Started at 7:30am under 55f blue bird skies! Toilet was clean and well stocked at the trailhead. The trail to chocolate falls is basically snow free. At the falls, there are two ways up. We took the first spur to the right before the falls and quickly lost the trail and meandered through the lava flows going too far east. After some rock hopping we were back on the trail. The trail after the falls is much more obvious!
The snow started in earnest around 5500', where we donned microspikes and an ice axe. There are a few cracks opening up on the snowfield between the two routes on the Swift Glacier, so be mindful. They are to the climbers right. One glissade chute even passed over a sizable gap but thankfully someone put rocks on the slope above to warn glissaders.
From the seismic station to the summit is a staircase of snow. Although it was in the mid-50s, the snow really wasn't that bad. There are enough tracks that we weren't kicking in our own steps. At the crater rim, the cornices are still massive and if you traverse west to the true summit, some cracks are forming! The summit was surprisingly wind-free and mild. I even took my shoes off to dry my feet!
The route down is a glissade and plunge step fun-fest! We ended up glissading to around 4400'. Some of the lower chutes under 5k' get close to rocks. Overall, it was a fun day out with spectacular conditions.
Car to summit in 2:50
Summit to car in 1:08
Gear: Trail runners, ankle gaiters, microspikes, ice axe, tights, long sleeve base layer, wind shirt, cookies.
Comments