I think they will be fine. There's a transition point between boots/crampons, runners/hiking crampons (such as the Hillsounds pictured), and then runners/micro-spikes.
Because it's a fuzzy line completely dependent on time/conditions, my general rule of thumb is:
- early season (Apr/May), not much traffic, snow on the 2m ridge line past the Chute = boots/crampons
- mid season (now), lots of traffic, 99 still closed, not much snow on 2m ridge = runners/Hillsounds
- mid season (next month) - tons of traffic, 99 opening up, but still icy, no snow on 2m ridge = runners/spikes
- prime-time - most snow gone, 99 open = runners
I've got both boots/crampons and runners/spikes. I either try and go when the snow is fresh and not many people are around, or go later when most of the snow is gone.
Thank you Hobbes. Your post is reassuring.
Smokin Joe
