There were several people who successfully summited but my crew had to turn around at 13,200. First of all, prepare to add another 1.5 miles to the beginning and end of your trip because the road is closed and you can't drive all the way to the trail head. It's not a bad walk it just eats away at your time so be prepared. Second thing, you need snow shoes. My group did not have them and it was miserable. We had a little guy with us who weighed 130 pounds and he generally did okay most of the way because he wasn't heavy enough to fall through the snow. But any heavier than that needs snow shoes for sure. If we had some then we would have successfully made the summit. We could have made the summit without them but we expended too much energy. So if you want to try it without snowshoes then prepare for a long day and a good workout. Around the 12.5K mark you don't really need snow shoes anymore; you can get away with just wearing crampons or relying on your poles. The snow is well packed but the grade is too steep and you might want more traction. I could have made it with the traction I had but I was already so tired from the first 4 miles of the hike because I fell through the snow down to my waste with almost every step. Don't forget about the way down either, without the proper equipment it was almost just as miserable. The snow didn't care if we were going up or down the mountain, we still fell through. All in all, great views at 13k and the trip was still worth it. This was my first winter summit attempt and I was foolish to try it without the right gear. It was a beautiful way to learn a lesson. Have fun!
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