I started around 7am at the trailhead which was totally dry, though it started to drizzle and finally snow as I readied my gear in the parking lot. The snow started to collect as I hiked higher through the trees, eventually getting significant. By time I reached treeline, the snow was falling pretty solidly, and the trail was totally covered by an inch or so, making things slippery. I stopped to put on microspikes, another layer and gloves. This is also where the wind became noticeable, though not yet crazy. I could also still see pretty well - the clouds were hanging over us, and while Yale was obscured, I could easily see across the valley
Around 12,500 feet or so, we entered the clouds themselves and things got notably more difficult. The wind picked up from around 15-20 to 30-40mph. While problematic for many reasons, it was made worse by all the loose, falling snow, which stung like hell even through my face mask when looking into the wind. I ran into a team climbing without any face protection on my descent, no idea how they made it so far without them.
The Summit Ridge was the worse conditions of the climb. Tons of drifting snow, winds gusting to 50mph, and visibility was shit. I could barely make out the summit mass just a few dozen feet. I've always been a very good navigator - both intuitively, and when it comes to using a map and compass, so I decided to go on, but I'd definitely think that's where anyone with less navigation experience might have wanted to turn back. Very easy to get disoriented and head down the wrong way.
The summit itself was calmer than the lower ridge. We were totally obscured in the clouds, but paused for a few minutes before heading back into the wind. Route-finding was definitely a challenge given the lack of visibility - I had to stop and really do some searching three different times just on the short 10 minute ridge traverse.
By time I got back to treeline, there was a gap in the snow and I saw blue skies for the first and only time on the climb. In fact, I stopped about 10 minutes later to remove my snow gear - and it began to immediately snow/sleet on me. Back on went the hardshell and gloves, and on I went. You could see a noticeable increase in the creek flow on descent too as they absorbed all the snowmelt. Below treeline the snow was melting very fast, I doubt it will still be there in a day or two at most. However above treeline, I think the snow is here to stay, unless we get some very uncharacteristically warm weather this week.
Winter conditions are here above tree-line in the Sawatch - get at it and be safe friends!
