12-30-17 McGinnis

Wanted to check out the snowpack above 3k before the next storm cycle.  It's pretty manky and basically 1' of facets on the south aspect of McGinnis.  If and when it gets weight on it, I'd expect it to be weak for a while until it bridges.  We'll see.....

Mendenhall Glacier from near summit of McGinnis

Terminus of Mendenhall Glacier and people right up against the ice on the frozen lake.

Mendenhall Towers

Grandchilds Peak.

Mendenhall Towers

-4f at the trailhead at 9am.

2-3-17 Mt McGinnis

Maybe a 1.5-2 mile walk along a nice trail, then straight up on a faint "climbers trail".  Pretty easy approach.  3:10 to summit, not that it matters, but that it just isn't a big deal to ski fun stuff close to town.

Also a photo dump of beta for future use.

West North South aspects of McGnnis with Stroller White behind

Ridgeline to Stroller White

Mt McGinnis.  Route follows pined ridge, then up obvious west ridge.

Grandchilds Peak

Backside of Mt Stroll White.  Pop over the shaded ridge low point and descend to the Mendenhall Glacier.

Summit of McGinnis.  Stroller White in background.

Route up McGinnis is up tree ridge lookers left, then follow ridge to summit.

Stroller White and Mendenhall Towers

Grandchilds Peaks

Terminus of Mendenhall Glacier

Slopes of McGinnis

Ridge up McGinnis

Final mushroom chunk before McGinnis summit.

Second and Third icefall on Mendenhall Glacier

Terminus of Mendenhall Glacier.  Mt Bullard on far right.

Grandchilds drainages.

Prospective routes to glacier.

Grandchilds to Glacier routes.

McGinnis west ridge

Stroller White and Mendenhall Towers

Icefall beta

McGinnis West ridge.

1-10-2017 Grandchilds Peak

Start at Montana Creek and skin about 1.5 miles of groomed nordic, then up a trail along the river.  Leave the river and ascend through the woods to 2400ft on a trail (buried in winter).  Then follow the ridge to Grandchilds Peak.  From there, one could access the Mendenhall Glacier via a couple different routes.

Mt Stroller White on the left, Mt McGinnis on the right.  McGinnis is a day tour.

Stroller White on right, access to Mendenhall Glacier between Stroller and un-named rocky peak.

Follow the red, then descend a thousand feet to the Mendenhall Glacier very near the Mendenhall Towers.

Stroller White

Flank of Grandchilds Peak and Lynn Canal.

Final ridge to Grandchilds lower summit.

Easy ridge up Grandchilds.

Somewhat knife edge up to main summit of Grandchilds.  Optional.  Could ski into bowl on right and then up.

See above caption.

Steep terrain off of Grandchilds

Grandchilds Peak from the trailhead.