Perry wrote:Florian wrote: Probably still ice on traverse.
I would bring an ice axe, crampons, and a hand file to sharpen them. At least until somebody posts an update that suggests otherwise. That's north-facing and shaded, and we got a lot of rain/snow this winter.
You gave me a good laugh there, Perry, with your suggestion that we arm ourselves with a hand file. Semi-humorous, I assume. Personally, I tend to be of the dull-points school, though I have been in situations where, sharp points or dull, they had to be stamped in, which is not fun, since it tends to unbalance you, and sometimes shatters the ice as it penetrates it.
The place I worry about on the traverse is where you have the tree root-and-rock obstacle, requiring a step-up and step-down. Perhaps it would have seemed less formidable to me when I was younger and more agile. I also worry about what I call the 'second traverse', where you have to carefully step downhill, through tree roots and rocks, before it levels off and you come to the Great Log.
Will be interesting to see a report. SanJacJon tends to keep us up to date on the Tahquitz Peak trail, which he usually reports as being dangerously icy. I wonder how well that correlates with the upper part of Skyline.