Was up the route yesterday and a nasty North wind kept things quite cool all day.
The route is dry except for the snow cone at the base and the right hand variation on the last pitch. Snow starts in patches just past the hut and we used/needed ice axes to cross hard snow slopes to get to the base of the route.
The descent is a bit "rugged" right now with the snow starting pretty much at the top of the route and ending just above where you branch off to the hut on the approach trail. It was boot top to waist deep for the summit ridge and the descent gulley had an unforgiving breakable crust from the top until the first rappel station.
Cheers
Mike Stuart
Alpine Guide
Alpine Guide