6/10/2012 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 6/11/2012, By: sjhiker Info: The trail is virtually snow free to approx. 12,500. Conditions are very close to the photos shown in the standard route description. I highly recommend gaining the ridge as shown in that route description - gaining it further north was difficult. No snow on the west side from the ridge to the summit. We were able to stay on top of the snow on the way up and had a great glissade down. |
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5/27/2012 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 5/28/2012, By: jeremy27 Info: Log jam is as easy as I assume it gets. Snowshoes not necessary up to lake. Snowshoes would be helpful getting to and from the far end of the lake. We had a good hard freeze so it was crampon-able both ways for us. We found a decent line of snow down the top of the scree field (but missed it in the dark on the way up). Continuous snow to the ridge on excellent snow. No recent slide activity. Mixed conditions up the ridge to the summit - tricky in places, crampons were necessary but we were probably too low down the ridge. If you have the option stay high. About 2000 feet worth of glissades on the return, almost made us forget the wicked hike out. Long story short - go now and hope for a good freeze. PM for more info or pics of nearby peaks. Good luck. |
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5/19/2012 Route: Eastern route Posted On: 5/25/2012, By: _NW_ Info: The trail was all clear of snow right up until after the couple of switchbacks after the beaver pond. Then some lovely snow to post hole through. Also there are quite a few trees over the trail in different areas but especially after the beaver pond. Sometimes there were trees on top of other trees. At the lake there were patches of snow but clear where you can camp on the right hand side of the lake. The lake is completely open. As you go around the lake it is all snow and was all right to cross when we did at 4:00am. The snow isn't great after the rocks. We were up there at 8:00am and it had all ready turned into garbage. We went up the left side of the snowmass and made it to the rocks under the ridge to the summit but by then (around 10:00am) we were sinking up to our waists and farther sometimes in snow in places. We would have fairly solid sections then start sinking for other sections. Another climber who was up at the ridge around 7:00am said he was post holing badly then. The log jam is easily managed with low water currently. |
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10/23/2011 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 10/25/2011, By: kushrocks Info: Conditions to the lake were good. The trail was easy to follow and there was a few small minor ice and snow areas to cross more so as you got to the lake but nothing deeper than an inch or two. Getting around the lake was a little interesting because it was mostly snow covered about 6+ inches in spots which wasnt a problem until you crossed over a few frozen streams in your way that emptied into the lake. As you got around the lake the boulder field was dry and somewhat easy to navigate. However once over the main ridge when you enter the snow field that is when conditions started to suck. I should have checked the GPS but I am guessing around 12,500 to the summit and back conditions were really bad. Snow was really weak and dusty. We tried to rock hop as much as we could because when we didnt we were post holing which drastically slowed us down. Round trip from the lake to the summit and back was 8 hours for only 6 miles. |
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9/25/2011 Route: West Slope Posted On: 9/26/2011, By: BrentManDo Info: Mostly clear with very small patches of snow at summit. No special equipment needed. |
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9/10/2011 Route: West Slope Posted On: 9/12/2011, By: 14er Climber Info: We climbed Snowmass from the Western face. The 4 wheel drive road in was clear and we had no issues. The route was clear and we didn't encounter any new snow on the route all the way up. The rocks are loose and we stayed far to the left side and the rock was fairly stable. The cairns are hard to spot but are placed on the route all the way to the summit. |
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9/9/2011 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 9/10/2011, By: mrschaible Info: With all the rain recently, the trail is extremely wet and muddy (extremely slippery as well). Horses have also torn up the trail and left quite a bit dung all over it. Once you get to Snowmass lake, plan on getting your feet wet as you cross from the shore of the lake to the scree field/beginning ascent as it is a swamp. We could not find a dry route to get across. Also, the route around the lake is overgrown and very difficult to find and maintain. We followed the GPX way points on this site towards the summit and they took us up a more difficult route with more boulder hopping and scree. I would recommend going further to the hikers right. Head up right next to the exposed waterfall and follow the really small cairns. It is all hard rock fields. You definitely want to head for the notch just to the left of the summit as described in the route guidance on this site. It is a very easy climb and very little exposure. The scree towards the top is wet and very slippery. I slipped more on this than all my other 14ers combined. We did this as a day hike in 10+45 but are in very good shape. The fall colors are just starting to come in. It is a really beautiful hike. |
