Alpine Scramble - Old Snowy Mountain

Mosquitos were really bad except very high up. We had bug spray, head nets, etc. and still came away with too many bites to count.

Day 1

We started at Snowgrass Flats Trailhead at 9:30am. Parking was plentiful. Self-issue permit for the group at the trailhead was easy. 

There are many campsites starting at Snowgrass Flats and going all the way to Old Snowy including some very cool bivy spots near the summit.

After 5.3 miles of hiking we settled on a campsite that would accommodate our large group of six tents and two bivy sacks. After setting up camp, and with our packs now much lighter, we pushed on for Old Snowy.

There was limited snow to cross on the way up, but soon gave way to dry rock. The actual rock scramble is limited to the final ~fifty feet of the summit block.

Summit success for the whole group.

With limited beta of a possible traverse from Old Snowy to Ives Peak, we tried to find a route, opting for the west side of the ridge, but quickly gave up due to loose scree.  Perhaps the east side offers a better option. Also, the route seems like it would be much more manageable with snow.

Having given up on the traverse, the group chose to descend a scree field as a more direct and more interesting route back to camp. For safety on the very loose scree we spread out and, as much as possible, stayed out of each others' fall zones. Yet, despite those precautions, we still had a couple dangerous rocks get kicked loose and come close too close to others for comfort.  Lesson learned: Keep even further apart in the future.

Day 1 Totals: 9.61 miles and 4,117 ft ascent

Day 2

For the return to the trailhead, half of our group decided to take the Goat Ridge trail  to make a loop hike, the other half returned the way we came. The Goat Ridge trail is a nice hike, and if you haven't done it before, is highly recommended.

Day 2 Totals for the Goat Ridge Trail Return: 9.70 miles and 1,995 ft ascent.