Martin Mulligan wrote:I was wondering if it would be doable in mid September with my more limited skill set or should/could I link up with someone open to doing it?
It has been a couple weeks since your query - a great question. And it is a fantastic high-alpine glaciated traverse - worthy objective - and so still worth a detailed reply. :-)
We got shut down on it our first time after three or so days in fog and winter-like conditions with software getting damper and damper; a worrisome touch of hypothermia at one point after not eating / drinking enough with high output for hours; that was in the vicinity of our eventual turnaround point. The next year the weather was perfect when we went as a three-some. Both our trips were around early August. September may see crevasse's more exposed and so easier to avoid.
Going solo with scant glacier skills and experience would not be wise in my opinion.
Going as a twosome and in addition to rope, crampons, and ice axes, we took a snow picket and ice screws and were mindful of who went first uphill and downhill on glaciers due to weight difference. Should have a plan for arresting a partner's fall with full backpack on, transferring load to anchor, etc. - a bleak situation as a twosome.
Going as a threesome we went without picket and ice screws - all were very experienced with glacier travel. Came away feeling like a party of three was optimal (i.e., shared gear such as one rope so lighter, safety in numbers, etc.).
When we retreated the first time in fog, we definitely lost the easiest way back to Cascade Pass (?) and wound up on hard snow in absolutely do-not-fall terrain in part due to still-full backpacks. Elsewhere in our retreat in the fog, my partner fell on easier terrain and sustained minor scrapes and a big bruise not being able to self-arrest with heavy pack.
The second trip, we found the most technical section was one ~10 foot vertical part easily overcome with the above gear on lead followed by belay from above for the other two of our threesome. The next most-challenging section was an earlier steep descent down a gully of snow. There are other heads-up sections as well.
Definitely demands relevant smarts and comfort on what I would call relatively moderate glacial terrain.