I'll be wandering around the Bells late August and wanted to know about a couple off trail routes to prevent backtracking. Basically, I need to know if it's feasible to do these without any special equipment. I'm very agile and nimble and don't mind boulder hopping.
1. Pierre Lakes basin to Snowmass Lake via Heckert Pass. Would there still be significant snow in late Aug?
2. Rustler Gulch to Sylvanite Mine crossing S of Cassi Peak (13232).
I'm also curious if there are any 14ers you can summit without gear/helmet. It looks like Snowmass and Castle are the best bets, and since my pack will be much lighter by the time I get around to Castle I may go for it though I wasn't planning to go that far east. However, if I CAN get over Heckert, I'd be so close already to Snowmass so maybe I'd just empty out all my food before going for the ridgeline. Of course, if the weather isn't good, I won't bother with either one.
