big snowfield to the Crest. Rather steep and tiring on the way up; heckuva lotta fun to glissade down. Late spring, depending upon conditions, there's a mile or so beyond the Crest (until past Mt Muir) that you may wish you had a rope and some pickets until it melts out enough.

 

[Peakbagr]

It doesn't have to be a garbage bag. Just bring a pair of slick wind or rain pants, nice and shiny and slippery, hold the head of the ice axe in arrest position and the pick as your rudder and speed brake.
We glissaded down Mt Hood that way, what a blast!

 

[blacknblue]

I realize it is not exactly in the hiking spirit, but you could start by climbing a ski mountain. I'm not sure what the highest one is, but Snowbird, about 30 minutes from Salt Lake City, tops out at over 11,000 feet. There might be a route from the top of a lift somewhere to a high summit where the ski area does not reach the top. You could walk all the way up, but this would provide a nice bailout option in case of trouble. Your friends can get an early read on how they handle altitude in a realtively safe environment and then tackle a regular hike.

(What about Pike's Peak? Is that open in the winter?)

You can get to about 11,500 feet on Snowbird by hiking, but you can get to nearly 13,000 at some Colorado resorts (Breck, Copper, A-Bay).

The Pikes Peak road is closed in winter, but it is one of the more accessible peaks by foot in the wintertime, but it is a looong approach.

The southern Indian Peaks of CO are pretty accessible for wintertime. From Berthoud Pass is an option. Starting from East Portal outside Boulder and climbing James Peak (13,500'ish) is good, as well as Brainerd Lake, with a number of peaks from there, and good camping options, too.

 

[sierra]

Like others before you, you have picked a bad time of year imo to sample the western peaks at the altitude you asked about. The snow depths will be deep and the approaches could be an isssue. The snowpack is the issue and while the snow can make ascents easier in alot of cases, the crux is stability. Towards ( changes year to year) may and june the snowpack will become stable but march and april can bring storms that will add to the depths and instabilty for sure, it is impossible at this point in the winter to predict either, some years you can climb snow slopes in april safely other years its June.
I think CO is the place to go, landing in Denver puts many mountains at your disposal, but the above comments apply. Rocky mountain national park has many peaks aroud 12k that provide all your looking for in a spectaculiar setting but you must consider june as the earliest date imo.

 

[DougPaul]

March, April, and May are great times to visit the Desert Southwest.

Not much of that pesky snow and the summer heat hasn't arrived yet.

Doug

 

[una_dogger]

I haven't done winter hiking out West but I've done plenty of backpacking in Colorado and one thing I'd like to point out to you is that in summer in many cases I found route finding difficult in Colorado. If you are used to a sign at every trail junction like we have here in the East, and a junction every mile or so, you will be rudely awakened out West to the lack of signs and the incredible distances between cairns or poles/posts marking routes.

Its been mentioned several times already by those with Western Mountain Winter experience that map & compass skills and navigational equipment are important, and given that you are not planning anything technical, thier importance for what you intend to do should not be understated or overlooked.

For Colorado, an excellent text is John Fielder's "Complete Guide to Colorado's Wilderness Areas".

 

[DougPaul]

Not to hijack this thread, but a sincere question: what is the definition of technical?

It's a fuzzy boundary, usually based upon the difficulty of travel and the equipment and techniques typically used to travel it. Loosly, if a rope is needed might be close enough. However, one might want to rope up some beginners on very easy terrain while an expert may climb difficult technical terrain without a rope ("free solo").

On many of the CO 14ers on routes I consider "nontechnical," I've seen folks carrying helmets.

A helmet is a device for protecting one's head no matter how difficult or easy the travel. Thus a helmet may be prudent on certain non-technical routes that have rockfall or icefall.

