9/8/2018 Route: Via Andrews Glacier Posted On: 9/8/2018, By: cougar Info: Andrews Glacier is a mess, worst I've ever seen it by far. Mostly a lot of melting, dirty, hard ice. 20ft deep crevasses have opened up near the top, running the entire width. Good spot to train for Rainier though. And weak snow bridges over some. Cross on climbers left, sketchy. I was able to ascend and descend with spikes and axe, upper part was a bit better. Not safe to glissade, via flattop would be preferable. Summit log has been replaced. |
|
8/30/2018 Route: Via Flattop Mountain Posted On: 8/31/2018, By: Bombay2Boulder Info: The summit register seems new but is empty and does have a pen in it, someone going up there might wanna take a log book to add. |
|
7/30/2017 Route: Via Flattop Mountain Posted On: 7/30/2017, By: jasayrevt Info: Also, traversed over to Powell (13,208'). 13er summits are an inspiring, invigorating hobby. This classic route is another recommended, straightforward path. It has incredible views of many quality neighboring RMNP Front Rangers (i.e. Alice, Chief's Head, Longs, McHenry's, etc.). Conditions up high were summer bluebird. So, perfect for navigating these slopes and ridge line extremely well. Standard light pack plus trail runners approach was good. Pictures with a topographic map diagram have been included as beta. Climb safely out there mountaineers |
|
6/25/2017 Route: Via Andrews Glacier Posted On: 6/26/2017, By: koeffling Info: The trail way mostly clear or snow packed and well traveled until the Andrew's glacier cutoff. We buchswacked a little through the trees to the base of the glacier but it was fairly short and straightforward. We got to the glacier around 8:30 and it was in good shape and stayed so until our descent. The headwall leading up to Andrew's Tarn was steeper than the glacier and with a lot of rock in the runoff paths. We didn't see any crevasses, ascended climbers left. 95% grassy slopes above the the glacier to Taylor's dry summit. Axe essential until the summer trail has melted out for the headwall to the Tarn. |
|
7/24/2016 Route: Via Andrews Glacier Posted On: 7/24/2016, By: graberz Info: Andrew's Glacier route up and down using micro-spikes with glissade down. Round trip was 13.7 miles, 4000 feet elevation, and 7 hours and 30 minutes to complete. |
|
2/27/2016 Route: Via Andrews Glacier Posted On: 2/28/2016, By: emgordon Info: Coming from Glacier Gorge TH, traction is necessary with icy patches up to the the trail split. Very well packed to the Loch (to save a little time, go left towards Mills Lake then head right up the creek). Lake is definitely solid to cross. There is a loosely packed path past the Loch, not sure how far it goes because we turned around just past the solar panel/rain gauge. Snowshoes are probably worth carrying if you want to reach Andrews Glacier or Sky Pond. |
|
11/7/2015 Route: Via Andrews Glacier Posted On: 11/9/2015, By: Alpine Info: Our plan was to hit up Andrew’s Glacier for some easy crampon work, with additional hopes for either Otis or Taylor. Didn’t make any of the above. Trail is well packed to the Sky Pond/Andrews split and even up to the meadow at about 10600. No need for snowshoes or microspikes (okay - microspikes might be helpful but def not required). From there it was SLOW going - we couldn’t find the trail in this area so it was essentially off trail travel - breaking trail through 1-2 feet of heavy, wet, non-supportive powder. On top of that is it death trap country - man-eating holes between table and car size rocks. That means thigh- to chest-deep fun at times. Anyway, snowshoes may have been helpful in that area. As soon as we could we moved higher up the scree slopes to the north - little or no snow there so get high and stay high is the name of the game. We made it to the base of the headwall below the tarn and hit our turnaround time. We weren’t prepared for after-dark travel and could see we wouldn’t make any summits so settled for some pseudo-glissading and crampon practice on the headwall snow. Available slopes and snow conditions made for only so-so practice time. We gambled on the no-snowshoe thing, and lost. Hello to "Grasshopper" if you see this. |
|
6/13/2015 Route: Via Andrews Glacier Posted On: 6/14/2015, By: piper14er Info: The roundtrip was approximately 15.3 miles and 4900 feet including Powell Peak. The Glacier Gorge Trail (see 13ers.com link for Taylor or Powell and Glacier Gorge Route) is near the end of Bear Lake Road shortly before the Bear Lake parking area. The trail to the falls is groomed for the tourist and well maintained up to Loch Vale. My personal preference is to not have all those steps since they are not made for the normal humans strides (maybe Bigfoot). The trail was snow free up to about 10,000 feet and then sporadic stretches to the lake which were well packed by many boots. I did not take or need snowshoes. I took crampons and ice axe for the glacier but I did not need them going up or down due to all the slush. The glacier is not steep and as a matter of fact the snow climb below the tarn was steeper. My ice axe sank up the axe so the snow/slush was at least that deep over the glacier. There was snow from the turn off from Loch Vale up to the top of the glacier. Slushy snow that was not deep but does slow you down some. I figured a summer hike to take an hour to an hour and a half less time, maybe more. Snow stretches up to Taylor and then over to Powell but not deep, some minor postholing. Stormy weather for the trek back from Powell, thunder that seemed close and lightning far off. I was thinking of hitting Otis Peak but decided against it with the weather, should have moved faster on the 13ers I guess. It rained on me after a short slow glissade down the glacier and down to the trailhead. |
|
6/21/2014 Route: Via Andrews Glacier Posted On: 6/22/2014, By: jeremy27 Info: Didn‘t climb Taylor. Climbed Otis via Andrews glacier instead but Taylor looked snow free once on the divide. Very little snow on the west side of the divide. The glacier is in good condition. The head wall beneath the tarn was steeper and firmer but still in good condition. No post holing from the trail to tree line but still plenty of snow. We descended the flattop trail which was a mess. Plenty of wet snow post holing. Good luck. PM for details. |
