EISPIRATEN

Any info on trail conditions? Looking at making the hike this weekend from Crystal Lake. Was thinking of just boots and microspikes in case of icy spots. Any need for snowshoes? The latest weather report has backed off on the amount of rain/snow forecast for Thanksgiving thru Friday.

I haven't been up there since the last system but I seriously doubt there is a need for snowshoes at least until mid-late December.

I'm betting Taco is dead on here. Weather did come in, but too warm and that's a South Facing trail.

Highly Likely it is clear this weekend with only sparse wet patches in the shade near the last few hundred feet (elevation) of the Gap. I was on North Facing slopes Friday 29th same altitude a few miles west of the gap and that's what I experienced.

Post back with conditions and your experience if you go!

Thanks for the info. Went up to Crystal Lake Friday. It was raining at Crystal Lake and snowing at Windy Gap. Hung out for awhile waiting for it to clear. When it didn't we opted to go elsewhere and hike. Should have just waited until Sat.

Thanks, Pearl for your post-hike report! Always good to hear first-hand knowledge on those trail/weather conditions.

Sorry the weather didn't work out for you- though it's always extraordinary on a weather day to have the mountain all to yourself!

Brian

I love Crystal Lake to Baden-Powell. One of my absolute favorites.

We did Dawson Gap to Hawkins along a section of the same route just two weeks ago and it was completely dry. But the conditions are changing pretty rapidly these days!

But I've done Crystal Lake to Windy Gap in bad weather before and it's particularly unpleasant (they don't call it Windy Gap for nothing).

And with snow likely tomorrow it just seems like snow from here on out...

It's supposed to rain down here in the valley on Saturday so I would expect snow up in the mountains.
Snowshoes - as Taco said, probably not necessary. There is a section just before reaching Windy Gap that holds snow/ice a long time and would be a Very Bad place to fall. At least microspikes there...
Sunday looks like a great day to hike!

I didn't think it was advisable to go up there last Sunday, but I was up there yesterday and again today and it was great. Not much snow. And not cold until I got to the top and the aptly named Windy Gap.

I haven't been all the way to Windy Gap in awhile, but Jeff and I just walked the lower segment of this trail. Might be my imagination, but it seems slightly less rocky than before, as if a crew has raked it recently.

I believe Abe A and his crew have been working on the trail.