A spell of nice spring conditions permitted me to summit yesterday April 29. Here are some observations:
The trail to Trail Camp is essentially free of significant snow. Lone Pine Lake is no longer frozen. The spring in Bighorn Park is flowing. The last significant flowing water is the creek at Trailside Meadow. Consultation Lake remains completely frozen. The ice on the pond at Trail Camp is melting.
The few hikers who attempted the Switchbacks were not having much success. The consensus route was up the snow chute to Trail Crest.
There was a fair amount of snow on the trail on the backside from Trail Crest to the Summit, but no traction devices were needed.
For those wishing to scramble up Muir from the West, the conditions were perfect.
