Hey MC great report and photos . When I read the snowshoe hint I thought not if when one would trip and fall.
Store closed Sunday night and we shut the water off late Wednesday so no water in the Portal , bathrooms may stay open a few more days but I wouldn't expect to find them open after the First of Nov.
,I am sure many have read the reports of the accident last Saturday, we had hoped enough preloading and hints that the trail conditions are changing and no longer a dry trail , with a system that went through on the 14 th , we had 6 inches at the Portal but above strong winds kept covering the boot tracks on the upper elevation .
The cable area and the last long switch back to trail crest always holds snow and ice longer both areas are north facing (Shadow/little sun ) and the cable area somewhat steeper if one slips.
The set up during this period it is 90 in LA 60 at the Portal and 4 miles up the trail you are entering full winter conditions without the base of enough snow to use the normal gear, boulders not covered and people making false tracks that take time to back track and find the best boot track to follow. Sunday the quota permit season ends and but a permit is still required that you get on REC.gov ,
Look at MC's photos of the trail camp area and the slope showing the rocks exposed that would be covered with a strong deep base , also notice the shadow in the area of the cable area and the area at trailcrest.
Can you do the mountain as a day hike NOW ? conditions mean slower travel , colder upper elevation and less daylight hours so the travel surface will change during the day as MC talked about. To Mirror Lake seems many are turning around some going as far as the switchbacks before turning around and some at the start of the cable area. I talked with a couple that went to Mirror Lake yesterday it took about 6 hours round trip that would be about 8 miles turn that into slower above and the return in the dark would mean a trip of about 16 to 18 hours .
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