Mt. Humphrey's: current trail conditions

dvallett · Post by **dvallett** » Oct 23 2002 10:07 am

I'm considering attempting the Mt. Humprey's summit on November 4. Would appreciate any info on what to expect for trail conditions, especially snow and ice. Thanks!

joebartels · Post by **joebartels** » Oct 23 2002 10:34 am

you'll need crampons

it's already thin slush, that's ice in the morning and melting in the afternoon
a couple of storms are in the current weekly forcast so considerable snow is possible

Lizard · Post by **Lizard** » Oct 23 2002 3:09 pm

An ice axe (and the ability to use it) would also be a good idea.

MtnGeek · Post by **MtnGeek** » Oct 23 2002 4:12 pm

I've done humphreys with snow on the trail a few times and I never have seen the use for an ice axe. I have used my crampons tho.

Lizard · Post by **Lizard** » Oct 24 2002 1:28 am

Steven wrote:I've done humphreys with snow on the trail a few times and I never have seen the use for an ice axe. I have used my crampons tho.

I strongly disagree with this.

Carrying an ice axe and being trained in self-arrest techniques is absolutely essential for traveling on snow above treeline. True, it does not get used most of the time. I carried an ice axe for 400 miles through the Sierra Nevada, and the majority of the time it was just a fancy walking stick. However, I took a slip on the snow near Forrester Pass that easily could have been fatal had I not been able to self-arrest with my ice axe.

I have a friend who used to hike in the Idaho Mountains. He was traversing a snow slope and slipped. He had an ice axe but was not well versed in the self-arrest technique. He rocketed down fifty feet of snow and slammed into a tree. The crampon on his left foot dug into the tree while his body kept moving. He emerged from the incident with a compound fracture. He considers himself lucky that his fall ended at a tree and not a cliff.

An ice axe is like a first-aid kit. Most of the time it is not used, but when you need it, you really need it.

dvallett · Post by **dvallett** » Oct 24 2002 6:32 am

Thanks everyone for the helpful comments. I was thinking about the ice axe anyways so this confirms it. (BTW - didn't Joy go on to essentially:stay home and sit ???).

Wiz · Post by **Wiz** » Oct 24 2002 11:31 am

dvallett wrote:(BTW - didn't Joy go on to essentially:stay home and sit ???).

Naw, that was the second "this little piggy".

MaryPhyl · Post by **MaryPhyl** » Oct 24 2002 9:20 pm

A friend went up today--6 inches of slushy snow that may well turn to ice. MP