Pretty much what he said.jfm3 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2024 4:58 pm This would be an astounding undertaking. Forget the ridge itself for a moment- just getting TO and FROM the ridge requires 1) a winter ascent of Capitol, which is a 2-day exercise by itself, and 2) a winter descent of Snowmass, which is probably an entire day on its own, even with snowshoes or skis to aid in the miles and miles of travel on low-angle terrain once you're off the mountain. You'd have to consider avalanche conditions on both Capitol and Snowmass, on at least 2 different days.
Now for the ridge itself. How many people have even looked at that dumb thing in the winter? I wonder if the rock on the true crest of the ridge is too steep to actually hold any snow- maybe all the snow just sloughs off. Perhaps the loose rock just below the crest would be more stable with snow, but you'd probably be climbing across very steep snow mixed with rock, all above huge exposure. What's the wind like up there? The ridge is completely exposed to the wind from both the east and west. Does the wind blow all the snow off, or does it make huge rime ice domes like Cerro Torre?
The team referenced above (oldschool, Steve, Noah and Kiefer) climbed the ridge in 2 different outings, and they were absolutely dialed in and moving well both days. The snow, ice, cold and wind in winter slow everything down, and winter only has 10 hours of daylight anyway, so you'd be climbing huge stretches of this route in the dark. Even if you could traverse the ridge in a single day while the sun was up (and if you could, pick up the phone and give Kilian a call- he's probably got some projects that would suit you), you'd probably have to climb Capitol overnight, to start the traverse at sunrise, and descend Snowmass in the dark, after at least 18 hours of "don't die" movement.
The location/length of the route and logistical difficulties of climbing in winter probably say no, this isn't a possibility.
I've done a few long fifth-class ridge traverses, but only in summer, and I had good first-person estimates of how long the approach and deproach would take. For the most technical (Evolution), I had scouted the entire thing in pieces. I'm not interested in doing this project myself, but I'd scout the whole thing in the summer first to get time estimates. It sounds like you've been out there in summer, so you might have some idea. I'd expect sugary winter snow to make the rock much worse, or at least slower, rather than holding it in place.
As for gear, you know your own feet. I've done plenty of winter stuff in trail runners, wool socks, and bread bags, but all car-to-car and mostly in good weather. Since the approach and deproach would be unfathomably miserable without skis (below treeline), you'd need to either carry those over the ridge (yikes!) or stash a pair at the end and leave one at the start (no bailing!). Either way, you'd at least have insulated, waterproof ski boots before and after.
I'd trust the math more than what internet randos say, but that means doing the math right.
