J
Jay Meyer
Guest
Adrian K. and I summited Madison on Sunday, 1/11/09 via the Valley Way. We had originally intended on ascending Airline and descending Valley Way, but upon arrival at the trailhead in moderate to heavy snow, we discovered that Airline had been only lightly used and was not well packed out. So we opted for the "road more traveled".
Valley Way is now well packed by snowshoes and bareboots for its full length. We broke trail through approx. 4-6" of VERY light powder (atop the previously packed trail) until we encountered a party descending from the Valley Way Tentsite on snowshoes. In the continuing snow, their path quickly filled and so it was soon back to breaking trail, but due to the lightness of the snow this was not difficult. Around Madison Hut it is light snow on top of ice. Surface conditions on Madison's summit cone were difficult: the light snow covered and filled in innumerable small (and some large) ice covered rocks, but due to the lightness of the snow our boots went right down to the unseen rocks below, causing tricky and unpredictable footing. The wind was moderate up to and at the Madison Hut, but on the summit cone it was full blown ground blizzards so we were really navigating cairn to cairn.
We barebooted up to the Madison Hut, then used instep crampons to summit and for the entire descent. That worked well, and there was no postholing in our bareboots, but snowshoes would also have been appropriate and helpful for some slick hardpack under the light snow in places going up the Valley Way.
No views from the top but we did get some nice views over Gorham, Berlin and the Crescent Range as the snow cleared on our descent. A great, early winter hike!
Valley Way is now well packed by snowshoes and bareboots for its full length. We broke trail through approx. 4-6" of VERY light powder (atop the previously packed trail) until we encountered a party descending from the Valley Way Tentsite on snowshoes. In the continuing snow, their path quickly filled and so it was soon back to breaking trail, but due to the lightness of the snow this was not difficult. Around Madison Hut it is light snow on top of ice. Surface conditions on Madison's summit cone were difficult: the light snow covered and filled in innumerable small (and some large) ice covered rocks, but due to the lightness of the snow our boots went right down to the unseen rocks below, causing tricky and unpredictable footing. The wind was moderate up to and at the Madison Hut, but on the summit cone it was full blown ground blizzards so we were really navigating cairn to cairn.
We barebooted up to the Madison Hut, then used instep crampons to summit and for the entire descent. That worked well, and there was no postholing in our bareboots, but snowshoes would also have been appropriate and helpful for some slick hardpack under the light snow in places going up the Valley Way.
No views from the top but we did get some nice views over Gorham, Berlin and the Crescent Range as the snow cleared on our descent. A great, early winter hike!
