Snowfield 2016

Trip report the easy way 2016

This more of a current conditions than full trip report like some do. I can't improve on previous routes and reports on this outstanding place anyway....
Weather reports were for great weather... I can still here the weather lady on TV saying, "clear everywhere...maybe... a slight chance of a sprinkle in the North Cascades". Sunday did begin with the Sun and above average temps for August, but reasonable. Clouds began to move in as we managed the steep trail to Colonial Glacier/lake at this time of year. Met four people coming out, no one else for the next 3 plus days. At the Colonial Glacier/Lake we decided to pitch the tent and see if the weather would clear. You could not see the Neve Col or summits of peaks nearby. What we got was a good rain and windy evening and night, kind of chilly too. We did move up to the Col Monday morning, but late, waiting again to see if the weather would improve and it did. We scrambled up onto the rock ridge on the east side of the Colonial Glacier/Lake to make our way around the lake to solid Colonial Glacier and up to the Col. The Col is not a group bivy site... one or two cramped tents only... otherwise no other spots we could find established. Tuesday we left about 7:30AM to make our summit on Snowfield. The Neve Glacier is really broke up with some weaving between crevasses. Only one crossing was a concern. Onto the Ridge and up following many others trip reports. The weather could not have been better now, so the views were outstanding. You are in the heart of the North Cascades... Baker, Pickets, south to Rainier and Glacier with a multitude of other familiar peaks. Happy to have a good climbing partner and old chicken legs that still work ok with Ibuprofen. Hope to be back to pick off the others summits nearby. We had planned it, but weather and stuff limited us to one summit. Oh well, not bad. Beer and burgers at Mondos...

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