Anyone climbed these recently? What is the condition like?

I'm planning it for this weekend, just the normal glacier route up from darwin bench.

Question I have is, do I need crampons, and the boot that goes with it? Or can I get away with hiking boots.

Thanks!

Linda

I was just up there this weekend. The snow starts firming up in the evenings on both sides of the range. If you are planning to be there early morning or descending in the evening you will want crampons. There is a deep boot track on Lamark Col so you can get by without crampons if you are comfortable. Approach shoes were fine for me but I don't mind getting my feet a bit wet.

have fun

+ photos
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107252326
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/107252335

Mendel we didn't use crampons, can get away by climbing some rocks on the side. Darwin definitely requires ice axe and crampon from the glacier to the notch on west ridge.

How did Ice Nine and the Right Side look?

Pics please....

I don't lead on ice so my observation might be off. It looks like you need som dry tooling on the upper part of ice nine? but I don't know if that's normal or not.

I thought it's too early, i.e. not icy enough to climb, but yesterday as we were hiking out, we ran into a party of two hiking in to do ice nine, and they said it's in! since they checked out the condition the previous weekend. And looks like they are day hiking it!

I'll see if I know how to post pictures when I get home tonight.

Has anyone been to Mendel and Darwin lately? Is there ice in the Mendel couloirs? What about the north face of Darwin? I am aiming for next weekend.

I hiked out over Lamarck Col last Sunday and have some photos of Darwin/Mendel. I can post them if it would help.

Yes please...

Yes, please! Today if possible - I am headed there tomorrow morning!

Hope these help...the max size I could post is 1MB so I had to reduce them a lot.

Thanks, snowblind! Conditions look great. Unfortunately, my partner just backed out on me. I don't suppose anyone wants to climb it with me starting tomorrow?

Has anyone been to Lamarc Col and over this year? Any idea of the conditions on Mendel and Darwin?

Some friends of mine were up there over Memorial Day weekend. Here are some pics:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+Mar ... 8600384785