Lets start out with snow cover --
The Glacier Basin trail is snow free for approximately first mile and a half until you reach patchy snow. Skiers are able to start skinning at the switchback below Glacier Basin, but have to take skis off for a small crossing above Glacier Basin. From there it's snow all the way up.
A couple things to keep an eye out for when heading up the Inter Glacier --
Crevasses are starting to poke out as seen in the photo below, some of which are right next to the existing boot-pack and may be hard to spot until you're fairly close to them. Keep an eye out and note their location for your descent.
Clouds move up the Inter Glacier up faster than you realize. We recommend taking a track log with your GPS on your way up, that way if you loose visibility on your way down, you have something to go off of.
The Inter Glacier terminates at Steamboat Prow. If you climb to the top of the Prow and wish to descend to Camp Schurman, you are faced with two options. The first involves a loose, chossy down scramble through 4th class terrain with exposure. This can prove difficult with a large backpack and mountaineering boots. The second option, and the one we recommend, is to head to Camp Curtis (lower down on the ridge to the east) and descend up to the Emmons Glacier. This involves roping up for a short hike up to Camp Schurman. This option is much less technical but does involve glacier travel, so make sure to use proper rope techniques.
The Glacier Basin trail is snow free for approximately first mile and a half until you reach patchy snow. Skiers are able to start skinning at the switchback below Glacier Basin, but have to take skis off for a small crossing above Glacier Basin. From there it's snow all the way up.
A couple things to keep an eye out for when heading up the Inter Glacier --
Crevasses are starting to poke out as seen in the photo below, some of which are right next to the existing boot-pack and may be hard to spot until you're fairly close to them. Keep an eye out and note their location for your descent.
Clouds move up the Inter Glacier up faster than you realize. We recommend taking a track log with your GPS on your way up, that way if you loose visibility on your way down, you have something to go off of.
The Inter Glacier terminates at Steamboat Prow. If you climb to the top of the Prow and wish to descend to Camp Schurman, you are faced with two options. The first involves a loose, chossy down scramble through 4th class terrain with exposure. This can prove difficult with a large backpack and mountaineering boots. The second option, and the one we recommend, is to head to Camp Curtis (lower down on the ridge to the east) and descend up to the Emmons Glacier. This involves roping up for a short hike up to Camp Schurman. This option is much less technical but does involve glacier travel, so make sure to use proper rope techniques.
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| Sunken crevasse bridges adjacent to the existing bootpack. |
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| 8400' on the Inter Glacier |
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| Hiking up through Glacier Basin with the snow melting quickly. |
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| Clouds moving in on the Inter Glacier |
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| Climbing the Inter Glacier around 8500' |
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| Rough waypoints of crevasses beginning to open up on the Inter Glacier |
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| Looking down the Inter Glacier towards Glacier Basin |
