May 29, 2011, Dorado Needle, Deans Spire, Eldorado

Don't know how many times i checked out the satellites late last week looking for some good signs or trends.  Don't know unless you go it is said.  Well we went.  Arrived at the TH late Saturday, raining.  Woke up to valley 'mist' - optimist speak for rain.  Matt, Dave, Kevin and I got an early start on Sunday morning for the grind to snowline at 3800 or so.  Kept sneakers on to the ridge as there was a great trail from people having gone up the night before.  Brief views of J-burg on the way up gave us hope for better weather.

Going up the Eldorado Glacier it was socked in, but up on the Inspiration Glacier plateau it cleared out nicely.  Crossed Eldorado's E ridge at around 7600 and set a slightly rising traverse to the 8050 col in the Tepeh Towers Ridge.  Dropped down to about 7500 on the McAllister and headed towards the N/NW Ridge of Dorado Needle.  The last few feet of climbing took alot of work as it was exposed to the SW and corniced to the NE.  Spent time cleaning the route to rock and the famous au cheval is now exposed, at least the top 4" of it. 

Another route was laid on ice till next time and we headed back the way we came.  Went up Dean's Spire which is almost skiable to the top.  Fun scramble.  Then to finish it off we plodded up to the top of Eldorado in the baking sun.  Skied off the top and into the pea soup again when we reached the Eldorado Glacier. 

Log crossing the North Fork is still there.  Trail has a couple of options in the valley bottom, but easily found if you have daylight.  Lots of skier triggered point releases that had to be carefully managed as they were entraining quite abit of snow when they got going.  No overnight freeze and melt freeze cycles are way behind this year.  Crevasses are filled in, but care needs to be taken !