Has anyone been up around Southside very recently? If so, how are the conditions? Thank you.

I was up on July 4th. Conditions were excellent. Can't speak for how they are currently, but, with the abundant snowpack, I'd think
that conditions are still pretty good, though on the waning side. Get it soon, and early(though I saw only a little icefall and no rock), and you should be good to go.
Also, check out the Hood conditons page on CC: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthr ... ost1022877

I went up on Monday (7/11) and the conditions are great in the mornings, but as soon as the sun starts shining things will start to come loose. There are long snowfall trails coming down from the Pearly Gates route. And the Bergschrund has opened up to cover the majority of the lower route.

The Old Chute route is still in great condition, with ice holding snowpack and allowing easy kick steps. Keep an eye on the winds though, we didn't stop for long at the summit because the winds started picking up.

Conditions were really nice last week and almost no one on the mountain…

Cluster at the top of the Old Chute route on July 3 (photo by Rick Kent)

Once you reach the top of the old chute, how much hike time is it to the summit? Are you pretty much just hiking along the "knife edge" to the summit?

TheViper wrote:Once you reach the top of the old chute, how much hike time is it to the summit? Are you pretty much just hiking along the "knife edge" to the summit?

About 5 min or less. Yes.

dskoon is right... a simple walk along a boot path from old chute to summit.

There is no "knife edge"... just a steep drop-off on north side.


This picture, looking east, pretty much shows the entire path from old chute to summit. (May 2009)

Oh thats awesome, very cool pic, thanks...well thats not much of a "knife edge".

TheViper wrote:Oh thats awesome, very cool pic, thanks...well thats not much of a "knife edge".

To be fair, it's all dependant on conditions and where you happen to top out.
Bill's pic makes it look pretty wide, and I'd say is shot further along the path, where it does widen a bit. I've seen parts of that ridge walk much narrower, esp. when you first top out. And though the northern side has the sheer drop-off, one certainly would not want to fall over the edge on the southern route either.

This picture looks west from Summit... well past the where the old chute tops out.
(Also May 2009) No evidence of any knife edge.

I summited in 2003 - still no knife edge.

When did you summit to see a knife edge?

There is a bit of a knife edge from where the Old Chute tops out to the summit. It is more narrow towards where the west side routes and Sunshine/Cathedral Ridge top out but there is a section of narrow between the top of the Old Chute and where it widens out towards the summit:

http://www.summitpost.org/summit-ridge/381897/c-265416

http://www.summitpost.org/west-rim-route/448482/c-265416

Brian Jenkins wrote:There is a bit of a knife edge from where the Old Chute tops out to the summit. It is more narrow towards where the west side routes and Sunshine/Cathedral Ridge top out but there is a section of narrow between the top of the Old Chute and where it widens out towards the summit:

http://www.summitpost.org/summit-ridge/381897/c-265416

http://www.summitpost.org/west-rim-route/448482/c-265416

Yes, thank you Brian. That's pretty much what I was referring to.
Bill, not sure I was the one that ever called it a "knife edge," but again, I do recall the two times I've been up there, topping out from the Old Chute, and having a pretty damn narrow trail to walk upon until it widens, maybe 50ft. or so?
Again, from what I experienced, one wouldn't want to fall down back into the old chute, as it's pretty steep right there, and one cetainly wouldn't want to fall down the north side. Definitely a bit of a catwalk until it widens out.

Have you ever seen the ridge leading to the summit of El Dorado? THAT'S what I call a knife edge.

OK, thanks, twoshuzz. My summits where in 2003 (Pearly gates) and 2009 (Old chute). How many times have you summited?

Now see, Bill, this is where you should have left well enough alone.

Dskoon's responses are the only ones that really matter on this thread regarding what was originally asked as he has been up there most recently and knows firsthand (Graham too from a week prior). I really don't think your photo from 2 years prior was relevant, other than showing yourself at the summit. Congratulations on color coordinating with your backpack.