I enjoyed a gorgeous day on Mt. Washington, with balmy, springlike weather prevailing even on top. Hazy clouds obscured Mt. Rainier, but otherwise the vista from the top of the mountain was impressive in every direction.
The trail to the mountain was still snowy as previous reports indicated. However, heavy use on Saturday along with warm temperatures has resulted in a packed-down trail all the way to the top. No postholing required. The snow route mostly kept to the path of the summer trail, but there was one short fall-line climb up a steep open slope that may present an avalanche danger in some conditions. I used snowshoes, even though they hardly seemed necessary. Without showshoes, I would recommend using boot traction aids to maintain grip on the sometime steep trail.
Slushy snow began right at the start of the trail and steadily increased with elevation. The snowpack at the first Washington Creek crossing (elev. 2800') was impressive, about 5 feet deep. It's going to be months before the trail melts out.
Comments