Ellingwood Ledges

I'm considering doing Ellingwood Ledges next weekend (June 24). Does anyone know what the snow conditions are like for the approach/climb?

Saw this Humbolt Peak trip report on 14ers.com that might be helpful.

https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=17787

Thanks for the linked report.  Sounds like a great alpine day.

Would be curious to hear about snow conditions closer to the end of June a la "Ice axe for the descent from Broken Hand Pass?"  :-)

I was up there memorial day weekend to do ellingwood. It was too windy and we had to punt for another weekend (supposed to be this coming weekend) but now I am in the search for partners... my partner made a mistake on dates and isnt actually getting back from portland until friday night. So if any of you know someone who is looking for a partner for this let me know! Id like to do the 5.9 versions where possible but not picky if said possible partner isnt comfortable with that.

On the pass, I definitely believe an Ice Axe should at least be packed in to the lakes. Memorial day was a "we miiiight be ok without the axe and crampons if the snow is slushy" but most likely getting down through the throat at the top would be hairy even now without it.

Chase Hathaway wrote: I was up there memorial day weekend to do ellingwood. It was too windy and we had to punt for another weekend (supposed to be this coming weekend) but now I am in the search for partners... my partner made a mistake on dates and isnt actually getting back from portland until friday night. So if any of you know someone who is looking for a partner for this let me know! Id like to do the 5.9 versions where possible but not picky if said possible partner isnt comfortable with that.

On the pass, I definitely believe an Ice Axe should at least be packed in to the lakes. Memorial day was a "we miiiight be ok without the axe and crampons if the snow is slushy" but most likely getting down through the throat at the top would be hairy even now without it.

I know this is after he climbed it but I was up there Memorial Day weekend and climbed the Ellingwood ledges via a crack next to the direct route.. the direct route was iced over so we picked that crack and climbed it! It was pretty easy until the end which was probably a 5.8+ awkward move to pull an overhang. There was a little bit of snow on the route but you could easily rope up and fine adequate pro in between snow ledges to make a slip on the snow safe. An axe was NOT needed for the descent of the pass. I bet all the snow is gone now seeing as this was a month ago. 

My experience doing it the same weekend last year was that I had no problems descending the pass in my running shoes (a combination of glissading and bootpacking down the snow). Unless you're way more efficient than we were, the pass will have lots of time to soften up during the day (we passed through the pass at 3 PM or so) and while it's steep and a bit intimidating, it will be soft.

There was snow around the 1st of July of last year,  a big patch of it when descending from Broken Hand Pass.  It was good and mushy when we descended mid-afternoon.  Gloves were nice to have.

But it would have been hard in the morning if one descended right after a bivouac.  If that happened, our plan was to rap through it as we didn't carry axes.

I climbed it last Sunday, 6/24/18. DO NOT bring any snow gear unless you like carrying extra weight. The entire Ledges approach and technical pitches were dry. The standard S Gullies descent was dry, and I managed to touch zero snow on the descent off Broken Hand Pass. What remained last week is probably gone now. I've seen more snow in that basin in mid August.... Enjoy!