S
S & J
Guest
1-12-08
Four of us started from Spruceton Valley via Devil's Path to Westkill. DP was mostly just wet with a few icy spots. From Westkill - North Dome col we started up through the ledges to reach ND summit. Slow going up through this steep portion due to a few inches of very hard packed snow with an icy surface - crampons required - anything else was useless. A few flurries were falling at the summit.
Found canister, signed in then headed west to ND - Sherrill col with temps rising slightly as the sun came out. Snow on west side of ND heading into col became softer. Steep climb out of col up the east side of Sherrill required crampons due to conditions similar to those encountered climbing ND. Skirted along SE edge of top of Sherrill until coming to clearing for awesome views out toward Slide, Wittenberg etc. Ate lunch there in the sun, then headed to summit canister and signed in before heading back down to the col.
From the col we waved our goodbyes to Sherrill and North Dome, then proceeded along N flank of North Dome until reaching a major drainage that led us down down down to where state land intersected the valley road and then back to our car. Some wore snowshoes, others crampons until the steep descent where we all switched to crampons again.
Round trip took about 9 hours - very beautiful views, alternating warm and chilly depending on the sun, relatively calm winds. A great day.
Four of us started from Spruceton Valley via Devil's Path to Westkill. DP was mostly just wet with a few icy spots. From Westkill - North Dome col we started up through the ledges to reach ND summit. Slow going up through this steep portion due to a few inches of very hard packed snow with an icy surface - crampons required - anything else was useless. A few flurries were falling at the summit.
Found canister, signed in then headed west to ND - Sherrill col with temps rising slightly as the sun came out. Snow on west side of ND heading into col became softer. Steep climb out of col up the east side of Sherrill required crampons due to conditions similar to those encountered climbing ND. Skirted along SE edge of top of Sherrill until coming to clearing for awesome views out toward Slide, Wittenberg etc. Ate lunch there in the sun, then headed to summit canister and signed in before heading back down to the col.
From the col we waved our goodbyes to Sherrill and North Dome, then proceeded along N flank of North Dome until reaching a major drainage that led us down down down to where state land intersected the valley road and then back to our car. Some wore snowshoes, others crampons until the steep descent where we all switched to crampons again.
Round trip took about 9 hours - very beautiful views, alternating warm and chilly depending on the sun, relatively calm winds. A great day.
