Re: list (CSAA) of must see animals.

> Ed Huesers wrote:
>>>> Have been going solo lately: 
>> Not many crev***** here, mostly just bergshrunds and even they are 
>> not usually that deep.

Eugene Miya wrote:
> Schrunds are still fairly hazardous.
> Not many glaciers in CO.

    Not that big either. Generally speaking, they don't roll over 
features and bend creating cracks. Certainly not the type of terrain to 
create ice falls.
    Schrunds are formed more from sun on the rock than glacial movement.
    The most traveled glacier in the park has a small schrund and part 
of it tears leaving some setting on rock. This part of the glacier has 
an actual crevasse or two but I've never seen them deeper than 6 ft. and 
two feet wide. Generally they are a foot wide and a couple feet deep.
    Probing with a ski pole has sufficed as the snow bridges are not the 
type where the whole thing will collapse.
    Not at all like the Blow Mtns. north of here, not to mention further 
north.

>> There was only one slope that was an avalanche concern but was able 
>> to stay on the high side and in features.
> Thermal gradient OK?

    It was hard below with a foot or so of soft on it. It was bonded to 
the hard snow and was halfways consolidated itself. I don't think I 
could have gotten it to slide had I wanted to.
    I would worry more about the foot not holding me and have myself 
slide down the loose snow. It was only that steep in two or three places 
that were two or three steps each.
    I used snowshoes and I was more worried about the descent as most of 
the snow had blown off the underlying hard pack. I took my snowshoes off 
and plunge stepped in those two or three steep areas.
    Thought the winter, I do enough shoveling and digging to know the 
underlying layers too and they are pretty stable in years of late with 
the snow fall a bit warmer than it used to. The snow in the ground layer 
is slush/wet and not the depth hoar of years gone by.

>>>You had skimpy snow in some cases.
>> Lots of places it's blown off but the snowfields were connected 
>> except a couple short rock crossings. Went up the same route and down 
>> the other side a couple times this summer. Nearly easier in winter with

>> the rocks covered. A lot of boulder hopping in summer.

> A rock a hoe basin didn't get its name for nothing.

    If it is consolidated snow that fills the gaps between rocks, 
climbing can be pretty good.

>> A lot of volcanic in Iceland. Lots of colors. Looks like high avi 
>> slopes everywhere.

> Iceland is nice.  Some avi.  Temperatures are comparatively warm and
> uniform.

    Slopes are broad and as steep as flowing sand.

>> I still haven't worn out the rockies. I've been doing mostly 
>> backcountry routes for quite a few years now.

> They are nice mountains.

    All granite where I go most. Some volcanic intermixed through the 
state. Then you got the metamorphic on the west side. I prefer the 
granite domes.
    A trip re****t from last weekend should you care to register. They 
seem to respect your privacy: 
http://www.rmnpforums.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13888

> I think you guys killed off your grizzlies as well.

    Enos Mills knew some of the last ones and wrote about them. To a 
degree, much like Treadwell. What was the temperament of the CA grizz?

> Momentary break.

    Gotta go?

    Ed Huesers
    Http://www.grandshelters.com