Mt. Sneffels

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 7/23/2024, By: ECF55
Info: Hiked Sneffels today from Blue Lakes, up SW Ridge and down the South Slopes. The heat dome has done a number on the snow bank in the Lavender Col gully. Now all that remains are piles and piles of rocks! Seriously, that descent is really unpleasant. Basically summer conditions all around. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/22/2024, By: sean23
Info: Went up SW ridge today and down slopes. There was no snow on the ridge, and the one patch of snow in the lavender couloir was avoidable. No traction needed. Altogether perfect conditions. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 7/12/2024, By: AndrewJCraigie
Info: Snow still in the gully below the v notch, but like last report said, can stick to the right and make your way up. Poles helped out. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 7/10/2024, By: Marcos
Info: Snow in the gully above 13,700' was definitely the crux of the day. The snow was pretty much bulletproof when we got to that point at 8 AM. We stayed to climbers right and were able to use the rock wall for handholds. Axe and spikes made things more comfortable on the descent. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 7/9/2024, By: lylecwong
Info: There is still snow just below the "V Notch"- poles and microspikes for comfort. Most that didn't turn- back went up the the gully just to the left of the snow (including myself- apologies no pics). There is a bit of snow to traverse(a little more difficult coming down) and some class 3 just before rejoining the standard route and bypassing the V Notch- manageable without microspikes. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 7/4/2024, By: nohandz
Info: Parked at the outhouse, though I didn't realize there are several pullouts further up that I could have made it to, below the official upper TH. The upper TH might be doable in a stock 4wd truck, no worse than Massive past Elbert, IMO. It was definitely nicer hiking the Wright spur instead of the road to BL pass. It was 33F when I left, but warmed quickly. Some water crossings, but nothing that soaked my approach shoes. No issues with the route up other than it is hard at time to match up the pics on here at times. There was one snow patch that was easy to go around in a gully. Some wind at Wright and more at the pass, but sheltered as I went higher, and enjoyed the sun as I popped back over from the BL side of the ridge. I decided to follow others down the standard route instead of reversing. As noted in a recent report, there is snow at the top of the v-notch gully. One climber slid down it today with spikes on, so I went to the right to avoid the gully and traversed back in below the snow (see my pic with the finger, looking up from below where I dropped in). Some others didn't drop back in and ended up in class 4 terrain. The loose dirt on this descent is as awful as everyone says. HOWEVER, I stayed in the backpack-sized rocks to the right on descent and it made it _much_ easier. I would still go up the ridge, but makes this descent easier. About 3+hr up and 2hr down. Beautiful scenery and day. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 6/29/2024, By: mtalll
Info: Route is dry to about halfway up the last gully, where deep snow starts. Climbers coming down said to avoid the snow, and several people scrambled on the rocks to the left of the gully. I went that way as well, rock was secure, and route finding didn't seem too hard, though harder than the standard route. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 6/25/2024, By: Gibson135
Info: Most of the route is snow free. Between the Yankee Boy Basing trailhead and Blue Lakes pass, there are a couple of small flat areas of snow to cross, but not a big deal at all. I don't think it even went below freezing the night before (at least not for very long) because it felt pretty soft at 4:30am. After the pass, there were two small areas of snow. Heading up, with the only light being my headlamp, I used an ax and crampons and went directly on the snow when bypassing the pinnacle in the defined gully and turning left around the steep rock, as described in the route description here on site, pictures 19 and 20. Coming back, it was fine to just avoid the snow going around on the side - just couldn't read it well enough beforehand in the dark. It was a great day! I was wearing boots that I forgot had worn out soles so that was not good. Approach shoes would have been fine all day honestly... maybe with gators here and there. I had microspikes and never got them out.. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 6/27/2024, By: dgriff
Info: We went up and down the SW Ridge and parked at the outhouse. Getting up to the outhouse was subaru-able but definitely took some experience driving rougher roads - however, once there was able to get a nice flat spot to sleep. From above the the out house, the road turned into a bit of a river and I would heed caution before driving higher. Hiking from there, the road streams took some navigation to cross, none were risky other than a wet shoe but it could definitely ruin the day. Getting up to Blue lakes pass there was minimal snow crossing, all very low angle but was already a bit soft at 4am so it may be quite soft later in the day. Once on the ridge, if you are comfortable with 3rd class terrain you can hug the rocks and stay off the snow. Even in the gully, if you take some time to route find, you can get up a bit higher on the rocker and then hug the wall staying out off of the steep snow. We had microspikes and an ice-axe which would have been well needed if we had ended up in the snow. After that, its clear roads to the summit which was excellent. We went back down the ridge which went quite smoothly and talked with someone on the summit that came up the standard route and noted that it would have been a steep snow decent. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 6/23/2024, By: Gertine
Info: There were maybe 4-5 easy and short snowfields to cross lower down, we did fine on those without microspikes but there was a little bit of post holing on the way down as it warmed up. The really brutal part though was the couloir leading up to the V notch. There was maybe 200 feet (Im bad at estimating) of icy snow in the couloir that would have been much more comfortable to climb with ice axes and crampons. We did it in microspikes and poles and kicked in steps early in the AM. It felt very stable but I would be okay if I never had to do that again. When we were coming down two hikers going up said another two had climbed up using the rocks on the left of the couloir but I have no info about that option. We parked just below the outhouse and that drive was fine for us in a 4x4 van with a lift. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 6/15/2024, By: The Stadler
Info: Started from the lower TH at 4am, got to the base of the couloir at 6am. Couldnt ask for better snow. V-notch is snow free, but it is a bit muddy. 

