Mt. Massive

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 5/29/2024, By: slawrence2011
Info: Didn't summit. Intended to go up S or W slops from N Halfmoon, but drifts got too high around 1/4 mile past the Massive TH as a previous poster said. So I parked up there (should have just parked at Massive TH), and took the E slopes trail up. Snow started around 10,5, and was very punchy but mostly well postholed. Put on skins at the junction with the massive trail around 11,5, because the posthole highway ended. Cut through the trees and got on the main ridge, and managed to skin all the way up to just below the summit. Started booting up, and made it to the summit ridge, it was already afternoon and the ridge traverse was too laborious so I skipped the summit :(. And I didn't see easy access to better ski terrain on the W side of the ridge, so just skied my ascent route on the E side. Good snow, but got very punchy down low. Managed to ski to around 11,8 or so with a lot of creative skiing. I'm sure there are a lot better ways to ski this, so I may be back. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 5/17/2024, By: gingers101
Info: Up the east ridge down the east slopes. Had to walk 1.5ish miles until I0,2 then skinned all the way to the summit without taking skis of. So much snow up here and back out of half moon. 

Route: Massive Couloir (South)
Posted On: 5/1/2024, By: ejfahren
Info: Able to make it to Elbert Ck TH with stock Tacoma, intermittent snow drifts on the road. Left truck at 630a. Walked the dry road for 0.75 mi, transitioned to skins. Several long sections of dry road that I skinned across for the first 2ish miles. Snow was chewed up from snow machines until hitting the Massive wilderness boundary, after which I broke trail through heavy new snow with intermittent crust. Heavy/crusty snow was slow going, several stream crossings on scant snow bridges. Gained the summit of Massive-Green Peak at 11a and traversed the ridge to Massive proper. Continuous snow back along the ridge into Massive Couloir (south facing) with great recycled powder that reached to my boot tops. Some rocks near the ridgeline but the couloir is fat. The trail/road back to the truck is flat and sometimes uphill, which in isothermal snow, makes for a bit of a slog. 15.5 miles, 5k', 4.5h ascent, 3h back to truck. Plenty of other gullys on the SW slopes with continuous snow from the summit, but this is a pretty cool line to ski Massive if you're willing to put in a few more miles. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/15/2024, By: CDubFTW
Info: The trail from the start to the CDT junction is well-packed. We had to break trail for the next several miles and I sank about 6 inches to a foot in the powder in my snowshoes. Around the treeline, I noticed thick slabs that I believe to be wind slabs scattered around the slope. Once we got out of the trees, we stepped on a slab that made a hollow cracking sound. We took this as a sign and descended the trail. Let me know what you think about the snow conditions from the photos. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/2/2024, By: backcountrybrodes
Info: Summitted Massive today with an attempt at N. Massive. 15.51 miles, 5,998ft 8:05am start, 3:15pm Massive summit, 4:15pm turn-around on N. Massive, 8:55pm end (12h 50m) Clear skies and way less wind than forecasted (30mph). Trench is in from the Fish Hatchery to tree line as of today, but the winds and weather coming in this weekend will probably cover it up. So go get it next week if you're willing to play a game of "hide and seek" with the trench under the new snow :D N. Massive was a no go for me because I got to a section just above the Massive Green/N. Massive saddle which I believed was impassable without crampons - which I did not have. I wasn't willing to risk it especially being already low on daylight. Still a very fulfilling day in the mountains nonetheless and stoked to have the Mt. Massive winter summit! Thanks to coopergould for tagging along on skis to 11.5k! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/24/2024, By: 14er101
Info: Spectacular conditions for Massive today. Absolutely bomber trench all the way to treeline, flotation not needed until at least the Colorado Trail junction and at least one person made it all the way up without flotation. I used flotation between the CDT junction and treeline, making life easy. Above treeline, mostly windblown and microspikes, were more than enough. Glad the wind wasn't as bad as expected today, of course the trench will disappear after the incoming storm, good amount of people out today 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 2/22/2024, By: justiner
Info: Trenched out the east slopes route off of Half Moon road for the daring. Half Moon Road at the closure has a bit of snowmobile activity and is firm enough to walk on. Lots of whumps heard all day up high so practice caution on any suspect slopes. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/20/2024, By: seattleclimber_dm
Info: Climbed massive on president's day via the east ridge. There was maybe an 1" of fresh snow down lower, but up higher there was a bit more maybe 3-4", but any areas hit by the wind completely cleaned the trail / trench. I think snowshoes or other traction was necessary down lower. Once above treeline on the ridge there was a lot less snow and I switched to microspiles. Thanks to whoever put the new summit log! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/17/2024, By: csf-lhiver
Info: Yet another Massive update. Skied from just left of the summit with someone else. The bullet proof stroganoff is no longer, and was covered in the fresh snow from yesterday/last night. There was another solo skier, but they seemed to have turned around a bit past tree line, don't blame them as from there to the TH was the best part of the skiing. We got back on the ridge around 13700 to descend on foot to 12400 before getting back on skis. Photo of the fun rocky ski. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 2/17/2024, By: AndrewJCraigie
Info: Wore snowshoes up until the ridge - didn't use spikes. Was able to follow subtle ski tracks until the Colorado trail split, but after that snow increased so lost sight. Good trench now in place from 10ish people on the trail today. Start 415am, summit 1130am, end 430pm. Nice meeting folks on the trail! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/13/2024, By: Gueza
Info: Super trench from the TH to the CO trail junction - probably dont need floatation for this section. CO trail junction to treeline - floatation recommended. Mostly dry with occasional snow drifts to the summit from there. Skied 900ft of bulletproof sastrugi down skiers left from the summit and then hiked back to the east ridge. Skis were awesome from 12,000ft to the TH. 6 hours 15 mins up 2 hours 13 mins down 8 hours 28 mins RT 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/6/2024, By: Devil_in_sky
Info: Refreshed the trench up to the ridge, then stayed ridge proper to the summit. I found snowshoes to be very helpful below treeline after last week's snowfall, and would recommend them. On the ridge, I stayed to the right side of the ridge crests to avoid steep snow and cornices. Just a little class 2+ but fairly chill little scramble sections. Very enjoyable summit yesterday morning, with the wind blowing the snow in beautiful snownados along the summit ridge. I did not have microspikes but would have been faster going down if I had brought them. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 2/2/2024, By: Kiefer
Info: Much like the previous conditions stated, no flotation is necessary. Skis would be awesome for a descent.That trench through the forest is bomber. East Ridge is pretty dry...as of Thursday. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 1/31/2024, By: abygott
Info: My friend and I Summited today. Started at hatchery, took the winter route as described and from car to car took us 8.5 hours to summit and return. Good boot pack and no snow shoes required currently (will likely change after fridays storm). Spikes would be useful particularly for the descent and I dont think ice axe is a requirement. Limited snow above 12500 ft. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 1/29/2024, By: Chipmunk
Info: Beautiful weather for a climb of Massive, Massive Green and North Massive today. With the previously established trench we were able to summit Massive without snowshoes, thanks to those who set it! We got a bit confused with the multiple trail junctions leaving the fish hatchery, this was easier with daylight on the return. I used spikes and ice axe for the traverse between Massive Green and North Massive and appreciated having them, though my partner managed without. We descended the NE ridge of North Massive and used a rocky slope to drop into the valley. Once in the valley we donned snowshoes and broke trail down to the highline trail and back to our ascent trench. There were an alarming number of snowpack collapses on low angle terrain while setting this trench. Treeline 2:47 Summit 5:21 Left summit 5:41 N Massive 7:13 Back to car 11:14