he should have set up a tyrolean
or hitch a ride on one of the gnomes that live up in the krummholz

Bark Eater wrote:One of the biggest hazards on this route is a quick thaw. New member RDJim got turned around half way up last winter. The Indian Falls Brook crossing was impassable. Recommend going when everything is frozen up and nice and cold.

There's no bridge to cross the water?
Would there be a similar problem if I took the trail towards Avalanche Pass from Marcy Dam (staying to the right as I approach the dam from Heart Lake, and then take a left just before Avalanche Pass. Looks like the same distance that way, and maybe less trouble?

CP

LesterLong wrote:I don't know anything about snow shoes, but I climbed Marcy about 3 weeks ago, and I'd say that microspikes are out of the question. Poles are mandatory now, too.

Good luck! I really enjoyed climbing it.

Are two poles mandatory? I have one Leki, but I have an ice axe that could (in a pinch) suffice as a second pole - not for regular use though, as the axe is too short.

CP

CP_Climber_2014 wrote:

LesterLong wrote:I don't know anything about snow shoes, but I climbed Marcy about 3 weeks ago, and I'd say that microspikes are out of the question. Poles are mandatory now, too.

Good luck! I really enjoyed climbing it.

Are two poles mandatory? I have one Leki, but I have an ice axe that could (in a pinch) suffice as a second pole - not for regular use though, as the axe is too short.

CP

I don't really know, and i don't want to lead you astray. I climbed 3 weeks ago, and 2 poles was absolutely not mandatory. Of course conditions could have changed. My guess, though, is that 2 poles is still not mandatory.

Not sure if an ice axe is necessary, either, as it never seemed to get that steep.

Hope this helps!

CP_Climber_2014 wrote:

Bark Eater wrote:One of the biggest hazards on this route is a quick thaw. New member RDJim got turned around half way up last winter. The Indian Falls Brook crossing was impassable. Recommend going when everything is frozen up and nice and cold.

There's no bridge to cross the water?
Would there be a similar problem if I took the trail towards Avalanche Pass from Marcy Dam (staying to the right as I approach the dam from Heart Lake, and then take a left just before Avalanche Pass. Looks like the same distance that way, and maybe less trouble?

CP

Most of the "minor" brook crossings in the high peaks don't have bridges. At normal flow they're just a rock hop across. But during a sudden thaw in winter they could be life threatening. I believe the trail you refer to crosses the same brook lower down. So I expect you would encounter the same problem but can't say for sure. This is an unusual situation during a thaw or after a summer cloudburst. Most of the time it isn't going to be a problem.