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Has anyone been backpacking in this area yet? It's been a hot summer already, so I'm wondering if the couloir might melt out earlier than usual. Anyone planning on climbing in the next couple weeks? I'm planning on going in a month or so.

In a month it will be dry for sure

Montanajames, sounds like you'll be there about the same time as me. I'm arriving in Salt Lake City on 8-29 and am considering climbs of Borah, ID, Granite and Kings, UT. In the small chance I don't have to wait out any weather I might make an attempt at all 3, otherwise I'll be happy to hit 2 of 3 in the 6 days I'll be there. What day will you be climbing it? Maybe I'll see you out there on the trail. Are you planning to take the Aero Lakes route or Skytop Creek? I had an unsuccessful attempt a few years ago due to there still being snow and ice in the couloir around Aug. 18 of that year. Made it to about 12,300' or so. I've been aching for revenge ever since.

I'm hiking in on August 31 and camping. Hoping to get to the top on September 1 and hike out. I have an extra day for potential weather issues. I will be going via Skytop Creek, which I attempted in 2011 and enjoyed the route. I didn't make it to the top that year, but am more prepared (and in much better shape) this year. You'll have to let me know if you're going to be in the area at the time. Good luck on the trifecta.

Montanajames, It's completely likely that I may be heading up the trail that same day. I was debating back and forth about whether to start on Kings or Borah. If I do Borah first then I'd be coming up the Granite Peak trail that same day as you (since Borah should only take a day). Let me know if you want company on summit day. I was prepared to do the mountain solo after my partner backed out last week but I know my wife would be sleeping easier if she knew I wasn't climbing that peak alone. I'm familiar with the route from 3 years ago but was just hoping not to summit alone. I planned to establish a high camp near the upper most Skytop Lake just to bring a stronger chance at summiting before any bad weather moves in. 3 years ago my friend and I camped at one of the lower Skytop Lakes, which was fine, but I remember thinking that we could have shortened the summit approach by at least 30-45 minutes by camping farther up. If you feel like having some company let me know. Don't worry if you'd rather climb alone or don't want to expand your group. I'll just go solo if I need to. Enjoy your climb!!

This thread needs pics! Here is my camp below Sky Top Glacier following a hail storm last year...

@badgersummitseeker, you would be more than welcome to join our group if you want. There will be 5 or 6 of us, all family. We'll also be aiming for Upper Sky Top Lake, or maybe even the site in the picture MrChad9 just posted. The shorter the distance on summit day, the better our chances of success, I suppose. If you decide that your timing works out and want to join, PM me a week or so before the climb and we can exchange contact info.

@MrChad9 - great pics!!!!

Hey man, we went Aug 14th in 2012. It probably was not as dry as this year but in the couloir there was only 1 major snow patch (small), and up in the chimney there is one place where it was wet.

I was just there last weekend...dry as a bone!

Great news to hear that the couloir is dry. I ran into too much ice in Mid-August 2010 and had to turn around. Looking forward to revenge in a few weeks. Hopefully it won't start snowing before then. Sounds like I just may have ideal ground conditions for my return visit. Fingers are crossed.

any updates?

I plan on going back to this route in 2014 with ice axe, crampons, ropes and rock protections. I turned around in the couloir in 2012 because it was beyond my comfort zone (definitely at least class 4 for me, I did Borah Peak and that was class 2/3).

Are you sure you were on route? It's no harder than Borah really. Just 2-3 little spots you have to get over within the chute.

Yeah it sounds like you were off route. I did it last summer in July and the crux was the last remaining section of snow/ice in the coulior, not rock. If you take your time routefinding at the top of the coulior you can keep it to class 3.

Hi Chad and Morlow, thank you for the feedback! I think the obstacle for me was a late start, lose rocks and a fear of exposure and height, when I climbed Borah the rocks are solid and there was basically no 'vertical cliff', just steep slopes, SW couloir has the intimidating slab as well as super steep couloir, which looks dangerous to downclimb. I will go back with some protection in hope to overcome my fear, next month I'm heading to MR route on Whitney to also train for hiking up/down steep chimneys, and hopefully I'll find experience rock climbers to go with~

At the top of the couloir on Whitney MR, if you turn left and go up the chute instead of doing the traverse, I'd say it is comparable to Granite Peak. So if you can shimmy up that then Granite should be good to go.

The couloir was sketchy when I went! In the first pic you can see a bit of a chockstone there. I think that was the crux, at least when I went, as getting around it required climbing up a short wall with about 1/4 inch of ice covering it. Might be a different spot in dry conditions.