Snowflea
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- Sep 5, 2003
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Osceola and East Osceola
Route: Tripoli Road and Mt. Osceola Trail, out and back
Date: Wednesday, 1/15/14
Equipment: Microspikes, full crampons, MSR Denali snowshoes
Trail conditions: Tripoli Road groomed by WV Nordic Center - skiing looked pretty gnarly (icy). Mt. Osceola Trail looked to have not been traveled in quite awhile - a lot of ice covered by 1-6” of fresh snow from yesterday’s precip event.
Comments: Another route on my winter to-do list and a gorgeous springlike day to be outside! Parked at Livermore Trailhead and barebooted the 2.7 miles to Mt. Osceola Trailhead. Tripoli Road was hardpacked by the groomers and quite icy, but it was a “sticky ice.” Microspiked to summit of Main Peak. Could have put snowshoes on higher up but kept plugging away in the Microspikes. There is one brook crossing that is frozen over but has some amazing ice bulges. Traction definitely needed here since the trail crossing is above (and below) a small waterfall, hence the cool ice formations. Farther up there is a huge boulder that has to be negotiated with care - a good dropoff to the left - but has some nice roots on which to step and grab. Followed some bunny and fox tracks for awhile.
The views from Main Peak were stunning today with a bright blue, sunny sky and warm temps. It was a sunglasses day. I switched over to full crampons for the journey to East Peak and back and was very glad I'd brought 'em. On the summit ridge the fresh snow wasn’t as deep, maybe 3-4”, just enough to hide all the ice. Some of the descents required extreme care. On the Chimney, I took the “bypass of the bypass” for the first time ever (bushwhacked through the woods to the north - AKA the dog route), on both the outbound and the inbound. It just looked too sketchy to be doing solo today.
Switched to snowshoes back on the Main Peak and kept them on for almost 2 miles, trying to smooth out my postholes a bit (not that many people come this way in winter). When the trail got too bony, I switched back to Microspikes and wore them all the way back to the car.
This was an awesome way to do the Osceolas in winter. It is a safer route than coming from the Kanc but almost twice as long at ~14 miles. Of course, 5.4 of those miles are on easy Tripoli Road. The grade is never steep, and the trail maintainers are taking very good care of this trail. (Thank you!!) Saw no one else out there today.
Route: Tripoli Road and Mt. Osceola Trail, out and back
Date: Wednesday, 1/15/14
Equipment: Microspikes, full crampons, MSR Denali snowshoes
Trail conditions: Tripoli Road groomed by WV Nordic Center - skiing looked pretty gnarly (icy). Mt. Osceola Trail looked to have not been traveled in quite awhile - a lot of ice covered by 1-6” of fresh snow from yesterday’s precip event.
Comments: Another route on my winter to-do list and a gorgeous springlike day to be outside! Parked at Livermore Trailhead and barebooted the 2.7 miles to Mt. Osceola Trailhead. Tripoli Road was hardpacked by the groomers and quite icy, but it was a “sticky ice.” Microspiked to summit of Main Peak. Could have put snowshoes on higher up but kept plugging away in the Microspikes. There is one brook crossing that is frozen over but has some amazing ice bulges. Traction definitely needed here since the trail crossing is above (and below) a small waterfall, hence the cool ice formations. Farther up there is a huge boulder that has to be negotiated with care - a good dropoff to the left - but has some nice roots on which to step and grab. Followed some bunny and fox tracks for awhile.
The views from Main Peak were stunning today with a bright blue, sunny sky and warm temps. It was a sunglasses day. I switched over to full crampons for the journey to East Peak and back and was very glad I'd brought 'em. On the summit ridge the fresh snow wasn’t as deep, maybe 3-4”, just enough to hide all the ice. Some of the descents required extreme care. On the Chimney, I took the “bypass of the bypass” for the first time ever (bushwhacked through the woods to the north - AKA the dog route), on both the outbound and the inbound. It just looked too sketchy to be doing solo today.
Switched to snowshoes back on the Main Peak and kept them on for almost 2 miles, trying to smooth out my postholes a bit (not that many people come this way in winter). When the trail got too bony, I switched back to Microspikes and wore them all the way back to the car.
This was an awesome way to do the Osceolas in winter. It is a safer route than coming from the Kanc but almost twice as long at ~14 miles. Of course, 5.4 of those miles are on easy Tripoli Road. The grade is never steep, and the trail maintainers are taking very good care of this trail. (Thank you!!) Saw no one else out there today.
