[Matt]

An even score of creatures reached the summit of Persis today - 16 hikers and 4 dogs.

People: Matt, Cartman, Don b, Martin S, Loper, Wamountaingal, Todd, Trailpair (2), Opus, Twodogdad, Bad Dog (2), 11th Essential, Mountainsun, Micitz.
Dogs:  Banjo, Holly, Boon, Docs

We were able to drive to about 2050 feet on the road, and saved some road-walking distance with a shortcut up a gully near where the trail starts.

We couldn't find the exact TH in the snow, but worked our way up in the scrubby trees for a couple hundred feet and then up the snow-covered clear-cut slopes.  Snow on the lower slopes was soft and inclined to posthole, but the snow got better higher up.

The summit had great clear views of the surrounding peaks, especially the ornately corniced ridge leading to Persindex and Index.

We decided to not go any further because the hot weather was weakening the snow rapidly.  But some of us longingly studied the ridge in anticipation of future trips.

The group enjoyed about an hour of relaxing in warm sun on the summit, then headed down.

The softened snow was a minefield of people-eating pits on the lower slopes going down.  The weak snow cover would break and drop you into pits of brush and clearcut slash.  I think everyone fell in at least waist deep, and some went chest or shoulder deep.


A few more photos:


Panoramic of Index:


Stats:  Parking 2050, Summit 5464, net gain 3400, cumulative gain 3600, 6 miles, 7:30 hours, countless postholes.

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"Matt, you are truly full of it.  But you take great --- pics, in spite of that."  Scrooge

[TrailPair]

First, we would like to thank Matt for organizing this fun trip. It was a large group of very nice people.  We were even joined by "Mike", who just discovered the NW Hikers website last night, and decided to join us.

With the warm weather, K got a chance to try her summer single point crampons with heel elevators, which are well ventilated and  stylish.

Although the descent was hideous with the traps and soft snow, the glissade down the "short cut" made it all worthwhile!  And what views!


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This thing called work is interfering with my play

[silly_traveler]

Nice pictures!!! 

K -      very stylish! 

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♫ You have brains in your head.  You have feet in your shoes.  You can steer yourself any direction you choose.  And you're the one who will decide where you'll go.  Oh the places you'll go. - Dr. Seuss

[drewcoll]

I so wanted to go.  Looks like lots of fun.  Sadly I was in an auditorium until 1:30. 

Very jealous. 

[loper]

Thanks Matt for organizing.  A good day in the mountains.  Enjoyed meeting you all. 
Oh, almost forgot.  Awesome single point crampon sandal shots!
L

[Opus]

What a great trip, thanks for organizing it Matt!    Between the Northlake social and this trip I've met a lot of new people this week.  Great views from the top, much better than my last trip.  I took about a bazillion photos too, many more than I'll post here.  The rest are viewable at the link below, as well as the full sized panoramas.
Mt. Persis trip photos

[wamtngal]

Awesome pano, Opus! 

It was great to meet everyone - and on such a hot day! Much thanks to Matt for organizing the trip and making sure our headcount came to 16 + 4 canines at the end.

Looking forward to getting out with all of you again! 

My measly photo contribution...wish I had brought the better camera on a day like today!

[Hiker Mama]

What a spectacular looking trip!  Matt, your photos are wonderful.  I especially like the last one with all the snow flowers.  TrailPair, I really like the photo of Mt. Index with the scraggly tree in front.  I can't imagine postholing up to my shoulders, or even waist!  Thanks for sharing your adventure.

[mntsun]

It was a terrific group of people with whom to slog up Persis!  A perfect weather day, 56 degrees on the summit with almost no wind; however, descent was challenging.  It was very enjoyable both snowshoeing and meeting everyone.

Thanks to Opus for reposting the pano, Trail Pair for the sparkly single point crampon pictures, wamtngal for finding my basket, all the trail breakers for their steps, the whole group for the great experience and especially thanks fo Matt for organizing and being aware enough to help the hiker out and down.

[11th Essential]

Big thanks to Matt for putting this together  . Perfect Day. Was great to meet so many new folks and put faces to the avitars.
Fortunately I made it out of that hole and was able to take these pics,

[Matt]

I added a few more photos and a pan of Index to my original post.
Glad everyone enjoyed the trip.

A couple other anecdotes:

Where we parked, there were three young guys departing at the same time, but they didn’t have snowshoes and didn’t make it to the summit.  On the way down, I met one of them postholing, and was appalled to see that he was wearing soaking wet bluejeans.  Somehow he survived, but it was funny just to recognize my own reaction.  When I noticed the jeans, I found myself internally exclaiming in horror, “Oh my God, he’s wearing cotton!”

I also forgot to put on sunscreen.  This evening my son has been amusing himself by poking my face to watch the red skin turn white and then back to red.

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"Matt, you are truly full of it.  But you take great --- pics, in spite of that."  Scrooge

[Wilbur Spork]

Well golly gee. He was probably as appalled to see a group of 20 on such a small mountain, as you were to see him in jeans.   Wouldn't you just love to arrive at a summit to find the lunch crowd.

[puzzlr]

Thanks all for the report and the clear pictures of the Pers-Index ridge. Last fall I scrambled up the back route on Index and looked all over the site for pictures like this to let me know what to expect, but everyone who did it either didn't take the shots or was on Persis in bad weather. Now there's an abundance of Beta shots on the Index route.

[wildernessed]

Nice look at that ridge. The snow yesterday was like slush, I put on SPF 50 all day and still got a burn on top of last weeks. Sweet views, despite the haze and smog layers.

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I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent_Gandhi

[GaliWalker]

Looks like a beautiful trip! Lots of eye candy...

Opus, these 2 shots are really good!