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Just trying to get a few more Winter peaks in before the 21st. We succeeded on Seymour 
, but the Seward range is another story 
We hiked in from the gate on 3.9. Hard packed snow made bare boot hikng optimal. Our packs were heavy, so we were encouraged to reach the summer trailhead in less than an hour. Hiked into to Blueberry lean-to on good hardpacked snow.
Headed up Seymour at about 12:30--thanks to whomeover broke out that trail. Snow shoes became necessary--warm temps made this problematic causing the snow to stick to the shoes. Deep snows at 3500' and higher. I had forgotten what calf-burner Seymour is! Arrived back to the Leanto at about 4:30. Tired.
Made the decision on Thurday night to attempt the Seward range on Friday and hike out. on hindsight, this was too ambitious. We were up early on Thursday, packed up and hiked to the junction for the trail to Calkins brook (8:30a.m.). dropped weight at the junction, then hiked to the Seward/Calkins brook trailhead (9:30a.m.). Started up calkin's--Very warm temps created slushy conditions. Breaking trail. Snow became progressively deeper--3-4' feet. Snowshoes were necessary but nearly improssible to use b/c of the snow clumping (wish I had some silicon spray or WD-40), . I felt like I had 10' weights on each leg. At about 12:30...exhausted...and not yet at the col, we realized that we were done for. I know that we were very close to the col, but that is as far as we broke trail. We did an about face and slogged the 8 miles back to the van through slush.
It was surreal how fast that snow was melting. The trails are now mostly mud with icy areas until you get some elevation.
, but the Seward range is another story We hiked in from the gate on 3.9. Hard packed snow made bare boot hikng optimal. Our packs were heavy, so we were encouraged to reach the summer trailhead in less than an hour. Hiked into to Blueberry lean-to on good hardpacked snow.
Headed up Seymour at about 12:30--thanks to whomeover broke out that trail. Snow shoes became necessary--warm temps made this problematic causing the snow to stick to the shoes. Deep snows at 3500' and higher. I had forgotten what calf-burner Seymour is! Arrived back to the Leanto at about 4:30. Tired.
Made the decision on Thurday night to attempt the Seward range on Friday and hike out. on hindsight, this was too ambitious. We were up early on Thursday, packed up and hiked to the junction for the trail to Calkins brook (8:30a.m.). dropped weight at the junction, then hiked to the Seward/Calkins brook trailhead (9:30a.m.). Started up calkin's--Very warm temps created slushy conditions. Breaking trail. Snow became progressively deeper--3-4' feet. Snowshoes were necessary but nearly improssible to use b/c of the snow clumping (wish I had some silicon spray or WD-40), . I felt like I had 10' weights on each leg. At about 12:30...exhausted...and not yet at the col, we realized that we were done for. I know that we were very close to the col, but that is as far as we broke trail. We did an about face and slogged the 8 miles back to the van through slush.
It was surreal how fast that snow was melting. The trails are now mostly mud with icy areas until you get some elevation.
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