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7/25/2011 Route: Posted On: 7/25/2011, By: Monster5 Info: Approach to Geneva is snow-free. Plenty of easy snow up higher in the basin. Mosquitos. Trail is slightly overgrown but easy to follow. I would recommend taking the Little Gem approach and cutting right down low-angle drainage from the lake to the stream crossing. No real bushwack required. The 2nd gully holds snow - the c3 ledges to the right are dry. The ridge itself is dry and relatively stable. If you're a route-finding sort, the entire thing could probably be kept at exposed c3. A glissade of the W. Slopes is not in. Careful straying from the ridge as frequent rock failures are occurring. |
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7/17/2011 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 7/18/2011, By: Grover Info: The East Slopes of Snowmass Mtn. are in great shape. Only issues on trail up to Lake Snowmass is some mud.......oh, and the piles of horse s++t. Log jam crossing is solid with plenty of logs to use. The willows around the lake are overgrown, but the route is easily seen when you are on it. No snow on the boulder/scree field up the gully. At 12,000' ft, the snowmass starts, and you can go all the way to the middle of the ridge on snow using crampons/ice axe. If you want to angle to the left of the hump (the "standard route"), you can, but you can also aim for a couple of spots to the right of the hump in the ridge, which will allow you to cross from snow to rock right on the ridge. West side of the ridge is total devoid of snow. |
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7/3/2011 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 7/5/2011, By: lstarrsmith Info: Logjam very passable. Few patches of snow on hike up to lake but camping area is very much clear. Snow along lake to base but very soft after sunrise. Soft snow up to top ridge, with many paths available to follow. Ridge to summit mostly dry with 2 snowy patches and a few area with loose rocks. Glissading awesome from top ridge to base. Snowshoes not needed. Same for crampons unless the tread on your boots is very worn. Ice axe or support pole of some sort comes in handy on final ridge push. Many great lines for skiing/boarding down to base still available. |
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6/26/2011 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 6/27/2011, By: mattpayne11 Info: Logjam is passable, be cautious. We were fine with trekking poles. Take your time. Continual snow from lake to mountain. Snow on trail after logjam, but snowshoes not needed. |
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6/25/2011 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 6/29/2011, By: douglas Info: Logjam was fine going up but on the hike down (morning and after higher water level) was a bit tricky. Exposed logs were icy and VERY slippery - almost everyone in our group got wet at some point. The smart ones put on their crampons and walked right across. There are a few dry camping spots at the lake but mostly snow. Snow all the way up the peak and crampons absolutely necessary. No need to bring showshoes for the hike in. |
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6/18/2011 Route: West Slope Posted On: 6/19/2011, By: rleclair Info: Quite a bit of snow at Geneva Lake with very few if any "dry" campsites. We had to dig out of a flat snow bench to pitch tents on 6/17/2011. Solid snow conditions from Geneva Lake up to the base of Snowmass. Crampons, axe, helmet required in ascending 45 degree snow climbs via the numerous gullies. Our team was climber's left of the center gully and ascended solid snow to the rock bands near the top. From there, packed crampons and traverse climber's right to the Snowmass summit. Some "airy" class 3 moves to gain the summit. Enjoyed soft snow conditions on monster glissades from near the summit to the base of Snowmass. |
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6/11/2011 Route: East Slopes Posted On: 6/13/2011, By: Crestoner Info: -- There are many fallen trees (aspens) across the first 5 miles of the trail. Between Friday morning and Saturday afternoon, a large rock fell into the trail ~500 feet past the "Snowmass/North Snowmass overlook" (~mile 4.5?). -- The logjam is now in "Spring condition"....full length (all snow gone), many logs unstable. -- The serious snow (i.e., time for snowshoes...) now starts where the trail enters the woods above the switchbacks, ~0.5 mile past the logjam, and goes all the way to the summit; there is some snow on the trail below the logjam, but it's inconsequential. -- Snowmass Lake is still largely frozen. -- There is very deep snow in the camping area at the east end of the lake. There are 2 "dry" spots at the lake's edge. -- The temps at the camping area were very comfortable: mid 50s during the day, a little below freezing at night. -- The logs for crossing the stream at the lake have all washed away since last season. The snow overhangs the stream in the camping area, so some short logs (or a 4-foot hop) will get you across the stream. We and another group made a small log bridge, but the snow overhang it's braced on will likely be gone in a day or two. Unfortunately, with the snow cover, fallen logs are hard to come by in the camping area. I found a large log ~250 feet north from the stream, ~100 feet from lake edge. I broke off all of the branches. But, it was just too heavy for my wife and me to move very far. If a group could get this log to the stream, it would be great for a new crossing...it's ~12-feet long, maybe 18" in diameter. -- With the exception of that one "cliff," you can walk on hard snow right along the lake's south edge at the beginning of your climb. We cramponed up right after crossing the stream. -- The climbing route from the lake to the summit ridge is in exquisite condition! The climbing was awesome. We gained the summit ridge at the second notch, just to the left of the large rock mass of the summit area. -- On the west side of the summit ridge, the snow is hard and steep. We were back there ~0900. -- With 2-3 short walks to connect the best slopes, you can glissade almost all the way from the summit ridge to the large rock at the west end of Snowmass Lake. |
