Rode from Ape Canyon trailhead May 28, 2016. Trail is mostly in very good shape; down low some water damage and a nasty hole that you will see on the way up and hopefully remember on the way down. We got up just about to the Plains proper before encountering significant snowfields. Ride is totally worth it, despite this, as the sweet downhill stuff through the forest is worth the climb.

There appears to be a good bypass around that very sketchy section after the Ape Canyon overlook/weather station. We didn't see this on the way up, or down, and crossed a short, steepish snowfield, not technical, but if you fall, you die. And I appreciate thrill seeking, but this section of trail is just not worth it. As you approach this section and the weather station there is a fork. Go left here and you'll find a scrappy little section of trail climbing the hill west of the weather station. This should be the route for anybody who gets wigged by heights, and for any time there is snow in the gap here.

Given the cool conditions of the past couple of weeks, I think the snow fields on the plains have not melted much.