Log In 
 Peak:  Mt. Princeton
 Route:  Winter route direct from towers
 Range:  Sawatch
 Posted By:  the_hare
 Date of Info:  2/5/2024
 Date Posted:  2/5/2024
Condition Update

Did not summit. Made it to 11,400ft just before the first switchback while going west up the shallow ridge proper from the comm towers. Road up to towers has great bootpack, spikes/snowshoes useful at times in looser snow. Decent trench from towers to where ridge starts inclining thanks to efforts from a pair yesterday. No trace of the last trench from there on. The ridge up from the towers bypassing the switchbacks/ avy chute has some decent sized drifts. The heavy SWE snow from the last storm made trenching among the drifts feel more unstable than usual especially near rollover-like features. The snow quality was quickly decompensating with the warm temps as well. I tried hopping from bare spot to bare spot among the evergreens but turned back just before the first switchback. I couldnt see any bare spots and the area ahead seemed significantly drifted and steep. Didnt feel comfortable continuing further alone. On the way down I moved just below south of ridge proper to find lighter snow and dirt patches. Snow melting fast on the way down, some long bare dirt/mud spots in the road now. Wouldnt recommend trying to drive up, underlying ice in spots + larger drifted snow/mud


#1) Tigger & road#2) Lower road#3) Melting road#4) Road trench#5) At towers#6) Started trenching up here#7) Stopped here, drifts were getting to knee deep#8) Trench example, often little snow lower down#9) Tigger


Comments or Questions
Skimo95
User
Tigger tail
2/5/2024 5:00pm
Nice little gully coming off that unranked ridge.. props for getting out early after the storm and providing valuable beta for the community!


the_hare
User
Thanks!
2/5/2024 8:25pm
Yeah I didnt expect there to be so much new snow drifted up there but I learned some things and had a great day!


   Not registered?