I attempted the summit yesterday, Jun 4. Started up the Chute at 3 AM. Bailed at 4 AM because I didn't like the looks of the weather. Broke camp, packed up, and boogied down the trail at 5:50 AM. Back at the TH at 9:45, temp 44 F, simultaneous rain, hail, and snow. (adiabatic lapse rate suggest it must have been snowing at Trail camp with temp around 32 F). At 10:45 AM, sitting in sunny Lone Pine eating huevos rancheros while watching storm clouds rage on the mountain, craving a Chute Glissade for desert.
Jun 3, some people did the SB with bare boots, reporting it was very unsafe that way. Traction needed! Glissading down the Chute was very fine with ice ax. Some survived glissading with poles but were lucky. Broken poles are littering the Chute.
Chute snow conditions fine for ascent until about 9 AM and excellent for glissading after about 10 AM once the sun softens the snow.
General consensus was that, with traction, the SB is the easier way up, glissade the easier way down.
Previous day's summiters all reporting that backside trail generally snow covered, small ice patches. Microspikes or crampons plus one or two poles very desirable entire length of backside with brief rock walking. There are multiple chaotic tracks on final pitch to the summit. Advised that with traction, simply walk up anywhere until there is no more up left.
Travel time between Trail Crest and Summit reported by nearly every Jun 3 summiter as two hours in either direction. Slow and deliberate step placement necessary at all times.
If ascending the Chute, take the right fork in the trails near the top part. If glissading, walk over to the top of the left fork in the tracks (left fork when looking up from Trail Camp) which brings you to the top of the best direct line down.
These conditions are likely to hold for the next several days.
Toss rocks at the marmots, they are taking too many liberties (don't try to wound them, just a little tough love).
