Just above the lift house at 8,500 feet, two climbers toil up the endless stair-master, waiting for the wind to die down.
The boot pack visible just beyond the ice was splendid, and I followed it nearly to Crater Rock. Thanks, whoever...
These gentlemen, down from Seattle I believe, cruised pretty quickly up the slope. I saw them on the Hogback just before they left for the summit. I think they thought I was a bit nutty for suggesting that an alpine start would have been safer.
Over at the Illumination Saddle was an encampment.
I dialed down the exposure on these next two, trying to capture both the texture and color of the rime ice on Steel Cliff.
