South Early Winter Spire/South Arête

we left the Blue Lake TH at 7:30AM and returned at 5PM. The upper climbers trail is hard pack snow in the early AM and very slick but we managed without crampons. We shared the route with a couple of guided parties and a couple goats and bagged a fun climb on a beautiful day. *** Just before the whaleback the pitch is cleaved by rock outcropping and on climbers left at the very top theres a very large very loose rock just waiting for someone to pull it down. Stay climbers right at the top of the pitch approaching the whaleback.