7.41 miles of hiking • 2250' elevation gain •
Forgot my camera, but luckily didn't forget the GPS (the track @ the link). Indian Heaven is still covered in snow, but the melt seems a bit early this year with most of S side and some of W side ridges of Bird Mt. already melted out. 5-7 feet drifts on the east slope, was fun with the crampons. The lakes just start to thaw. Mosquitoes are bad for the first and last 2/3 of a mile (where it's mostly snow free) but higher up they were few and not interested in me. Found some flat benches on E side of Bird Mtn with terrific views, that would make for great snow camping spots. Once past "tree well zone" the walking is very easy, and terrain is just beautiful and very easy going in any direction, with all brush still buried under snow.
