Hopped up Mount Rose today for Easter. :)
Road:
Short section of gravel road has some potholes, but overall, it is in pristine condition compared to what I imagine the rest of the road looks like to Staircase. I was surprised to snag the last parking spot this morning at 7:45 am. Lots of friendly people on the trail today.
Tis the season for Tale of Two Trails up Mount Rose. To Horse Camp:
Easy walk-up conditions (oh yeah, don't forget the part where you climb 2200+ ft in under 2 miles). But no snow and only one very small tree down.
After Horse Camp to summit:
The trail remains snowfree for about another 1/3 mile or so. I was galivanting happily through the forest when I rounded a corner, and suddenly, the snow went from 0 to 100%. I put on spikes right away, since it's slick. At first, the snow is a bit patchy (i.e. the creek crossing at 3600 ft is snow-free (YAY)). But beyond that creek crossing, the snow remains consistent. Thankfully the boot path is fairly easy to follow as it plunges up the mountain side. I will say that I am very glad I did this hike today and that the sun wasn't out. Towards the top, snow conditions are deteriorating. There was one sketchy crossing/snow bridge over a log and hole beneath. I'm not sure I would have crossed it had the sun been out and beating down. Its days are certainly numbered. Then right before the summit, the snow gets even thinner. It is easy to see the deep holes/mistakes of your predecessors, but choose your steps carefully! Awareness is important here.
The summit block itself is snow-free. Coming down was very steep, and I was incredibly glad I had spikes and poles. Not sure how on earth it would have been possible without 'em. After I managed to get down past the really steep part, I switched to snowshoes. Definitely not necessary by any means, but hey, I had them, and we all deserve a super fun plunge-step descent after that climb! It probably took me half the time to get down because of them!
The rest of the way back was uneventful. Great day and great climb! I wish I had checked out the loop, so I cannot speak to the northern/northeast part of it.
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