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| Inter Glacier breaking up and melting away |
A quick update on conditions for climbers interested in heading up to Camp Schurman and/or attempting the Emmons Glacier route over the holiday weekend. Conditions on the east side of the mountain continue the slow, general trend of opening up and melting out. Approaching Camp Schurman via the Inter Glacier, climbers can expect to find loose rock down low, exposed ice throughout, and open crevasses up high. The approach up the Emmons and into camp is still a viable option for teams but they must be prepared to manage the transition off the ridge, below Camp Curtis and down onto the Emmons. The rock quality is loose in this location and remains the crux at this time.
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| Crevasses and moats around Camp Schurman |
The snow and ice around Camp Schurman continues break up at a steady rate but the general path out of camp and up onto the Emmons Flats remains the same. As fewer teams continue to attempt the route each week, the boot back has nearly disappeared. The latest reports are that the route still remains largely intact up high and continues to traverse all the way out to Liberty Saddle. As before, route finding issues and long summit times have continued be the largest obstacle for climbers.
Teams planning to climb this weekend can expect brisk conditions as fall is in the air and freezing levels are predicted to stay cool. Ice screws in addition to pickets are becoming a necessity for the route as firm snow and exposed ice present themselves. With the forecast calling for sunny skies and cool conditions up high, a weekend in the alpine at Camp Schurman surely won't disappoint. Crowds are looking minimal and rangers are happy to discuss the route/conditions further for those who decide to make the trek!
