6/30/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 6/30/2022, By: JasonKline Info: The route is free of snow and ice except for the area immediately surrounding Herman Lake. No need for microspikes, etc. |
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4/30/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 5/8/2022, By: kyrawhitworth Info: Snow covered after the first mile. Some spotty snow and a lot of rock up high but summit ridge was covered. Regretted not bringing skis. Luckily snow was firm enough to avoid most of the post holing but it's likely much softer now. Long but great day! |
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4/16/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 4/16/2022, By: k_fergie Info: Skied the south slopes from Herman gulch today. The Herman gulch trail was questionably skinable for the first about half mile (depending on how much you love your skins) and melting fast. After that, plenty of snow on the trail. Dropped in off the summit cairn/wind block into wind stripped snow, chunked off some pieces of sastrugi that slid on the rock hard bed surface, be careful if that lip gets loaded up again with some WNW winds. Bony from ~13,300 - 13,000 (see picture), although we were able to billygoat our way through there even though our view in the morning from i70 looked very bleak. Coverage below 13k was pretty great. Got eyes on Snoopy's backside and its looking good although very suspect. Tuning fork on Torreys looks terrible, at least 200 vertical feet at the top are dry on both forks, and I would be surprised if it fills in to the top this season. |
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10/10/2021 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 10/10/2021, By: ProtonWitch Info: 4-8 inches of snow above 12,000 ft. |
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7/15/2021 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 7/16/2021, By: ScottLovesRMNP Info: Hiked Pettingell via Herman Gulch. Standard route is in great shape, enhanced even more by spectacular wildflowers. From Pettingell, I headed over to Hassell Peak with a little light class 3 scrambling down to the Pettingell-Hassell saddle. Finished the loop by returning to the TH via the CDT down from Hassell. Full summer conditions. Great hike, minus the haze. |
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6/12/2021 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 6/12/2021, By: oldgrayhair Info: Pettingell Peak had some snowy sections, but these sections can be avoided. I was able to avoid the snow in the couloir to the North of Herman Lake by climbing the grass and rock section. There is a significant snow field in the higher terrain above the lake and a large snow cornice at the ridge; the crossing of the snow field can be minimized by finding the flattest section. Early in the morning, microspikes were helpful; in the late morning, the warmer weather made the snow much softer and did not require microspikes. Further South along the ridge toward The Citadel, there is a large opening in the snow cornice. If the weather stays warm, I would expect the trail above the lake to be in Summer condition by 06/26/21. |
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4/8/2021 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 4/9/2021, By: bergsteigen Info: Skied the south face. Snow starts immediately on the trail, with only 1 gap of a few feet. Well packed and melting fast for the first mile or so. Trail to lake, just don't step off it. Some ski tracks to near the summit. The hot days transitioned the snow, and now the freeze up has made punchy ice. Crampons and ax recommended. TR to come. |
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3/28/2021 Route: East ridge Posted On: 3/29/2021, By: Will_E Info: There's a fantastic trench all the way to Herman lake. I headed up the south ridge just before the lake, left my snowshoes just up the ridge. After turning onto the east ridge, I went a short distance before putting on crampons, there's a *lot* of snow on the east ridge, I've been to Herman lake many times in winter/spring, I've never seen it this snowy. I descended the west side, it was easy to get down, the snow wasn't super deep (and had to do it without snowshoes, they were on the other side of the mountain). Great time, I really like Pettingell, it has great views, and doesn't take all day if you're pressed for time, as I was today. |
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11/29/2020 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 11/30/2020, By: weakenedwarrior Info: To add to WildWanderer's condition report : To the lake the snow is well packed, no need for microspikes there. From the lake to the peak you'll want snowshoes for the first half or so of the ascent then there's enough of the scree / talus sticking out of the snow that they're not needed anymore. Poles would be nice but an ice axe would be overkill. There was no trench left, we put one in but not sure how long it'll stay with the weather coming Tuesday / Wednesday. |
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11/28/2020 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 11/28/2020, By: WildWanderer Info: Herman Gulch parking lot was icy, but vehicles had no trouble filling all the spaces. The trail is well packed down to the basin. I wore microspikes to the basin. Here the nicely packed trail ended and I put on my snowshoes. I trenched a trail from the basin to the peak, postholing in sugary snow. Snowshoes weren't needed the last 100 feet or so to the summit. I didn't bring my ice axe (I accidentally forgot it at home) and it would have been nice to have, but my trekking pole worked just fine. |
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10/10/2020 Route: via Citadel Posted On: 10/11/2020, By: blantow Info: Pettingell via Citadel on the ridge traverse is in perfect shape. The tat anchor for the rappel is by no means the sketchiest thing I've ever rapped off of (3 pieces of webbing, piece of cord, quicklink) all appear in shockingly good condition. No snow yet, and views were incredible. |
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9/20/2020 Route: East Ridge Posted On: 9/20/2020, By: brauda02 Info: Great trail up to the saddle at 12,800'. Then there is only the occasional climber's trail. There are very few cairns, and none in spots where you want one to be. I stayed mostly on the ridge crest or on climber's left. The one time I was forced to the right side there was a small patch of snow. I had microspikes, but never considered using them. This is a fun scramble on mostly solid rock. The lack of cairns does make you have to think more. I descended the South Slopes. No snow. |
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6/27/2020 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 6/27/2020, By: moltar Info: Some snow on the W arm down to the saddle to Citadel, did the traverse after summiting the regular way, some snow on the way up but mostly totally avoidable except for the very beginning entering the ramp from Herman Lake, but compacted and easily travelled on |
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6/14/2020 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 6/15/2020, By: trudginalong Info: Some downed trees on trail up to Herman Lake. Good snow around the lake's east side, even mid day on return. Decent patches of soft snow below the saddle & above the lake, but no issues crossing (trail runners/no traction). Standard route via the West/South is holding snow, we gained the ridge just to the South/East of the summit to avoid the snow. No issues on the ridge, decent glissades on the down. |
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6/13/2020 Route: East ridge from Hassell Posted On: 6/14/2020, By: Trotter Info: Trail to herman lake has some mud, and a few snow sections that are mostly pre-postholed. Class 3 ridge from Hassell is mostly dry, however, some very large cornices require you to drop down off the ridge onto some very loose talus, until you can regain the ridge. The ridge has some solid, fun class 3 sections. South slopes still holding some good snow, had some great glissades right down to herman lake. |
