8/14/2016 Route: Blitzen Ridge Posted On: 8/15/2016, By: yingyangsoup89 Info: Snow free. Ready to be climbed. |
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6/12/2016 Route: Ypsilon Lake Posted On: 6/13/2016, By: emgordon Info: Hiked to Ypsilon Lake from Lawn Lake TH. BRIDGE IS OUT, cross upstream. Snow started on the downhill section to Chipmunk Pond and continued to the lake. Variable depth and support, bring gaiters. Didn't attempt to reach Spectacle Lakes. High flows and water levels, so be careful and bring a filter cause it's way better than tap. Large cornices guarding Y and R couloirs. Ridges appear clear. |
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6/28/2015 Route: Y-Right Posted On: 6/29/2015, By: Monster5 Info: The bridge is out and the lower log crossing is submerged. Look for a couple log crossings about 100 ft upstream. Pretty much dry trail up to lower Spectacle Lakes. Some avoidable snow between Ypsilon Lake and lower Spectacle Lake. I'd recommend accessing the Y by traversing in from the left rather than going direct. Direct had a couple annoying spots. The choke is out. The standard left side rock pitches (5.4) were dry. Giant runnels on both branches and one scary cornice tension-cracked and pulling away above the Left branch. Cornice above Right too, but more stable. https://plus.google.com/photos/103615311849452420510/albums/6165572212949618849 |
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8/24/2014 Route: Blitzen Posted On: 8/24/2014, By: Monster5 Info: Blitzen Ridge dry. We didn't use the webbing after the third ace, but it appeared there were a few new loops and the ring was in good condition. One squall hit around 4PM but it didn't leave much. 1st Ace - bypassed left via exposed ledges at cl4. Prob would just climb over this one next time (5.4?). 2nd Ace - same, but easier bypass. The downclimb looks quite a bit harder. 3rd Ace - climb direct at 5.4, route-finding. Downclimb at 5.0 (exposed and zig-zaggy) or rap. 4th Ace - Directly on the ridge requires a 5.7ish handcrack with major exposure. Looked like another 5.7 right. Left of the arete was apparently steep 5.easy with interesting holds. Std route follows exposed ledges up and right at 5.2ish. Headwall - slightly left of ridge down low (5.0) then head on. Dihedral then a mantle at 5.4. Heard there might be a 5.0 bypass. Rest 3/4. Note: there was a cougar hanging out in the shortcut gully up from Ypsilon Lake at 4AM - we failed to intimidate it and wound up hiking around via Spectacle. I grabbed a Gandalf staff and yelled at it. Threw a few rocks near him. The cougar was unimpressed and my ego took a blow. Also, frigid wind. Tacked on the rest of Mummy Mania to Fairchild, Hagues, Rowe x 2, and Mummy, descending SE slopes to cairned faint trail. Dry. Talus. So much talus. Bleh talus. Class 2. 17 hrs with way too much gear in the packs. |
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7/19/2014 Route: Blitzen Ridge-Ypsilon-Donner Ridge Posted On: 7/20/2014, By: Gruff Info: Blitzen Ridge and the descent down Donner Ridge is all snow free. No ice axe necessary. The two rappels off the top of the third ace are in good condition. Trip report to come. |
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6/17/2012 Route: From Trail Ridge Posted On: 6/17/2012, By: ChrisinAZ Info: Effectively summer conditions--virtually zero snow above treeline, some inconsequential patches near treeline that can be barebooted easily. Despite what relatively recent information told us, the Old Fall River Road is in fact OPEN to vehicular traffic for the summer! Very windy day, and we were able to see the newest plume of smoke from the High Park fire develop beyond the northern Mummy Range peaks. |
