Has anyone been in the area recently? Would greatly appreciate confirmation that both Merriam-Royce saddle and Royce-Feather col are snow/ice-free and the pons/axe can stay at home. TIA

And update on Feather couloir would be great

96avs01 wrote:Has anyone been in the area recently? Would greatly appreciate confirmation that both Merriam-Royce saddle and Royce-Feather col are snow/ice-free and the pons/axe can stay at home. TIA

Merriam-Royce is 100% snow free as of July 29. Royce-Feather was wall to wall snow and ax was needed to descend in the afternoon back then. I would take one now without new information. Did not take or use crampons and glad I didn't, but might have needed them in the morning and some folks might want them regardless.

Vitaliy M. wrote:And update on Feather couloir would be great

Looks like it was snow covered back then.

Thanks Chad! Anyone else have any info since the end of July?

VM - will try to get you some good shots of the Feather Coulie.

Cheers

DAMN!

There is far more snow (all three years the snow/ice line only came down to lower mouth) in the Royce/Feather gig than there was two, three aaannnnnd four years ago.

Just goes to show you that term drought is all relative.

TFPU Chad.


PS: Looks like some major ass sun cups though. And with the recent TSers and heavy down pours, I would not be a bet surprised to find more ice and than snow beginning to show itself. Thaw/freeze's after the rain.

96avs01 wrote:Thanks Chad! Anyone else have any info since the end of July?

VM - will try to get you some good shots of the Feather Coulie.

Cheers

Would be awesome, thanks.

Top of Royce Merriam Saddle last Wednesday. No snow. Didn't make it over to Feather because we bailed due to weather.

I was up the Pine Creek Trail recently and see that the trail wreckers have been up there since my last trek up that trail a few years back - a lot more mule stairs and even some new switchbacks - such a shame.

Based on my post above and current snow conditions I'd take an ice ax. But haven't been this year.