Basin and Saddleback conditions

ADKREDBEARD · 04-15-2017, 07:17 PM

Looking to do the Basin/Saddleback loop next weekend and looking for some condition reports for the Saddleback cliffs. Plan on going up instead of down in hopes of it being a little more controlled. Snowshoes and spikes are a no brainer but I did not know if I would need an axe for the cliffs so any input would be great. Other than that just hoping for views.

Trail Boss · 04-15-2017, 08:20 PM

I just came back from a hike today and the 4K summits are still gleaming white in the sunshine. However, there's a lot or dark rock visible in those white patches. It's extremely unlikely Saddleback's south side (the cliff side; in full sun) is anything other than bare rock.

FWIW, the winter of 2010/2011 had a whopping amount of snow. I hiked Saddleback-Basin-Saddleback (i.e. descend and re-ascend the cliff) on April 24th 2011 and there was gobs of snow ... but the sunlit cliff was snow and ice-free. This is what it looks like from below.

All pics here: https://1drv.ms/i/s!At2A5gDBcUN4hWyWv_RkOLP4YsKN

ADKREDBEARD · 04-16-2017, 04:46 PM

Great. That's what I was hoping but was looking for reassurance. Awesome pics also. I will post a TR next week with some new pics of my own.

tenderfoot · 04-17-2017, 10:38 AM

+1 for what Trailboss said.

We did Gothics , Armstrong and Upper Wolf Jaw last Friday. Definitely still needed snowshoes on the way up. Ore bed brook trail slide was mostly snow-crete. We used crampons but if you have the longer spikes should do well.

Enjoy!

04-15-2017, 07:17 PM	#1
ADKREDBEARD ADKREDBEARD Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: West Monroe, NY Posts: 8	Basin and Saddleback conditions Looking to do the Basin/Saddleback loop next weekend and looking for some condition reports for the Saddleback cliffs. Plan on going up instead of down in hopes of it being a little more controlled. Snowshoes and spikes are a no brainer but I did not know if I would need an axe for the cliffs so any input would be great. Other than that just hoping for views.

04-15-2017, 08:20 PM	#2
Trail Boss Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 641	I just came back from a hike today and the 4K summits are still gleaming white in the sunshine. However, there's a lot or dark rock visible in those white patches. It's extremely unlikely Saddleback's south side (the cliff side; in full sun) is anything other than bare rock. FWIW, the winter of 2010/2011 had a whopping amount of snow. I hiked Saddleback-Basin-Saddleback (i.e. descend and re-ascend the cliff) on April 24th 2011 and there was gobs of snow ... but the sunlit cliff was snow and ice-free. This is what it looks like from below. All pics here: https://1drv.ms/i/s!At2A5gDBcUN4hWyWv_RkOLP4YsKN __________________ Looking for views!

04-17-2017, 10:38 AM	#4
tenderfoot Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Rochester NY Posts: 167	+1 for what Trailboss said. We did Gothics , Armstrong and Upper Wolf Jaw last Friday. Definitely still needed snowshoes on the way up. Ore bed brook trail slide was mostly snow-crete. We used crampons but if you have the longer spikes should do well. Enjoy! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Eyes on the Forest, not on the Trees

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04-16-2017, 04:46 PM	#3
ADKREDBEARD ADKREDBEARD Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: West Monroe, NY Posts: 8	Great. That's what I was hoping but was looking for reassurance. Awesome pics also. I will post a TR next week with some new pics of my own.

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