U
Unregistered
Guest
Date of Hike: 11/2
Trail Conditions before Spaulding Lake: a bit icy approaching Spaulding Lake, confusing route finding at upper river crossings, traction needed for river crossings. Headwall: iced rocks, water ice along brook, often used hands to scramble, trail under ice/snow with no tracks so you would need route finding skills to follow best route, snow not deep but enough to hide holes between boulders, most real risk seemed to be on ice along the brook even though ice was at low angle.
Special Equipment for headwall: used microspikes which worked fine but crampons would be better for most people, had ice axe but did not use it, no tracks on routees of.
Comments: most dramatic trail in WM so far. Black and white headwall looked fantastic from the lake and seemed like a technical mountaineering route while looking head-on. It was a bit intense for my wife phycologically but there was no actual technical (like in climbing) difficulties.
Trail Conditions before Spaulding Lake: a bit icy approaching Spaulding Lake, confusing route finding at upper river crossings, traction needed for river crossings. Headwall: iced rocks, water ice along brook, often used hands to scramble, trail under ice/snow with no tracks so you would need route finding skills to follow best route, snow not deep but enough to hide holes between boulders, most real risk seemed to be on ice along the brook even though ice was at low angle.
Special Equipment for headwall: used microspikes which worked fine but crampons would be better for most people, had ice axe but did not use it, no tracks on routees of.
Comments: most dramatic trail in WM so far. Black and white headwall looked fantastic from the lake and seemed like a technical mountaineering route while looking head-on. It was a bit intense for my wife phycologically but there was no actual technical (like in climbing) difficulties.
