I rented these snowshoes and I’m damn sure gonna use ‘em.

Started McGill Trail at 7:00 outside temp was 31 degrees. Single track,  great views, limited trail markings, some sections with no tracks to follow. Frozen dirt for the first mile or so. After mile 1 intermittent snow and ice with good traction. Snow covered from mile 3 on. Firm enough to go without snowshoes,  but I put them on just to try out the MSR EVOs. Steady climbing the whole way,  nothing very steep.

The top part after the Nordic center (You could drive up here,  but would be missing the best parts of the trail) is super mellow a wide trail with tons of tracks leading to the peak

Coming down the snow was more spring slush. Some of the traverses were quite slippery. Where the snow had melted the mud was quite slick too. Definitely poles and micro spikes  for the bottom section after the campgrounds.

This is 16 miles round trip and 3000’ elevation gain.