Went up and down the old trail this morning. Started at 7:30, about the earliest you can go without a light on a clear day like today. (15 minutes before sunrise is a good general rule.) The trail's in great shape with no trees down or annoying snow. There are several patches of hard snow above the boulder field. You can get through these patches either on rocks or using existing tracks, so I kept my spikes in my pack. It was warm enough that there wasn't even frost on the rocks except in very isolated and visible spots. In general, it felt like spring (unfortunately).
We should be getting some fresh snow this Friday which will stick around through the weekend, so this spike-free window is coming to a close.
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