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Trip Report    

Vesper Peak

Vesper Peak

  • Road suitable for all vehicles

After two weeks of above 80 degree weather our scramble was the first rainy/cloudy day of July. The cooler temperatures were welcome the lack of visibility was not.
We did not get very wet on the way up and it didn't really start raining until the last mile out so rain wasn't much of a problem. What was a problem was 50 foot visibility. With only an 8 person team, if I was in the front I could not see the two people in back even as shadows. Needless to say route finding was a challenge involving gps and compass and no visual cues.
The snow to Hedlee pass was low enough that we could go around it which was a good thing as it was incredibly hard. The axeless arrest described in the earlier trip report would not have been possible in that icy of snow conditions. The snow conditions closer to the summit were hard and a little icy but not as bad as below Hedlee pass.
The rock along the NE ridge was solid and sticky, dry enough for good scrambling.
No incidents.