Cowboy & Big Chief Mountains

This trip report is for April 18. Departed the parking area at 8:40 am. Plenty of parking spaces, the facility is now closed for the year. We needed traction devices immediately upon reaching any snow: Combo of microspikes or crampons were used by scramblers. Traction devices were needed all the way to the ridge line heading to Cowboy summit due to hard snow and icy patches. Ice axes needed for ascent on hard snow. Kicked steps into hard snow to reach ridge line to summit. Removed traction devices coming down due soft snow so we plunged stepped, glissaded or hiked back to car. Snow not great, but it was snow. Route: We climbed up to the 7th Heaven Ski lift from the top of Hogsback Express, ascend to the ridgeline above 7th Heaven and traversed a very short distance to summit of Cowboy. Sunny day. Great views.