Route: Southwest Ridge
Posted On: 6/8/2024, By: Wentzl
Info: The V-Notch is OPEN for business. Climbed the SW Ridge and descended the standard route and used the notch without difficulty. Still a little snow hanging on above where you climb, and Plenty of snow above and below that section, but the notch itself is clear! As for the SW Ridge, expect mixed conditions with all manner of spring snow. I did not use any traction. But I also started late (11:00 a.m.) I did pay a price for the late start in soft snow at the bottom of the S. Slopes route when I passed through there around 2:30 p.m. Not horrible, but something. Finally, I did my semi-annual housecleaning and emptied the ammo can of its trash (last photo) I did leave a nice big green laminated Mt. Sneffels sign, so don't bring another one and leave it there. Also left what appeared to be some prime bud still in it's dispensary container. So if getting high has various meanings for you, get after it! The prominent gully that goes from the S. Slopes direct to the crux on the SW Ridge route is in fine shape and the guy who asked about that should get after it this week! (see photo) Steep snow on the S. W. Ridge route, just below the crux section, can be avoided by the gully just to the east. I did come across a guy who stayed too far to the east, in the next gully over. I invited Scott from Canada to join me when I found him, but he declined, which was best, as he did not appear to have an axe, which is mandatory right now. After descending through the notch I found slushy snow that allowed me to butt slide while triggering small sloughs, but not the deep, penetrating variety that the avalanche center warned about for this weekend. As mentioned earlier, there were a few miserable crotch deep steps on the way down, but nothing that would have warranted lugging snowshoes along for the ride. 

Route: Birthday Chutes to Standard
Posted On: 6/5/2024, By: Boggy B
Info: Went up Birthday Chutes, down standard. Early morning (down by 845) snow conditions typical early June variety bag of garbage. Still a cornice parked in the v-notch. As noted by previous update you can bypass it by low 5th scrambling to climber's right, or use the easy snow bypass climber's left about halfway (?) up Lavender couloir. Bootpack is obvious on descent. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 5/30/2024, By: andy_schlichting
Info: Figured I'd throw updated conditions since someone might be looking for updated beta. Honestly not much changed though. Road is clear to 1/4 mile below the outhouse (just above the stream) and a Rubicon and 4Runner made it past. I'm guessing this will be melted out completely by this weekend. We camped at the outhouse and there was only room for 3-4 tents on dry ground there. Outhouse is open despite the sign saying it's closed for the season. The route is continuous snow from the outhouse to the summit and the only postholing was below treeline (though it was overcast on Saturday morning so that could be different on a sunny, hot day). The col was very hard crust snow so great for climbing in crampons, not great for skiing. V notch had a big cornice that hopefully will fall soon. I chose to climb the rocks to the right of the V notch to summit (low class 5) and descend the way most people are ascending and descending right now (follow the boot pack). 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 5/20/2024, By: Wentzl
Info: Not much to add to aksean22 report, but a couple more photos and an observation that the snow is melting out quickly. Snowpack was firm enough in the morning I thought I might need crampons, but on the descent, soft enough for heel steps down from the summit then posthole down much of the S Slope till I thankfully reached my stashed snowshoes. Last photo is looking down SW Ridge route which still holds lots of snow.