Regional discussion and conditions reports for the Northern Rockies. Please post partners requests and trip plans in the Northern Rockies Climbing Partners section.
This August I'm hoping to hike up the east face of Teewinot, and with the low snow levels this year, I was wondering if it would be doable without an ice axe. I know what most would say: "That's stupid, why not just err on the side of caution and take one?", but it's complicated (wife doesn't want me doing anything that requires one, so if I can make the case that it doesn't then I'm good to go). I've heard of accidents occuring on the two steep semi-permanent snowfields on the way up, but for those who have done the route in August of a dry year, do you think they'd be melted out enough to bypass without too much additional effort?
I was fine in running shoes in mid-July 2010. You can avoid most of the snow if you don't mind a bit of 4th class, and Exum guides it enough that there was a good boot-pack on the one I had to cross.
I'll be the voice of dissent here - if your reason for not carrying an ice axe (which should be a 14 oz - 20 oz item) is because your wife thinks it would be "too dangerous".... then.....
um....
OK nevermind, I have no logical response. Carry on.