Trip Report
Winter Scramble - Lichtenberg Mountain
Knowing that cornices would prevent us from reaching the summit, we embarked on this trip anyway, knowing that the lake and ridge run are gorgeous.
Andy Cahn
- Sat, Apr 15, 2017
- Winter Scramble - Lichtenberg Mountain
- Lichtenberg Mountain
- Scrambling
- Turned Around
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
We knew that cornices and avalanche conditions would keep us from the summit, but we chose to do this trip anyway for the beauty of Lichtenwasser Lake and the ridge run toward the summit.
We traveled up the Smithbrook Road to the first switchback (3760) and climbed the east ridge instead of following Smithbrook farther to the trailhead (4000) and following the north ridge, as I had done twice before. This new route (to me) was shorter and quicker and easier. From the lake, we could confirm our expectation: that the entire basin was rimmed with huge cornices and that travel in the basin would be dangerous. Instead, we climbed the gorgeous, lovely NE ridge to the delightful lunch spot at 5760, just 80 vertical feet below the summit but the end of the road as everything beyond that is too steep and too corniced to proceed. Does anyone know a way to reach the summit in winter?
On the drive home, we discovered a surprisingly nice restaurant in Monroe: Bella Balducci's Mediterranean Cuisine.
A delightful time was had by all.