Mount Osceola

Trail: Greeley Ponds XC Ski Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail

Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts

“With a couple of inches of new snow, I opted to park at Greely Ponds TH so as not to obstruct any plows, snowshoes are required on the Greely Ponds XC trails, and I ended up using them from start to finish. I was the only one to do these peaks today. If you start from the normal Osceola TH, you could have barebooted the whole thing today, but with the higher temps tomorrow barebooting is going to result in a lot of deep postholes. There is still no ice on the steep sections, and I had good traction the whole way in my snowshoes, probably the least sketchy winter ascent of this trail I've done. Took the bypass to the chimney (people had done the main route somewhat recently based on the tracks, no thanks) and there is one section that is a little exposed on the bypass which I don't remember from previous times, but there are branches to hold onto. I think maybe some downed trees have blocked the previous bypass route and forces you to join the main trail lower down. There are two options coming from the Greely Pond TH, I went up one way and down the other. I'd suggest taking the left option on the ascent about 200 yds in and then coming down the same way as it seems the other option gets a lot more XC ski traffic and is longer as it meanders a bit.”

Trail: Greeley Ponds XC Ski Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail

Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder

“Mt. Osceola Trail was broken out by 1 or 2 snowshoers from Tripoli Road to Mt. Osceola. After me, it is pretty well broken out now except for the small snowstorm on Tuesday evening. There are significant branches and trees leaning into the trail and obstructing the path. It is pretty slow traveling and I got smacked with a lot of branches in the face. The rest of this route is in excellent shape and right now there is NO exposed ice on the steeps. There is really no need to butt slide, it's all workable with snowshoes, crampons, or maybe very sharp microspikes. Please do not bareboot on Greeley Ponds ski trail... skis and snowshoes only.”

Trail: Greeley Ponds Trail, Mt. Osceola Trail

Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular

“Parked .2 before the trailhead; did not want to blow up ski trail so did a short but not so safe road walk (there is no shoulder right now). Wasn't sure what conditions were like on the trail since its been a while since the last report, but the trail was pretty well packed down. Saw 8-10 groups today, most people in microspikes, 1 with crampons, and a couple of snowshoers. I spent much of the ascent considering putting my snowshoes on, but I wasn't really sinking into the snow and my microspikes were sharp enough to get me up the steep sections. Great butt sliding conditions, I was able to slide down almost the entire 1.5 miles from East Osceola down to the pond.”