Trip Report
Chutla Peak (winter)
Warm day and cornices prevented a summit. Will have to come back in summer.
Patrick McLaughlin
- Mon, Apr 21, 2025
- Chutla Peak (winter)
- Scrambling
- Turned Around
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Route was snow free until about 3,800 ft. Hard packed snow in the trail that slowly increased. At 5,000 ft, when the trail comes out of the trees, we put on crampons and got out the axes. Snow was soft with the warming and caused some post-holing. Got up to the saddle only to struggle along the ridge avoiding the edge. Half way across there were cornices, that we would have to travel near. We did bring a 60m x 8mm rope and gear to belay, but didn't feel we had time to reach the summit and get back before the snow warmed more. There were obvious wet, loose avalanches in the bowls south of Wahpenayo.
Parked behind Longmire right at the trailhead. 
Left at 8am, which our group admitted was probably late with warm weather and risk for wet avalanches. Dawned avy transceivers and brought shovels and probes. 
Got to the clearing at about 11:30am and put on crampons for the steep snow to the saddle. Reached the saddle, but there were obvious cornices and wet, loose roller balls. 
Brought all the climbing gear (ropes and belaying stuff) but easily would have taken us another 2-3 hours to reach the peak and get back to the saddle. 
By then, snow would have been very precarious. Turned around and got back to the cars by 3pm. 