7/21-22, 2012, Goat Rocks Old Snowy, Curtis Gilbert

If you are thinking of climbing Old Snowy or Curtis Gilbert in the Goat Rocks, and you are an avid skier who never gives up hope until you are sking on dirt, then this may be the place for you!  Otherwise, maybe you just want to walk, like my friends did.  I carried skis to Snowgrass Flats where there is still considerable snow.  Good navigational skills reguired.  Camped between Ives and Curtis Gilbert near the ridge.  Then scrambled Curtis Gilbert, which is not a trivial scramble from this side, with some steep loose rock and a couple "you fall you die" short snow slope crossings.  After that I took a lovely run down maybe 1500' toward the Klickitat River drainage.  Well softenen snow, but the sun cups are getting bad in this whole area, plus major runnels especially in the flats.

Next day hit the north slope and traversed over to Old Snowy (easy walk-up).  The others hit Ives on the way, but I took a long run on the slopes east of Old Snowy.  Also too sun cupped for my taste.  Time to go higher!  Photos courtesy of Iron Mike will give you some idea of the conditions.  It's a lovely area.