K
kerry
Guest
We started late from the garden at 8:30 because this would be my 10th peak in the last week. We barebooted to the junction with the Orebed but could have used microspikes. The melt and rain had swollen all the brooks and then they had frozen pretty solid. We took the bridge rather than mess with the icy crossing at Johns Brook. I have fallen in enough brooks in the last 2 months. Even the lower sections of the Orebed are a ribbon of ice with little snow cover. From the ladders and above the snow deepens. Where the ice had been exposed to the frigid air, it was solid, thick and difficult. Where snow had covered it, traction was really good with the microspikes. In fact, we were fine, even fast later on the icy descent. So we tried hard to stay in the snow. Above the junction with the Gothics/range trail there is about 6 inches so we had few problems. Though the temperature never seemed to move above 5, the blazing sunlight on the summit was warm and inviting. This was my grid finish. JoeCedar brought a sign and had carried a bottle of sparkling grape jiuce wrapped in his down jacket--champagne having been wisely nixed by his wife. Laurie embroidered a 46r patch with "x12" in red. I didn't budge from the summit rock until we started down. Our return was quick. I never felt the need for crampons. We were back at the trailhead just before dark.