Hi friends, we are planning to climb Gannett via the Glacier Trail 6/29-7/3, allowing 5 days in the mountain. Is there a source to gather snow condition/trail condition? Thanks so much!

Looking forward to the trip - this will be my 1st attempt to my 49th state high point.

-Alex

We used the Hobbs Park SNOTEL site to monitor the snow and weather conditions prior to our Gannett climb. The site sits at 10,100' and one goes past it on the Titcomb Basin approach. Choose the "Standard Sensor" link for the most recent data.

http://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=525

Bob

The National Weather Service has a estimated snow map that's all interactive and fancy, and it's fairly accurate-ish.

http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/interactive/html/map.html

Good choice using the Glacier Trail if you're going that early - Titcomb Basin (and half the trail there) will likely be covered in snow.

thank you guys!

Right now, the station at Hobbs is showing the same water content (7.7") that we found on June 21, 2010. Granted, a lot more snow could fall between now and then but it looks to be a very dry season in the Winds. Here's John's report.

http://www.splattski.com/2010/gannett/index.html

Bob

reboyles wrote:Right now, the station at Hobbs is showing the same water content (7.7") that we found on June 21, 2010. Granted, a lot more snow could fall between now and then but it looks to be a very dry season in the Winds. Here's John's report.

http://www.splattski.com/2010/gannett/index.html

Bob

Hi Bob, does that mean we should aim for an earlier start date (end of June) for best chance to avoid the bergschrund?

That wasn't the link I meant to use. Here's the Hobbs Park site.

http://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=525

I would keep an eye on the snow reports. In 2010 it was dry up until a month before our trip and then it snowed another six feet. We had to use snowshoes for the last 15 miles of the 20 mile approach. The bergschrund was almost completely covered on our trip. I glissaded over it on the way down.

Bob

Forget the bergschrund. The best part of the trip with Bob was NO BUGS!

Currently the May snow water equivalent level is about the same as 2010 & 2011 (20.8 inch), should we be prepared for snowshoe approach?

Wow, the snow depth has more than doubled since I last looked but it's still too early to make that call. We have had a week or two of below normal temperatures followed by a week or two above normal, all this season. I was in the Lost River range last weekend and we bailed because of deep, new snow and high avalanche risk. Two weeks earlier people were skiing it on solid, consolidated corn snow. Last week's snow melted out in a week and now it's snowing up there again. These big cold fronts keeping coming down from the Gulf of Alaska just when it feels like summer. If you are in doubt when the time comes just make sure you have snowshoes in your car. You can make the call on whether to carry them when you get there.

Bob

Alex,

There's also the Cold Springs station (9630') on the east side of Gannett that's showing a lot less snow than the Hobbs station. And, that's the story for snow out west this year. Some areas received up to 200% and others are less than 50%.

Bob

http://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/nwcc/site?sitenum=405

Good luck Alex!

Looks like the recent snows have mostly affected the east side of the divide and SE portion of the range. I would think that given your start date of 6/29, you probably won't need snowshoes but, as Bob mentioned, it's still too early to know for sure. May have to bring them as previously mentioned and make a trailhead decision.
I don't know where that Hobbs station is but am familiar with Cold Springs which typically doesn't have a lot of snow. The percentage of normal is relative.
At this point, the snowpack has a long way to go to reach the 2011 numbers, but....
You might check with these guys a week or so before you start and see what they have to say about trail conditions.

http://www.wildirisclimbing.com/get-out ... wild-iris/

Good luck!

Last year someone Bill? gave me great advice to contact the guys at the Great Outdoor Shop in Pinedale for trail conditions beta prior to going. They would have most knowledge of western approach but were very responsive and knowledgeable.

Getting ready to go!!!