Up the East Ridge of Temple today with Ross Berg and Jeff Bullock. Felt pretty much tropical leaving the car at 0430hr. Route seems like it's in pretty good shape right now. It's tottaly dry to the top of the big step where the odd patch of snow starts to show up. Getting across to the Black Towers was also easy travel, more snow, but with a mostly supportive track that took us all the way across to the base of the gulley (same one as shown in the Selected Alpine Guidebook). The rock in the gulley was pretty much all dry, interspersed with good step-kicking on small snow patches right to the top of the ridge. From ridge-top to summit, snow cover is still good, easy travel for the most part but there are definitely a few thinner bridges (that, me being the fattest, managed to stuff my leg through) up there.
Also - I'd heard last week that there might be an issue with cornices looming over the black tower's ascent gulley. Not a problem for us. Must have cleaned out/fallen off in the last few days. We had no exposure to any cornices from car to summit.
Have fun out there!
Mike Trehearne
Assistant Rock Guide.