Had 6 of us through the Subway. I was expecting cold, spring-y conditions, but had a great time, warm in our full wetsuits. The Wilderness Desk still warned of spring conditions, but it seems like it has warmed up in there the past week.
The new cairns keep you out of the first section of woods. The cairns are BIG and obvious, just look uphill and right, rather than down toward the forest. There’s a little sign with a boot up there too.
I was surprised how full the first pool was though, when you hike down the steep gully. No way to get across without thigh-deep water, so we suited up right there in the side drainage alcove.
Also, there’s some big, shiny new hardware at the first “obstacle”. There used to always be webbing wrapped on the pinch, for the crack downclimb or down through “the hole”, but someone has placed two big expansion bolts on the rock face of the top boulder. Super obvious…so no need to problem solve anymore I suppose…
We swam and swam through not so cold water (with wetsuits on). I’d heard about having to swim underneath the “bowling ball” after the second rappel. The water was low enough to squeeze through the ball and wood without too much underwater swimming. If you’re bigger, maybe take your pack off.
Fun, fun, fun! Ideal conditions in there right now. Just grab a wetsuit and go!