That is the seasonal summer snowfield which after a couple of good TSers, hardens up this time of year as pictured above. The normal "Summer" ascent/descent route for the MR is as described above via the buttress on skiers left then by wandering under the seasonal snow/ice field then following the clean slabs, skiers right, again partially pictured above.

Thanks for posting.

Seems like ice season will not happen. 1-2 feet of snow predicted this week.

RIP ICE SEASON

Well...It does look like our trip for the 10th to North has morphed into a little fun in the sun at Josh. Living in California is unreal! (I suppose that could be taken in a bunch of different ways)
The morning of the 10th, I will leave the fire station, Go for a quick bike ride along the beach with the kids. Load up the truck and be on my first climb by mid afternoon.
Not a bad plan B
Tad

So no word on North Pk conditions it appears.
I've got a couple days next week, guess it will be something else. There looks to be a LOT of snow in that picture.

Dang! You got me all excited that maybe there was some news. I'll be on the East Side this weekend, so hopefully I can stop by South Lake and do some recon with my long telephoto lens. Or could any locals do us a favor?

Can't say that I have good beta on the conditions, but I was hiking in the Saddlebag area last week-end (October 15th) and have some far away shots of North Peak. I did not bring the crampons and ice tools (and regretted it). The snow at 10000-10500 feet was styrofoam-like, getting quite soft as the day went on. I cannot really comment on the conditions close to the couloirs since I was quite far away, although it looked like styrofoam-snow with some small icy sections (at the beginning of the couloirs). Here are some pictures, although I don't know how much they would help.
South-Facing Slopes:

North-Facing Slopes:

Webenji - nice pics - thanks for posting them and your comments!

webenji wrote:Can't say that I have good beta on the conditions...

Well, it does not help much but I can assume no blue ice formed. The close up on the bergshrund would provide more info. Hey, but we are waiting for anything, so thanks for your input and pictures. My favorite is the second one (nice angle, framing and exposure). There is more snow coverage in the basin than three weeks ago.

Hiked the middle gully on N Peak yesterday. Some soft snow, quite a bit of wonderful neve, and some horribly rotten, precariously piled, loose rock (lots and lots) on sloping ledges and at the crux chockstone (easy chimney move and stemming under and behind it). Trailed a rope and had some gear with me (ballast), but only used about 20' of the rope to pull my pack up after the crux. Knocked no rock off, but was glad nonetheless that no one was below me. Seriously precarious looking chockstone and abundant debris. Seemed sort of alpine.

Left and right gullies appeared to have much of the soft snow and neve that I found in the middle couloir. More soft snow and not as much neve as last year:
http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Tis-the-season-back-to-North-Peak-left-and-right-couloirs-9-8-10/t10762n.html

p.s. No blue ice.

Thompson Couloirs as of Sunday. :'-(

Thanks, PWombat -- the Thompson Couloirs look somewhat snowy rather than icy ...

Posted some North Peak pics over here:

http://www.supertopo.com/tripreport/tri ... leid=11240