Tram to Peak conditions

[ToddF]

There was a lot of packed icy snow on the trail approaching Round Valley from the ranger station BEFORE the last storm. I'd worry about traction now if you're not carrying poles and/or instep crampons. I hope to be up there this weekend with snowshoes, and hope for enough white stuff to use them somewhere, like at the meadow by Round Vy.

My new Grivel Spider instep crampons worked fine on packed snow/ice. Real important if you're coming out at sunset or later and that easy crunchy surface has frozen into a slick ice sheet even though the air is not that cold yet. Fooled me earlier this year just before the concrete walk up to the tram. Bango!

Best, Todd in CC.

[cynthia23]

I'm gonna throw down for my Lowa hiking boots. They are excellent for the crampons and have a Goretex lining so are virtually waterproof (I fell into a stream once, and my feet did not get wet) but they are quite breathable and decent/not too stiff for regular hiking, although they would be a bit too warm and heavy for Skyline. For me these boots were a very good value ...

[Newmountaineer]

I'm gonna throw down for my Lowa hiking boots. They are excellent for the crampons and have a Goretex lining so are virtually waterproof (I fell into a stream once, and my feet did not get wet) but they are quite breathable and decent/not too stiff for regular hiking, although they would be a bit too warm and heavy for Skyline. For me these boots were a very good value ...

My plastic boots are Lowa Civettas and I love them. What model Lowa do you have for your hiking boots?

[magikwalt]

...I fell in the creek once and my feet didn't get wet...

You're killing my Cynthia.

[cynthia23]

Yeah, I won't soon forget that day--it was during the snowy year (2004) and I was hiking across the Sid Davis drainage to T. V. (another sensitive place). I crossed on what had been a solid snow bridge, but oops, it was a little late in the season, and my "bridge" had a big old melt hole under it, which caved in under my weight ...splash ...well, that was another lesson ...

The model of Lowa's...I'm going to have to go home and look at them. They're black, and that's all I know ...

[prives]

Man, it sure is hard being on the east coast waiting for you all on PST to wake up. I'm DYING to know if anyone made it up this weekend and what the conditions look like.

In the mean time I'll throw in my vote for ASOLO 520 GTX. I wore them for the 1st 3 months of my AT thru hike (early February start). HIGHLY recommend them.

[LAMike]

Conditions:
I went up to wellman's this past saturday, and all around shangri la saturday.
up to wellman's in the AM it's icey and slippery. You can get around without crampons, but I did slip once or twice ~ nothing serious. then it's all slush coming down in the afternoon. about 90% coverage at 2-3 inches.
temps were pretty warm. never needed a jacket. windy at the top, but sunny.
as for boots: I really love these new La Sportiva Trango S EVO GTX Mountaineering Boots. they are light and flexible as tennis shoes, but stiff and setup for crampons. feet were warm and comfy with NO blisters at all.
Have a good hike!
Mike

[Newmountaineer]

From the tram cam today (4/12) around 7:00 p.m. it looks like there is some definite snow up there. Anyone heading up there tomorrow or have any beta on the conditions? I'm thinking of going up the tram on Saturday.

[ToddF]

Really something on San J late Wednesnay afternoon. Incredibly windy, from the west, footprints made coming in were GONE coming out. And cold on the other side of the ridge, up above and south of Round Valley, 50 degrees at most. Sound like roaring jet exhaust, not freight train, not ocean waves, it was airport right on the tarmac sound. Worried about some of that tall deadwood, had to rush right on by a few. Got to use my Dri Ducks (breathable rainwear) top under my Montane windwear, plus a fleece hat, plus gloves to not be really cold. Good test on rainwear as a warmth layer, worth about 10 degrees, I'd say. Great hike though -- absolutely no one else on trail, no one even leaving the tram station -- real hard to force the doors open against that wind too, just to get out. A trickle of water in the creeks, and a very few old snow patches, mostly off trail.

If there's more snow now best get up ASAP and enjoy it. Won't last long, however much it is. I got exactly ONE snowshoe day in this season! I bet there's not enough for much of that, but I'd like to know -- first one up please speak up!

Best, Todd in CC.

[cynthia23]

Yeah, Todd is right, I happened to be up on San J on Wednesday and it was a scary--the wind gusts were huge and the trees were definitely cracking. I was only at Long Valley--with my inimitable sense of timing, this was the day I picked to volunteer with trash pick-up. Best trash find of the afternoon: pair of men's underpants...who knew the wilderness was this much fun?

It was really really cold just in L Valley, the peak must have been freezing ...I felt sorry for anybody who was up there! Quite an accomplishment ToddF!