Mt. Princeton

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/29/2018, By: ahabel23
Info: Basically summer conditions. 4 small snow fields to cross that won't need traction. Watch out because one of them is where at the road/trail junction so it's easy to miss and continue to walk the road. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/27/2018, By: Kcmartinez22
Info: Perfect conditions. 4 snow fields still in place. No traction needed. They are a bit of a mushy mess, even in the early AM now. At the TH off the road make sure you keep right. A lot of people on the summit said they mistakenly went left, up and over Tigger. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/26/2018, By: AlecHarper
Info: Road from the lower TH all the way to the point at which you get to the trail was clear. Four remaining snowfields, fairly firm at around 0900, somewhat slushy by around 1PM. Trails disappear into the boulder field at about 12,800' . Looks like CFI has marked for a future trail (red markers). Weather was almost cloudless, winds calm. Perfect day to have done this! Few hikers (counted maybe 12). 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/24/2018, By: drewshotwell
Info: Same as the last few reports. Look out for the trailhead, it's covered a snow and is quite a steep scramble to start. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/24/2018, By: Scotty21
Info: Late June like conditions. Few patches of snow along the rocky section of the trail before reaching the switchbacks to ridgeline. No need for traction. Road to Radio towers are completely dry. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/21/2018, By: soloclimber97
Info: Basically summer conditions with the exception of a few snowfields that must be negotiated, two of the snowfields are definitely a no slip zone cause you'll be going for a little ride into a boulder field if you do slip. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/21/2018, By: Mark Goldstein
Info: Summer conditions exist. Precipitation was prevalent throughout the day. Sun tried to shine through a couple of times. Lower trail head to radio towers dry. Five vehicles parked up top and two went beyond the first switch back. About a dozen climbers on Saturday. Two German Shepards hiked too! Weather came in by noon as expected. Start early. There was a couple of people who took the left to Tigger and climbed even longer. Watch for the crain that makes a sharp right onto the trail leading to the ridge. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/23/2018, By: shirl
Info: The road is clear all the way past the radio towers, and the trail is mostly summer conditions with a few easy snow crossings with lots of prior footprints to follow and use to prevent slipping.

We were originally debating bringing our skis in hopes there might be a little snow, posting this so others don't ha e to wonder. Leave the skis at home. I had microspikes I didn't use and both me and my partner had our ice axes. We would have been on with them, but we did use them breifly when decending. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/12/2018, By: outdoor_sam
Info: Beautiful day on the mountain. There is still 3 snow gullies that need to be crossed on the standard route. Most people seemed to have microspikes and I was amazed I was the only one using an axe for fall insurance. Snow was hard in the morning and soft my 9am or so. If you get a late enough start you can probably manage without spikes or axe. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/12/2018, By: nomad_games
Info: Road is dry all the way up, past the towers, past the parking, to the first switchback on the trail. There's one large snow drift, other than that you could probably drive all the way up the road to where the trail turns right across the bottom of Tigger.

Other than the 3 Tigger couloirs, the route is basically summer conditions. The 3 couloirs are easily crossed with microspikes and poles when firm in the morning. Gets very soft in the afternoon, there is some evidence that someone went on an unplanned slide on one of them, I'd suggest an axe.

other than that, trail is a dry walk up. Sunny mostly warm day, windy on the ridge but not too bad. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/14/2018, By: KyleRobison
Info: Overall the route is in great condition. There was a modest amount of snow-pack in the gullies but they had been well trenched. We brought microspikes but did not feel the need to use them. We had hiking poles that were useful for balance while we crossed the snow pack but they were more a luxury than a necessity. It was the perfect peak to climb early in the season! We really enjoyed the beautiful views of the Arkansas Valley and the vast mountains of the Sawatch range from the summit. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/6/2018, By: Flyingfish
Info: Beautiful day today. All the snow fields are well trenched so there isn't a need for crampons or axe. Micro spikes were useful in the morning while the snow was still frozen. I used the spikes from about 12k till the ridge. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/4/2018, By: h2onet
Info: Drove Jeep past the radio towers up to 11250ish. Nice parking spot at a Switchback right in front of a big drift that was impassible. Boots only up until 12200, then microspikes. If going early morning, some of the gullies are full of snow, which is frozen over and very solid/icy. If not using crampons and an ice axe, would highly recommend doing Tigger first, then following the ridge over to Missouri. Snow on the way back down was fine. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 4/28/2018, By: LoveThisSite
Info: Very similar to the previous report. Unnecessarily carried snowshoes till Photo#6 - there's absolutely no need for that unless you want the workout.
No need for traction either, as long as you go over Tigger. I came back down using the summer route, and here's my feedback:
The summer route is sketchy without an axe (and preferably crampons). I had microspikes and hiking poles. My spikes were collecting big balls of snow in no time due to the wet snow in the early afternoon. I slipped once and was luckily able to arrest before I slid too far down. In the end I don't think I saved much time as opposed to going back over Tigger. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 4/26/2018, By: halite
Info: Climbed Princeton from parking area past towers at 11000ft. First three switchbacks drifted heavily but simple to pass on foot. Ascent up Tigger was no problem with easy spring conditions to be found. There was wet slide remnants in the first Tigger couloir. With big steep snowfields to cross with wet unsupportive snow in afternoon, it definitely still seems like good idea to avoid standard route. The east ridge was enjoyable and only added 500 extra vert with Re-ascent of T. Summit cone has a decent amount of snow so you will be plunge stepping intermixed with what talus is still sticking out. Great bluebird day out there.