Hey all, I'm a Yellowstone employee in Mammoth this winter and I was wondering if anyone was in the area climbing at all this winter. The Northern Rockies board kind of dies in the winter I have noticed. I am not looking to do anything crazy, just maybe climb some stuff around 10,000-10,500 feet. This is my first winter in the mountains and I want to learn more about avoiding avalanche terrain and safely climbing in the winter. I have read Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain but reading and doing are completely different. I am off on Mondays and Tuesdays and I may have a 3-day weekend or two throughout the winter (which would be a Wednesday).
I am planning on heading up toward Barronette Peak, near the NE entrance of the park, this Monday to get a taste of what things look like higher up. The south ridge looks pretty heavily forested until treeline, where I am guessing I will turn back since from the photos on the page for Barronette it looks like the wind blows from the north over the summit and windloads the south side of the summit. Either way I want to get up there and see what it looks like. Let me know if you are interested in joining me for any adventures.
