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    • Home  / "To the Ends of the Eastside & Beyond" - Trip & Conditions Reports
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    11 July 2026 - Conditions Report: North Peak Northeast Couloir

    July 12, 2026 3 min read

    Swinging ice tools in July? In the Sierra? You bet. While most people have traded crampons for trail runners, there are still a few hidden corners of the High Sierra where premier snow climbing can still be found (and even some ice climbing too!). Eastside Sports staff member and guide Colin climbed North Peak's Northeast Couloir co-guiding with Kurt Wedberg from SMI and a couple of clients yesterday. Here's his latest conditions report. Here are the latest conditions. As always, feel free to call the store for more info or consult the local alpine climbing guidebooks for this route available here and here.

    Conditions Report: 

    Current As Of: 11 July 2026*

    Activity During Report: on- and off-trail hiking, snow climbing in a couloir, 3rd class to low 5th class rock scrambling.

    Conditions: 

    No snow encountered on the approach from the Saddlebag Lake Trailhead until at the base of the couloir per the photos below. The snow at the base of the couloir is sun-cupped about 1-2 feet and can be mildly annoying to cross until starting up the slope into the couloir. We climbed the traditional couloir, the right-most one. It was all snow from bottom to top that is best described as névé, which per usual annual cycles for the couloir will likely form into ice within another couple of months for fall climbing. The névé at the base of the couloir which gets daily sun was rather firm, but once within the shady parts of the couloir that see essentially no sun, there were sections that had some softness still to them. There wasn't much rhyme or reason as to where exactly as far as I could tell. Per the photos, the bergschrund was all filled in and smoothed over, so while you could tell where it was, there was no obstacle encountered related to it at all. It was super enjoyable snow climbing for about 4-5 pitches doing full lengths with a 60m rope.

    Protection was entirely done through pickets and other forms of snow pro and anchors; there was nothing in which to place ice screws. We took the 3rd Class to Low 5th Class washboard from the top of the couloir to the summit before hiking south and east to descend via North Peak Pass and the Conness Lakes to the trailhead. I'd recommend bringing a small single rack of rock protection if intending to go to the summit in case you are not comfortable soloing a section of 4th or 5th class in mountain boots. We used it for one section and it took up next to no room in my pack. From the top of the couloir to the summit took about 30ish mins and was completely dry after leaving the top of the couloir.

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    Sunrise while walking along Saddlebag Lake
    A scenic landscape photograph showing Saddlebag Lake with a rocky mountainside with a river or lake in the background, with a few small people visible near the water at sunset.
    A scenic mountain landscape showing Saddlebag Lake at sunrise with a calm lake, rocky foreground, and three small hikers walking along a path near the water.

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    North Peak in the morning light from Steelhead Lake

    A steep rocky mountain cliff face of North Peak in light gray stone with sparse green vegetation, set against a clear deep blue sky.
    A rugged mountain peak of North Peak with pale gray rock faces, patches of snow, and sparse low vegetation under a deep blue sky.

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    The final approach to the couloir

    A landscape photograph of North Peak's NE couloirs with patches of snow
    A hiker with a red backpack stands on rocky, snow-dusted mountain ground in front of North Peak's NE couloirs

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    Climbing the couloir!!!
    A wide outdoor mountain scene with a large rock arch overhead, snow-covered slopes, and two small people climbing or standing on the rock face under the arch. North Peak NE couloir (right-most) looking down.

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    Starting up the final washboard from the top of the couloir to the summit

    A person in climbing gear is positioned on a steep snow and rock face from the top of the NE couloir to the summit of North Peak, with a large gray rock formation on the left and white snow on the right under a clear blue sky.

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    Pics from the summit looking south to Mt Conness & Tuolumne

    A panoramic mountain landscape print from North Peak summit looking south towards Mt conness and Tuolumne showing rocky peaks, snow-covered slopes, a small turquoise lake, and a bright blue sky with wispy white clouds.
    Three climbers pause on a rocky mountain summit of North Peak under a blue sky with clouds and snow-capped peaks in the background. One person in an orange shirt is adjusting a purple climbing rope around their neck, with orange and purple climbing gear resting on the rock beside them.

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    Need Gear for Your Adventure? If you're in need of gear for your adventures, you can rent or buy everything that you would need with us here at Eastside Sports.

    Got a More Specific Question? As always, don't hesitate to call us at store (760-873-7520) if ever in need of adventure ideas or conditions information!

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    *All conditions reports are subject to change, increasingly so with each passing day since the observation(s) were made. They are provided as a tool to assist your adventuring, not to replace your own risk management and decision-making. No information in any trip or conditions report published by Eastside Sports should be considered definitive in its information or directive in its recommendation.