This was the year I wanted to get three highpoints that involve glacier travel: Hood, Rainier and Gannett. I shoulda just picked a week in May and drove out to climb Mt. Hood by myself. I coulda done Mt. Rainier too if other plans had solidified. And Gannett… Gannett woulda fallen through had I not hooked up with another group that pulled together for the same timeframe I wanted to go. Even then, I worried as those dates have bounced around as we started following snow reports from Pinedale.
Our original dates were July 7-12.
By late June, we saw the trailhead conditions report from Sam at The Great Outdoor Shop that read:
The snow is hanging around in the high country much later than normal this year. It is melting, I promise, but many popular areas such as Titcomb Basin and Cirque of the Towers are still a no-go for at least two more weeks. I’m just as antsy as the rest of you to get back there, but I keep reminding myself that the longer the snow holds, the fewer chances there are for wildfires to devastate the landscape. As with anything, there is a trade-off, but it will be worth it when we’re exploring a thriving alpine ecosystem come mid-July.
The report continued with more specific details about the trailhead we were planning to start from:
Elkhart Park Trailhead (9,350′)
Elkhart Park Trailhead is open. The road, parking lot and campground are all dry. Sacred Rim Trail and Long Lake Trail are ready to hike. I have had reports of hikers making it about one mile past Photographer’s Point before being turned around by deep, slushy snow. This is the main access point to Titcomb Basin, meaning the Basin will likely remain inaccessible for two more weeks. Pole Creek Trail is more like a creek than a trail this time of year so be prepared for wet, muddy hiking.
This immediately put our early July date into question. Photographer’s Point is only 5 miles in with 12 more miles to Titcomb Basin…not to mention the 3,000′ of elevation involved from Elkhart to Titcomb in deep snow with a heavy pack. Moving our date was inevitable.
Sam’s next report came out on July 4th, that said:
The snowline rose another 200 feet this week. It’s not as drastic as we were hoping, but it’s progress nonetheless. Some of the more popular high country spots are opening up, including Jackass Pass to the Cirque of the Towers. Most high passes are still completely snow-covered, so those planning to hike longer loops should still pack snowshoes and traction. Most lakes are still frozen or mostly frozen above snowline, including Titcomb Lakes, but they’re thawing like crazy. At this pace, we have a little more than a week to go before long routes really start becoming accessible and enjoyable.
Snow was melting, but not fast enough for our anticipated start in two days. The added detail about our starting point left us scrambling to pick a new date:
Elkhart Park Trailhead (9,350′)
Elkhart Park Trailhead is open. The road, parking lot and campground are all dry. Sacred Rim Trail and Long Lake Trail are ready to hike. We’ve only heard reports of hikers making it as far as Seneca Lake before being turned around by snow, and Titcomb Basin is still snow-covered. Plenty of people are taking their chances on the basin this week, so I will update this report as I hear more.
Seneca Lake is 8 miles in, and still only about half-way to Titcomb.
It was the report from earlier this week (July 11th) that finally solidified our plans:
It’s time, folks. The mountains are opening up so fast it’s hard to keep up. Pretty much all of the snow below 11,000 feet is gone, meaning most large loops in the Winds are ready to travel.
To those of you looking to make a bid for Gannett via Titcomb Basin, now is the time. For the next week or two, the snow will be gone to the end of the basin but still holding on the southern side of Bonney Pass, making the climb significantly easier with the right equipment. Expect a bare talus field on the north side of the pass then snow again as you traverse the glacier. The bergschrund in the couloir is still walkable via snow bridge, but barely, so either get out there soon or prepare to climb a short 5.2 pitch to gain the summit ridge.
Again, the trailhead details were reported as:
Elkhart Park Trailhead (9,350′)
Elkhart Park Trailhead is open. Long Lake Trail and Pole Creek Trail are both ready to hike. The trail into Titcomb Basin is still wet in places, but is FINALLY accessible. Cook Lakes are also melted off and ready for hikers, just beware the creek crossings. Reports indicate Knapsack Col is still snow-covered and presenting dangerous conditions. This trailhead is one of the most popular in the Winds and the parking lot fills up fast, so be ready to walk a bit to even get to the trail.
These reports from Sam at the Great Outdoor Shop have been so helpful. It has allowed us to make the adjustments necessary to increase our odds of successfully summitting this state’s highpoint. As a result, the new dates we settled on are July 27-August 2.
We’re so excited to see our plans for getting to Gannett remain in tact!