Pettingell Peak

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 11/25/2022, By: HikerGuy
Info: Herman Gulch Trail is snow packed from parking lot to lake with a few areas of ice flows and dirt. I used spikes to minimize slipping, but you can get by without them. Carried snowshoes and was glad to have them to navigate around and up above the lake. Stashed the shoes once I reached the windblown south slopes. Wore gaiters from the lake to summit and back to lake. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 11/14/2022, By: sarahmariekirk
Info: From Herman Gulch approach - snow in some areas but mostly just icy / packed snow up until the lake. Microspikes would be helpful but weren't entirely necessary if you hit the trail early enough. Deep snow (waist-high) surrounding the lake, this is where we donned our snowshoes & evaluated the snow conditions on the upper slopes. Deep snow heading up south slopes of Pettingell; snow conditions were variable with some slab activity. Snowshoes helped but still enough snow to sink in, and not much traction. About 1 mile from the summit the snow was very patchy, and could have forgone the snowshoes but at that point we were committed. Great day out there! 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 10/11/2022, By: angry
Info: Dry to summit. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 6/30/2022, By: JasonKline
Info: The route is free of snow and ice except for the area immediately surrounding Herman Lake. No need for microspikes, etc. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 5/8/2022, By: kyrawhitworth
Info: Snow covered after the first mile. Some spotty snow and a lot of rock up high but summit ridge was covered. Regretted not bringing skis. Luckily snow was firm enough to avoid most of the post holing but it's likely much softer now. Long but great day! 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 4/16/2022, By: k_fergie
Info: Skied the south slopes from Herman gulch today. The Herman gulch trail was questionably skinable for the first about half mile (depending on how much you love your skins) and melting fast. After that, plenty of snow on the trail. Dropped in off the summit cairn/wind block into wind stripped snow, chunked off some pieces of sastrugi that slid on the rock hard bed surface, be careful if that lip gets loaded up again with some WNW winds. Bony from ~13,300 - 13,000 (see picture), although we were able to billygoat our way through there even though our view in the morning from i70 looked very bleak. Coverage below 13k was pretty great. Got eyes on Snoopy's backside and its looking good although very suspect. Tuning fork on Torreys looks terrible, at least 200 vertical feet at the top are dry on both forks, and I would be surprised if it fills in to the top this season. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 10/10/2021, By: ProtonWitch
Info: 4-8 inches of snow above 12,000 ft. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 7/16/2021, By: ScottLovesRMNP
Info: Hiked Pettingell via Herman Gulch. Standard route is in great shape, enhanced even more by spectacular wildflowers. From Pettingell, I headed over to Hassell Peak with a little light class 3 scrambling down to the Pettingell-Hassell saddle. Finished the loop by returning to the TH via the CDT down from Hassell. Full summer conditions. Great hike, minus the haze. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 6/12/2021, By: oldgrayhair
Info: Pettingell Peak had some snowy sections, but these sections can be avoided. I was able to avoid the snow in the couloir to the North of Herman Lake by climbing the grass and rock section. There is a significant snow field in the higher terrain above the lake and a large snow cornice at the ridge; the crossing of the snow field can be minimized by finding the flattest section. Early in the morning, microspikes were helpful; in the late morning, the warmer weather made the snow much softer and did not require microspikes. Further South along the ridge toward The Citadel, there is a large opening in the snow cornice. If the weather stays warm, I would expect the trail above the lake to be in Summer condition by 06/26/21. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 4/9/2021, By: bergsteigen
Info: Skied the south face. Snow starts immediately on the trail, with only 1 gap of a few feet. Well packed and melting fast for the first mile or so. Trail to lake, just don't step off it. Some ski tracks to near the summit. The hot days transitioned the snow, and now the freeze up has made punchy ice. Crampons and ax recommended. TR to come. 

Route: East ridge
Posted On: 3/29/2021, By: Will_E
Info: There's a fantastic trench all the way to Herman lake. I headed up the south ridge just before the lake, left my snowshoes just up the ridge. After turning onto the east ridge, I went a short distance before putting on crampons, there's a *lot* of snow on the east ridge, I've been to Herman lake many times in winter/spring, I've never seen it this snowy. I descended the west side, it was easy to get down, the snow wasn't super deep (and had to do it without snowshoes, they were on the other side of the mountain). Great time, I really like Pettingell, it has great views, and doesn't take all day if you're pressed for time, as I was today. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 11/30/2020, By: weakenedwarrior
Info: To add to WildWanderer's condition report : To the lake the snow is well packed, no need for microspikes there. From the lake to the peak you'll want snowshoes for the first half or so of the ascent then there's enough of the scree / talus sticking out of the snow that they're not needed anymore. Poles would be nice but an ice axe would be overkill. There was no trench left, we put one in but not sure how long it'll stay with the weather coming Tuesday / Wednesday. 

Route: South Slopes
Posted On: 11/28/2020, By: WildWanderer
Info: Herman Gulch parking lot was icy, but vehicles had no trouble filling all the spaces. The trail is well packed down to the basin. I wore microspikes to the basin. Here the nicely packed trail ended and I put on my snowshoes. I trenched a trail from the basin to the peak, postholing in sugary snow. Snowshoes weren't needed the last 100 feet or so to the summit. I didn't bring my ice axe (I accidentally forgot it at home) and it would have been nice to have, but my trekking pole worked just fine. 

Route: via Citadel
Posted On: 10/11/2020, By: blantow
Info: Pettingell via Citadel on the ridge traverse is in perfect shape. The tat anchor for the rappel is by no means the sketchiest thing I've ever rapped off of (3 pieces of webbing, piece of cord, quicklink) all appear in shockingly good condition. No snow yet, and views were incredible. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 9/20/2020, By: brauda02
Info: Great trail up to the saddle at 12,800'. Then there is only the occasional climber's trail. There are very few cairns, and none in spots where you want one to be. I stayed mostly on the ridge crest or on climber's left. The one time I was forced to the right side there was a small patch of snow. I had microspikes, but never considered using them. This is a fun scramble on mostly solid rock. The lack of cairns does make you have to think more. I descended the South Slopes. No snow.