Doug

 

[sierra]

Many eastern climbers are unaware of the terrain differences between east and west. On some 14ers in CO (even non technical ones) the probability of rockfall is high, so helmets must be worn. The question of technicality, that becomes subjective and can take alot of varieing opinions to hammer down.
Example- Little bear in the sangre de cristos (sp) this route is class 4, many do it unroped BUT, many carry a rope to rappel down one section, there is almost always old lines hanging down this section as well ( thus the need to carry your own rope) this gully is called the hourglass coulier and any party above you will shower rocks directly down this gully on anyone ascending.
My point, this route borders on technical and even if doing it unroped, helmets are mandatory. just for the record I would never climb this route under anyone. In addition, someone mentioned that route finding is much more of an issue then in the east, that is correct and a welcome change from the highways of the Whites. I actually got lost once on a 14er and had to break out my compass, thank god, I was getting soft from all that eastern climbing.

 

[lx93]

Sierra,

Your post is one of the best at answering my real question.

In addition to the gear needed for extended above-treeline hikes like Washington, Franconia Ridge, etc., what gear (besides the afore-mentioned helmet & rope, avalanche gear) would you recommend for 12-14k peaks out West, w/o crevasses, glaciers?

Sincerely,
Matt

 

[sierra]

There is no gear needed that is different, but the most important issues at hand would be aclimization and avalanche experience if climbing in snow. The peaks out west tend to have alot of exposure and long snow slopes that can fall under the right conditions. In the east only the ravines pose a threat in most situations, where out west most of the peaks tend to have open slopes. Give me some more specifics on your plans if possible and I can narrow down some more beta. Ive climbed alot in CO and would definetly like to help you out if I can, but its hard not knowing the peaks and or times of year.

 

[lx93]

Sierra (& others who'd like to help, but need more specifics),

Sorry, but right now we're just kind of in the early planning, "daydreaming" stages. I think that feedback from this forum has eliminated the Northwest, due to higher avalanche & crevasse/glacier dangers.

At least we now know that unless we plan our hike in the fall, we'll have to at the very least get helmets, rope and allow more time to acclimatize to the altitude.

As always, open ears towards advice from "those who've been there before" comes first in the gear we're packing.

 

[David Metsky]

You can easily do dozens of 14'ers in Colorado with nothing more then you need in the NorthEast. No ropes, helmets, etc, just a little time to acclimatize. If you don't want to bother with the extra gear needed for some of the more interesting routes, you don't need to worry about it at all.

Many/most peaks have relatively easy walk up routes, just like in the east. Certainly the popular ones do. If you are going out west for the first time, I'd avoid the routes that are more demanding until you have a little altitude experience under your belts.

-dave-

 

[jrbren]

Thanks for this thread, I am living vicariously through you . I am a little puzzled by the mandatory helmet suggestion for anything out west too. There are many routes out there much easier then class III, IV (probably an ice climb in winter/spring). I have not been out there during the time of year you refer to, I hiked Mummy Mt in RMNP and Elbert in July many years ago. The terrain did not seem steep enough to require helmets from what I recall. These were class I or at most II routes(hikes). For people who hike these often as we hike the whites,greens & ADKs, I reiterate my suggestion to check out this forum: http://www.14ers.com/. Note there are posts about people snow shoeing up some of the more straight forward peaks right now.

I still think Humphries in AZ might be a great choice for the time you want to go (but maybe because I want to hike that one someday ).

Oh yeah, One more nitpick, you say in one sentence that you will avoid avalanche & glacier/crevasse danger by staying away from the northwest, only partially true. Avalanche will be a concern anywhere you go that time of year above 12K in the US or Canada (outside Hawaii).

 

[sierra]

helmets mandatory? that is far from the truth on most CO 14ers.
peaks easterners should try on first trip to CO, Mt. Bierstadt,Mt. Quandry, anything in the Sawatch range ( although Mount of the holy cross might be pushing it) pikes via crags route, evans, When arriving in CO stay high, like in Breckenridge and hike around for 2 days, drive up high and walk around, trail ridge road in RMNP, aclimating is the key to your success and enjoyment.

 

[DougPaul]

I am a little puzzled by the mandatory helmet suggestion for anything out west too.

There are plenty of routes out west where a helmet is just needless dead weight.

Doug