Alpine Scramble - Camp Muir

We started our hike from Paradise at 8:30 AM under mostly clear skies. Wind gusts picked up near Camp Muir, hitting around 30 mph at times, but overall the weather was stable and cooperative. 

The snow on the approach was firm, making for efficient travel early on. Conditions became a bit icy below Camp Muir, so we transitioned to crampons for added security.

As we began our descent from Muir, we found the snow softened significantly just a few hundred feet down. Crampons came off, and from there we postholed through ankle-deep soft snow for much of the way. While snowshoes might have helped, most of the group preferred to deal with the postholing rather than carry extra gear.

Despite the sloggy descent, we were rewarded with excellent glissading conditions near Panorama Point—a fun and fast way to wrap up the day.

Gear Notes:

• Crampons useful for icy sections below Muir

• Snowshoes were left behind and not missed by most

• Sunscreen and sunglasses were essential under bright skies

Conditions Summary:

• Firm snow in the morning

• Icy patches just below Muir

• Soft/posthole-prone snow by early afternoon

• Great glissade track at Panorama Point