by mtnjam » Sat Aug 07, 2010 12:55 am
Are you kidding? This is perhaps the worst mountain I have ever been on. Well, at least the south face come up from Holly Lake. So, we were using it as an acclimating hike, coming from the east. The route looked pleasant, but soon we found out that not a single rock was secure. Not one. There were huge rock plates that would just slide. It was ridiculous. We finally got to the west ridge thinking it would be better, we could see the summit, only a few hundred feet away (confirmed by the gps) and hardly any elevation gain. It was not worth walking over there to say that I climbed it. In fact I would rather be able to say that I did not climb it!
I got to the bottom and told my friends "my condolences to Mr Woodring, I would hate a mountain like that to be named after me."
By the way that is the only summit I can recall that I have not summited in over twenty years. Last summer, my wife and I went to and summited the prime 14ers (54 of 'em), without a doubt it was worse than any of the 14ers, including Sneffles and Columbia.
My advice is choose another mountain.
In August, you might be in luck, there are windows of good weather; but if not - you must be super fit and acclimated to start anything at 9. Well, 9 is a good time to hike around Jenny Lake or better still to go to Dornan's for pancakes! All of the mountains, other than Teewinot are 5 miles (without a boat ride), and at least 3,000 feet (that would not even get you to 10,000'.) Don't underestimate your objectives.
Best of luck, maybe you will get good weather.
Monty - cloudhiking.com