For Hikers: May in the San Juan's

So we just got into Silverton and finished most of the San Juan's and here are some things to keep in mind before you do the route early season...

1) Hike before sunrise. by the end of the section we were waking up at 1am to get started before sunrise. you can make big miles without a whole lot of effort before about 9am. afterwards it's a slog. if you want to do 20+ mile days, start early.

2) Gear. at this point snowshoes and ice axe are really good to have. The ice axe is 100% essential about 2% of the time when you end up on an steep, icy slope or for glissading. snowshoes allow you to trudge through the afternoon snow melt, which is nice. we didn't run into any big pitches of ice, just crunchy snow so we left the microspikes at home. 

3) Avalanche conditions. are still very bad, especially in afternoons on slopes with wet snow. be careful, we saw and caused a few minor slides. you'll hear a lot of whooping. this is snow settling and is a sign of high avalanche danger.

4) Follow the divide if you can, even if the trail doesn't. it takes more work to get up there, but there's not as much snow and it's crustier and easier to walk on than in the bowls where the trail often goes. some of the bowls also have high avalanche danger, so ridge is actually safer too. that said, check the topos carefully and don't be afraid to go back the way you came if the route looks beyond your ability. we ended up on a couple knife edge ridges and had to descend very steep slopes.

5) Go with a friend or two. breaking trail alone sucks and in these conditions it isn't exactly safe because of the avalanche risk

6) There's no substitute for experience. if you haven't done much snow travel, backcountry skiing, or winter hiking this route could be really dangerous. reading slopes and avalanche conditions is something you learn and mistakes can be very costly.

7) Campsites. you'll probably have to camp on snow. some spruce boughs can help keep you warm if you don't have a good sleeping pad. otherwise, look for trees on sunny slopes and they'll often be a bare patch of ground to camp on. it's tempting to camp as low as you can, but the cold settles in valleys at night so try to find a higher, sheltered camp spot if you can

8) It's extremely beautiful. this is last because you should read the rest first. people will tell you to 'enjoy the San Juan's in the summer when it's beautiful' but there are very few people who see the San Juan's like this. there are stunning views of jagged, snow-capped peaks around every bend, great animal tracking, and some of the most epic campsites you'll ever get. now go back and read the rest.

in the end, you have to do what feels right for you. and remember, weather and snow conditions are changing constantly so your experience will be different from mine. the past two weeks of hiking have been some of the most exhausting of my life. but also probably the most epic and beautiful. if you have any questions feel free to send me a message and I'll try to help if I can

...bonus tip: it's super easy to get really sunburnt. cover up as much as you can and what you can't, use sunscreen. especially bottom of your nose and lips. glacier glasses are also really nice for the eyes.