The trailhead parking lot was only half full when we arrived, ~8:30.
A girl from Oregon met us there, and another car from the east side with 2 hikers.
She and I waited for the rest (all boys) to get ready, under the roof of the shelter between the 2 parking lots. It was snowing.
We started shortly after 9am, by then, the snow had stopped. Still very cloudy.
We didn't bother with a self-issued permit.
The trail had no snow in the first half a mile. This is surprising to me.
45 minutes later, I reached Chocolate Falls. Completely in the fog.
Put on microspkes. Snow is powdery, but only ~1" thick. Icy below.
Reached this structure (weather or seismic?) ~11:20am.
Took a break, ate a bar, applied sunscreen, as now we were above the clouds.
Chatted with JD, who was stashing his snowshoes.
I already saw quite a few pairs of snowshoes stashed below. Would be a hell to find your own on the way down.
I decided to keep mine just in case (probably a bad decision, as I never used them, and they poked some holes in my pack when I glissaded later).
~1:10, DK caught up with me, on snowshoes. He asked me to take some photos of him.
~5 minutes later, I took off left towards the true summit, instead of continuing on the main drag to the rim.
I was breaking trails. Luckily 10 minutes later, I found on a track made by snowboots. Very nice to step into those prints.
Blue sky bechoned.
It's a bit icy sometimes on steep slope. Need to be careful as I didn't bring crampons. Ice axe helps.
By the time I reached the summit at 2:05, it was cloudy :(
The pair before me didn't get close to the cornice.
I tied myself to the ice axe and got a bit closer. But didn't dare to stand on the seemingly stable edge.
There was a piece of rim collapsed this winter.
I was told later that there was even a ranger today at the main rim watching over people.
Here, I was alone.
Since our turn-around time was set to 2pm, I didn't linger.
Wind kicked up a bit.
Took a panorama when the clouds moved out.
Headed back down at 2:08.
The clouds moved over again. When I got to this part of the rim, I saw one person heading my way.
It's the young boy from our group, ZW. You can see the 2 skiers before me further ahead.
When I met up with him a couple of minutes later, I mentioned that he's way past the turn-around time.
He said he had headlamps, and was not concerned about being late.
This is very inconsiderative, someone gave him a ride here.
He was on crampons, at least it was safer than me.
I retraced my steps back. However, the wind really blew for some time, obliterated some of my own track.
Once on the main drag, it's safe. I glissaded a couple of times. As the surface is not smooth, it was mostly a bumpy ride. At least saved my knee, but damaged my pack.
Only then, I ate a couple of more bars. Because I didn't eat for over 4 hours, I think I was low on sodium.
My left leg cramped up for sometime.
At around 4pm, the sun was shining at a low angle, quite pretty.
Here's Chocolate Falls area when it's clear, compared to the 2nd photo on this blog.
The snow didn't melt much in the afternoon. I didn't posthole much. So didn't put on snowshoes.
Finally back at the TH, after a bio-stop in the wood, without snow. The 2 in my car were there already, DK was so slow getting his stuff packed that I finished earlier. We were all back. But ZW was missing, and his driver left. There's no signal in the parking lot. Our car drove out ~5:45. DR and his coworkers waited till 6pm. When we had internet, msg at the channel, because there is signal on the slope of Helens (above the trees). DR called 911 ~7:30. Each of us provided timing and photos to the sheriff. ~8:35pm, ZW posted a msg saying that he got to the TH at 7pm, and got a ride with someone. His phone died, so he couldn't contact us. Instead of apologizing for keeping everyone wait and worry, he asked how to retrieve his snowshoes, because it was dark when he got down, he couldn't find them. What an irresponsible youngster. I think I'll never hike with him again.
DK dropped me off I-5 Seneca exit. I walked home. What a day.
