Snowshoe El Capitan?

[chris smead]

I’m starting to put together my winter itinerary.   Anyone ever snowshoe to the top of El Cap from the yosemite falls trail?  I’ve only been on top of El cap once ~8 years ago.  So I can’t remember if there were any features that would be dangerous in snow.  (Assuming the north rim gets that much snow this year)

 

[jscott]

I’ve hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls in the early spring in compacted snow. I used microspikes, not show shoes. I don’t recall anything concerning, with the exception of hearing snow/rockfall off of a steep western (?) cliff that the trail runs under for some time. I suppose this section may be of concern with fresh snow…?? But maybe not, it’s a cliff face, so snow wouldn’t accumulate. I don’t know what’s above the cliff (i.e. a possible avalanche area.) My sense is that after top of the falls things mellow out, but I’ve never gone on from there.

The trail is steep but in spring conditions it never occurred to me to worry about avalanche. It may look different earlier in the year! if I remember right, near the top especially. It’s a steep sided bowl of sorts.

[Bruce Tolley]

Christopher.

I hiked up to and well past Columbia Rock one winter. There was about 2 to 3 feet of powder on the valley floor so to get to the start of the trail, I was on snow shoes. Once I was ascending, I switched to microspikes.  If I were to do it again in winter, I would probably take my crampons. I passed at least one group of descending high school kids who being guided, maybe by Yosemite Institute/Nature Bridge. So there is a some traffic on the first few miles and boot traffic creates ice.

I cannot recall any warning about ice fall like there is on the North side for example past Happy Isles and the trail was not closed.  You would have to move very quickly to get up and down before dark.

[chris smead]

Heya!  Thanks for the responses so far.  I’ve actually been to the top of the falls, and as far as Eagle peak a few times in the winter.  (Awesome, except one time there was some large ice chunks falling from the cliffside.)  Old video I did on that:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WldJC20woLk

Anywho, I guess I’m specifically looking for info on the trail from the Eagle peak junction to the top of El Cappy.    Anything that would be a concern during the winter?   Ice bridges?  Hidden death fissures?

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