Hi all!

A couple of my hiking partners and I got a JMT permit out of Lyell Canyon for June 18 about two days before all these huge storms hit, back when the snowpack was 35% of average to date. Obviously, we are rethinking these plans, but don't want to relinquish a Lyell Canyon permit so quickly!

What does Mt. Lyell look like in the early season? Presumably there's no crevasse danger that early, but are there any variants on routes that should be considered for a high snow year?

Some background: We have about 2 years of mountaineering experience in Tahoe and the High Sierra, but nothing in Yosemite so far. We are proficient in climbing steep snow and using ice axes and crampons. I also realize that Tioga Road might not be open by June 18, but we also have a permit from the valley to TM two days before, so getting to Lyell canyon shouldn't be a problem for us.

Thanks!

If you are proficient in the use of ice axe/crampons, you should have no trouble. Lyell will probably be easier at that time with plenty of snow and a choice of class 3 route options. Huge suncups are usually a bigger problem than crevasses (really, you'd have to try hard to fall in a crevasse even in a low snow year) but with a good snowpack suncups are unlikely to be a nuisance in mid-June. You may have snow on the upper section of the JMT before you turn off and then for much of the cross-country portion to Lyell, but none of it is particularly difficult. You'll want an ample supply of sunscreen.

Keep in mind that it's still much too early to predict conditions in June. The above assumes we continue to get normal amounts of snow through the rest of the season but we've had years with good amounts in Jan that fall flat afterwards. You'll have a much better idea come April.

Like Bob said.

Here are pictures from Lyell-Maclure in mid June a couple years ago. It was a low snow year, but we were pretty continuously on snow above base camp at the base of the glacier, so it should not look that different in the relevant spots:

https://goo.gl/photos/zEgDCcqzZ2S98DeF6

If it didn't snow again this winter, we would still be looking at an average year. The approach to Lyell in June during an average year still holds a fair amount of snow. Totally doable, but with a little extra work. If we continue to get storms. The approach would be 100% snow above 8k or so, and a trip from the Valley might be a little epic. If this were the case, I would consider one of the many peaks on the Eastslope. They tend to have easier approaches in the Spring.

Thanks! Any east slope peak in particular you'd recommend?