Quick report
Efficient skinning travel from late AM departure from Timberline all the way up onto lower Hogsback. Outside of Steele Cliff rockfall, neither heard not observed any signs of instability despite a warm, sunny day, possibly due to windier than expected conditions. Brief convos with multiple descending climbing parties implied stable, if soft conditions. That said, noted loose wet slide foreshadowed ongoing overhead risk aborted my own stretch goal via compressed Old Chute route bootpack. Including some pics of conditions/coverage as well as a disappointing one of a recent 9500’ Triangle Moraine/White River Glacier lip camping party apparently not realizing wag bags are provided free of charge in the day lodge climber’s room. Perhaps to make amends to the ski mountaineering/rescue/recovery community for my own poor decision-making on Saturday, I’ll bring an extra one up if I can make another trip up this weekend w a higher capacity backpack than I had today.
Avalanche
South-facing D1-1.5 rime-fall triggered loose wet slid through upper bootpack trail shortly after easterly winds subsided mid-afternoon on an otherwise warm, full sun day. Winds seemed to keep warm activity at bay until then per my 30 minute break/transition observation period on lower Hogsback. Cancelled tentative summit attempt as a result.