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(Starting a new thread)

Any reports on mid-May conditions in the Palisades. I have a permit for Split Mtn/ Red Lake trail later this week. I am guessing mostly dry low with patchy snow and ice over 10k. But if anyone has been up there and seen anything different I would love to know.

Thanks in advance.

I was at Finger lake Tues-Thurs. The outlet was open, rest of lake was frozen. There's snow sticking to Middle Pal east and N. Clyde NE. As mentioned elsewhere, it gets really soft early. At least it's melting quickly.

I wasn't quite certain on starting a new thread (didn't want to hijack this one - hopefully any info will be of use to the OP), but I'm also interested in conditions in the Palisades.

We're thinking about heading up to the Palisades basin, mostly likely for North Pal and Polemonium, but maybe for some rock on Temple. I'm curious if anyone has any info on:
snow on Temple Crag? Any pics of the climbs or descent?
U-notch/V-notch bergschrund conditions?

With the weird snow year, I'm not quite certain what to expect (i.e. would normally expect solid snow up the notches, but who knows?) so would really appreciate having a better idea on what gear to take.

I've looked through the other sierras conditions threads - so without further info I'd expect mixed snow, ice, and rock with lots of wet after sunrise. I'm hoping for something a bit more specific

JedSMG was just up there and posted this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avDncbrN ... ture=share

Granted, this was over a week ago and was just after some fresh snow fell, but this may be helpful...

we were up there (Split Mtn) the last weekend of April.

Water was accessible at Red Lake, pretty much no snow up to there. We climbed the North slope and we found only about 500ft of snow which mandated the use of crampons. Even that could have been bypassed by scrambling at the side. From there to the summit, we pretty much didn't need to touch snow.

The approach from Red Lake

The way up to the snow slope, we took the snowy chute.

The north slope:

ACHIRAL,
Hi. I was up in the Palisades just a couple of days ago (backpacking). Weather conditions are excellent,...warm and sunny (this spring the snow was light, so expect conditions that are like mid-June of a normal snow year). Some snow banks exist above about 11,000 feet.
As I was descending from Fifth Lake, I encountered a large group of climbers at Third Lake (the traditional starting location for Temple Crag climbs).
...Everybody looked pretty happy and excited. And, yes, climbers were already on the face.

Any pictures of Temple Crag?

Vitaliy M. wrote:Any pictures of Temple Crag?

Why, are you going to hike to the top with your little stuffed maggot?

3Deserts wrote:

schaffner wrote:we were up there (Split Mtn) the last weekend of April...We climbed the North slope and we found only about 500ft of snow which mandated the use of crampons. Even that could have been bypassed by scrambling at the side. From there to the summit, we pretty much didn't need to touch snow.

I've been nursing this naive hope that the couloirs would be in shape on Split to warrant a trip up. Guess I'll postpone another year.

I bet St Jean is glorious right now

Burchey wrote:

Vitaliy M. wrote:Any pictures of Temple Crag?

Why, are you going to hike to the top with your little stuffed maggot?

My stuffed maggot forgot more about climbing, than you will ever learn, helmet boy.

A group of us did St Jean on Split a couple days ago (Sunday) as a backup climb - continuous, 40-45 deg snow above the apron. No ice or bergschrund. Glissaded the N slopes line. The entire Red Lake basin is pretty much snow-free except for the couloirs.

The E couloir is out. Or extremely sketchy.

Edit: pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/105978537438093356597/SplitMtn05192013

Vitaliy M. wrote:

Burchey wrote:

Vitaliy M. wrote:Any pictures of Temple Crag?

Why, are you going to hike to the top with your little stuffed maggot?

My stuffed maggot forgot more about climbing, than you will ever learn, helmet boy.

Shet. I showed this picture to my old climbing buddy...

Burchey wrote:

Vitaliy M. wrote:

Burchey wrote:

Vitaliy M. wrote:Any pictures of Temple Crag?

Why, are you going to hike to the top with your little stuffed maggot?

My stuffed maggot forgot more about climbing, than you will ever learn, helmet boy.

Shet. I showed this picture to my old climbing buddy...

If he told you my stuffed animal never been to Lee Vining, he was correct.

5/27/2013

Ice showing in the middle in spots up the V, but avoidable. U had much more ice (we rapped it), Clyde had ice but probably not for long. Snow was in great condition on the glacier, berg on the V was open for almost the entire width, berg on the U was much friendlier snowbridge-wise

Did Split via the usual Red Lake/north slope route. Dry up to the lake. Patchy snow above 11,000. East facing snow in the gully below the north ridge was very pleasant for step kicking, and actually glissaded 1000 feet down the crux. Snow on the north-facing slopes was harder and required more work to kick steps. All the springs and streams are in good shape.

Looked at the St. Jean. Snow looked to be in OK shape, but may be getting icy. We didn't attempt it due to frequent audible rock fall.