Guided and independent parties are still climbing the Ingraham Direct which is unusual for this point in July. One ladder is in place (see photos) as well as a small plank crossing. More ladders may to go up in the coming days. The route is still in decent condition, though there are many thin snow bridges from 11,000 feet to 13,000. The risk of falling or punching through into a crevasse is greater than normal for this time of year on the 'standard route' out of Camp Muir. When crossing crevasses, remember large steps are OK, but jumping over them is often how people get hurt or fall. If you find yourself with the urge to jump over a crevasse, consider walking to one end or the other to find a reasonable place to cross. Remember to keep your teammates tight on the rope as they are crossing to reduce the amount of slack in the rope. Parties ascending on skis should know that the surface conditions and the open crevasses are not ideal for skiing down the Ingraham Direct. Multiple skiers have hiked up their skis and then walked them back down due to "survival" ski conditions.
The freezing levels are remaining low around 9,000 to 10,000 feet for the upcoming days. but variable weather has been turning some parties around. Expect more challenging weather conditions in the near future - the forecast looks a bit mixed this upcoming week. Parties hoping to summit should be prepared for whiteout navigation, variable weather, and high winds. Recording a track on a GPS device can help with navigation on the way down - and can sometimes be the only way to navigate back down the mountain.
