Laurel Mountain in winter?

Hi everyone,

I was just up at Mt. Morrison with a climbing partner and the conditions were not the best.  We tried twice to get up on the NW ridge but a combination of time constraints, bad snow, and "mixed" climbing on snow, bushes, and scree proved... frustrating.  We're back in the Bay but I was just looking at Laurel Mountain, right by Morrison, and noticed that the route seems to lack the godawful approach described above.  I know people climb Laurel Mountain in winter, but all reports I've seen are from February at the earliest.  Has anyone climbed it in January by any routes?  In particular Mendenhall Couloir?
Thanks!

I know people ski the Mendenhall Couloir so people are definitely climbing it.  Not sure if it's skiable in January.

How are you planning to get off it?  Would be a huge day if you don't do a ski descent.

Hey Zach, my buddy and I climbed the Mendenhall last year in January when we were still having a low snow year, and it was only filled in for the top half of it. Made for fun rock moves in the lower sections, to a short mixed step, and then some steep snow to low angle ice up high. We branched off on the top section and took one of the fingers on lookers right of the couloir proper to the summit ridge and ultimately the top. Makes for an enthralling day in the mountains and would suggest it to any competent party looking for something different along the east side. Shoot me a message if you have any other questions, I can send or post some photos as well! 

Pete- PM sent!
Simon W - I was thinking the "north, then east" + scree skiing descent route.  Here's a picture of conditions as of two days ago:

https://zachsmountainclimbingblog.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Zoomed in, you can see that the couloir is holding quite a bit of snow(not sure if its a lot for skiing, but for climbing it would be significant I think.  The snow lower down the mountain was not consolidated when we went earlier this week):

This route map would seem ok, as long as the snow isn't an unconsolidated mess:

You can ski the entire NE Gully if the conditions allow..  Mt Laurel has been on my radar ever since I saw this video years ago, but I think there has been maybe one winter with that much snow since then, and it would be a trip for me to get out there right now...

There is beta in the east side back country ski book.  I would wait until later in the season but that's just because if I climb it in winter I want to get the ski descent that these guys got!

Dude needed a UV lens cap on his GoPro!

That does look fun.  I'm planning on taking some skiing lessons in the next week or so up at Boreal.  Winter climbing is so dicey and frustrating at times.  Skiing is really where it's at, early season.  Plus it'd just be nice to be able to skin up stuff...

The Mendenhall is a major catchment for rocks and avalanches, and requires proper timing for a safe ascent in snow-covered conditions. Skiers do not ascend the route, keeping their exposure limited. Head's up, for a lot of what comes down that thing on a regular basis a helmet won't help you.

Ryan Huetter wrote: The Mendenhall is a major catchment for rocks and avalanches, and requires proper timing for a safe ascent in snow-covered conditions. Skiers do not ascend the route, keeping their exposure limited. Head's up, for a lot of what comes down that thing on a regular basis a helmet won't help you.

Not surprising.  I would expect Laurel Mt to be moderate risk any time of year and extremely high risk if timed incorrectly.  If the whole thing slides and you're on it it would be a miracle if you survived.

Probably not a good ski descent if you're still learning op.. At least one spot in that video, shot in prime conditions looked pretty technical.  Not to be a buzzkill but..

May I suggest guide service.  Now is a great time to invest in it because you have enough experience to get a lot out of it but not enough experience to predict conditions, choose a line or know terrain.  A couple guided trips would prevent failed trips and perhaps catastrophic injury.  You could learn so much quickly.