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Trip Report    

Basic Alpine Climb - Big Snagtooth/West Ridge

Successful trip up Big Snagtooth via the West Ridge, with snow between the trailhead/ cars to just short of the saddle between Willow and Big Snagtooth.

  • Road suitable for all vehicles
  • Route 20 opened two days prior to the climb (April 18).  The approach route was entirely snow-covered from the cars to just short of the saddle between Willow and Big Snagtooth.  Flotation was required- our entire group opted to use skis for speed on a one-day outing.  There are numerous crossings of Early Winter Creek- our crossing was further west of the Silver Star crossing, close to the confluence of Early Winter and Willow Creeks.  We were able to boot up from the basin below Snagtooth Ridge to gain the ridge, though the ridge is quickly melting out and was 3/4 covered with snow.  Our group was glad to have done this climb on snow.  We looked at the scramble gully, which is largely snow-filled.  The cracks in rock on the rappel route ascent were entirely coated with ice, but otherwise the rock climbing/ scrambling portions were fairly clear of snow; our original plan was to climb the rappel route, which we were able to do without  a problem.  We could not find the register on the final summit block, which we suspected was under some snow/ ice at the uppermost rap station.  13 hours round-trip, including a 1 hour break for lunch.  30m rope for rappels is more than adequate; brought rock pro but only used a nut for rappel back-ups.