I’m planning on heading up for an overnight on Icicle Ridge. I was wondering on how consolidated the snow is up there around 7,000 feet near the junction with the 4th of July Trail. I’m trying to figure out if snowshoes would be helpful or dead weight.
The Icicle River road is still closed near the junction of 8-mile so you would have to hike to even get to the 4th of July TH in the valley. I was up in Leavenworth yesterday at my brother's house. He had just came down from a hike up the Icicle Ridge trail (from the Icicle road near town) and said conditions were starting to get too sketchy for his trail runners up around the 3000' level.
I was planning on approaching from the trailhead near Leavenworth and traversing up on the ridge. At least a few weeks ago, that trail was accessible with microspikes. Perhaps things have changed? I still am wondering about conditions once on the ridge.
My brother turned around because the trail was transitioning from dry to snow and mud about the level of the first overlook where you can see the pipeline bridge. So If you are planning on gaining 4K more I am sure you would hit very consolidated snow. Microspikes or light crampons would probably do better than snowshoes. Just my guess. I did an overnight trip up on top of that loop in the end of May two years ago and we hit patches of hard snow near the big horse camp and around Power Lakes.
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