I'm itching for spring climbing season with so much new snow in RMNP, I'm thinking about a climb of the railroad couloir (or something else) on on the north side of Pikes Peak. Wondering about the conditions, anyone have info?

Bump. I'm interested in any condition info on this one or the Y-couloir. Thanks. -DS

I was headed up there a couple of weeks ago, hiking up from the crags. I only made it a little beyond the saddle because of the wind. The only place I really got onto the snow was at the top of Little Italy. There the conditions were really good. Nice cramponing snow. We've had a few pretty good hits of snow since then, but I don't think I would worry about avy conditions as long as you are climbing early so you don't get wet slides. Might be pretty good this weekend since it will be cooler.

As for the wind when I was up there, I was able to move around between gusts at least until a gust of wind caught my glasses hard enough to pull off the keeper strap and my glasses headed for Kansas. Good thing I had my goggles with me. It would have really sucked to have to climb back into that wind with no eye gear.

Vulcun:

I attempted the Y couloir on 4/23 and turned around because of unstable snow. Not very much snow in the Bottomless Pit, but what snow there was in the couloir was a lot of unconsolidated sugar. The Railroad had very little snow in it, although Pikes did get some decent snow from the latest storm. I don't think the Railroad will be a worthy climb this year unless we get a couple more good storms. Here's my pics from the day:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/? ... 148dd34614

Thanks, shknbke - Quite a bit different from what I saw a couple of weeks before over around little Italy. I'm hoping to go check things out next weekend after the snow from tomorrow/sunday consolidates a bit. If I get up there, I'll post conditions.

btw - shknbke - If I go, you interested? Drop me a note if so.