We just got back yesterday from a trip to Clyde Minaret. The approach from Reds Meadows to Minaret Lakes is free of snow. From Minaret Lake to Cecile Lake is patches of snow. The approach from Cecile Lake to the base of Clyde was almost completely snow covered, except for a few spots of cliffs and talus poking out.
The snow was frozen solid at 7am but softened by mid morning and remained soft into the evening (we were still descending the snow field at 7pm and the conditions were good). We descended the Ken-Clyde couloir which is free of snow for the top 2/3rds and filled with snow below the rappel at the giant chockstone. We had to do a couple extra raps below this point to avoid some 45 degree snow*. These rappels were a pain in the ass and time consuming. After the gully widens and the snow becomes less steep there is a somewhat scary section of step kicking down 30 degree snow*. Gloves and a very small and basic self-arrest tool (like a big, fat tent stake) would be ideal. We had pointy rocks. If you were to carry ice axes on the climb you could probably glissade the whole couloir without the extra rappels.
The mosquito presence in the area ranges from mild to severe depending on your location and the time of day.
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* I'm not very good at judging the angle of snow, so take these measurements with a grain of salt.
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Edited to add some photos
- Approaching Clyde Minaret
- DSCN3965.JPG (252.27 KiB) Viewed 3168 times
- A view of Ritter and Banner from near the summit of Clyde
- DSCN3968.JPG (289.07 KiB) Viewed 3168 times
- Descending from Clyde Minaret
- DSCN3983.JPG (236.71 KiB) Viewed 3168 times
- Not really a "conditions" photo, but Riegelhuth Minaret from Cecile Lake
- DSCN3985.JPG (64 KiB) Viewed 3168 times