With the recent lack of any trip reports on Mt. Ellinor we were expecting a possible repeat of last year's attempt to get to the lower trailhead, which ended up with us having to dig the 4Runner out of snow half way up. We were pleasantly surprised to find next to no snow on the road until right before the lower trailhead. It looked like a lot of snow and ice beyond, and we wanted to start low anyways, so off we went from the lower trailhead - only 4 cars there when we left.

The lower trail is snow free and a beautiful path through old growth - A wonderful place to be as the sun was rising. Before hitting the turnoff for the winter trail, 2 of the parties ahead of us were coming back down (and we thought we started early!). Both told us they had turned back before the summit: One due to hazardous snow melt out with running water underneath, and the other because of icy conditions somewhere around the avalanche chute. Since they looked reasonably experienced, we trusted their judgment, and decided we didn't want to try it.

Instead, we opted for the summer route which was reasonably packed down. Probably 1/2 a mile up from the summer/winter trail split, the boot pack went left, away from where the summer trail should have been. Since it looked like several people went this way, we figured they knew what they were doing and perhaps went this way because it was an easier approach. Turns out they probably just got off route, because the boot pack ended up on top of the South ridge above the valley that contains the summer trail. All parties that went this way turned back.

Luckily we had the GPS and had a reasonable idea of where to go to pick up where the trail should be. We dropped straight down into the valley through the woods and deep snow, losing the 500 feet we had just climbed up. Back in the valley we were able to follow the path of the summer route. There was no boot pack to follow at all - no one has been up here since the last snow - so snowshoes were mandatory, and even with them, a lot of post-holing and very slow going until we were out of the woods. At the sharp left turn on the summer route, we hustled as quickly as we could up the snow slope, which had clearly been swept by some small avalanches over the past couple of weeks. It does look like whatever was going to slide has already slid, at least until the next snow.

We had to substitute snowshoes for spikes near the top as thigh deep snow changed to hard snow and ice . We intersected with the winter route and hit the summit 4 hours after we started. We didn't see anyone else on the summit and aren't sure if anyone made it up the winter route today. Coming down was much quicker, but equally hazardous, as the sun softened the snow considerably in some areas. Several holes opened up under our weight, especially near the woods, one large enough to swallow a small human up to her neck. Luckily we were able to get her out without any damage.

We used the GPS to stay on the summer trail route, avoiding backtracking on the incorrect path, and linked up with the boot pack that took us back down towards the trailhead. So for anyone going up the summer route, when you see the path split left or right after the winter route cutoff, stay to the right (our return route), not to the left (our ascent route, following others).

Fun, challenging and rewarding day, with the added bonus of having the summit to ourselves. We used poles, snowshoes, ice axes, gaiters, and microspikes at various times. Heading down, there were two groups going up to camp in the snow - great weekend for some winter camping!