North Ridge of the Pfeifferhorn Conditions

Has anyone but up lately how's the approach? What about the ridge itself?
Thanks!

Lots of snow still, you're going to want snowshoes or preferably skis if you don't want life to suck on the approach. I can't say for sure about the Pfeifferhorn but I was up around White Baldy on Tuesday, it was not frozen enough to keep from postholing and the current storm won't help that situation. It may be worthwhile to try later next week if we have a good melt/freeze cycle and it's not too warm.

Thanks Luke that confirms what I figure! We are hoping to give it a go sometime next week

Be careful out there...:

utahavalanchecenter.org/adv…

utahavalanchecenter.org/obs…

utahavalanchecenter.org/obs…

Warm up next week could be scary...

Brian, great point definitely something we will consider.

Some of us do a fair amount of backcountry skiing in the central Wasatch, so, we tend to track conditions through the season. I've always been a bit gun shy of big warm ups especially given the recent pullouts to the ground on old faceted layers.

Its tricky to judge conditions in the spring. Unless we get a cold snap (like kinda right now), I'd shy away from steep slopes and especially big slide paths. Makes me think of the unfortunate souls in Mineral Fork, Stairs Gulch, etc, over the years.

From today's forecast:

Of greater interest are the now three explosive-induced wet slab avalanches to the ground in the Cottonwoods over the past two days. The two in upper Little Cottonwood released with 4 lb air-blasts, pulling out 3-5' deep and 1-200' wide, running on damp facets near the ground. These on steep northeast facing slopes at 10,000'. Debris piles were impressive. Control teams in mid-Big Cottonwood yesterday also triggered a 3' deep and 70' wide wet slab to the ground with a 2 lb air-blast on a west facing slope at 9800'.

Aspect and elevation of the approach to the North Ridge of the Pfeifferhorn?

Be safe!

Thanks again Brian, we also have been watching the snow pack all year but, it's always nice to have additional input.

I went up to climb it last week on a night with a light refreeze. Still the snow was isothermal and somewhat dangerous in the north chute, we ended up making it to the ridge but backed off due to high winds on the ridge. That said we are going to get three cold nights well below freezing at 10k in a row so conditions should improve the next few days. Its one of my favorite ridge walks in the Wasatch to do in the winter.