[murrbn]

Crampons and ice axe for the snowfields or are they melted out enough yet? Up the standard cascadian couloir route.

[mtn.climber]

It's been just over a week since a climber was killed after losing control on the steep snow below the false summit. So I imagine there is still quite a bit of snow on the upper slopes above the CC.

[DIYSteve]

[Markhor]

Assuming this is about Lake Stuart in the Enchantments? I'm heading out there this week with friends. We have permits to camp there. We are planning a day trip on Thursday into the Core Zone, meaning we will have to climb Aasgard Pass. Or should we plan to go the western route into the Eightmile/Caroline Zone? Any input would be appreciated.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

They're talking about climbing Mt. Stuart. Aasgard Pass was nearly melted out 3 weeks or so ago when I was at Colchuck Lake. Crampons and ice axe should not be necessary. Camping at Lake Stuart and day tripping to the Core Zone is a bit of a pain because you go 2+ miles in the wrong direction from the Stuart and Colchuck Lake junction.

[DIYSteve]

[murrbn]

We hit Esmeralda trail head around noon on Saturday. Hiked up to Longs pass and then back down to Ingalls Creek to camp for the night. Woke up at 2 am. Left camp at 3:10 am. If you like scree then you will love the cascadian colouir route. 95% of it was all dry except the one snowfield you mentioned right below the false summit. Definitely sketchy and we took our time heading up it with the crampons and ice axe. The runout is directly into a bunch of rocks like was also mentioned. Right below the summit we did have to take about 5 steps on snow but it was non eventful flat spot that as long as you stayed as far climbers right as possible was easy to get by. Forgot what time we hit the summit but it was beautiful on Sunday. A plane did a fly by and we were all waving at it and he popped his wing up and did a little wave back. It was cool We also ran into a group that had come over the north ridge and was coming down the cascadian couloir.