The road to Summit Lake is now completely dry, as of this morning anyway. Note that there is no cell service pretty early on, including when you reach the gate, so make sure to download your pre-paid reservation QR code.
If it's your first time going up Mt. Blue Sky via the West Ridge, as it was for me, the trail's beginning isn't clearly marked. Follow the directions to the Chicago Lakes viewpoint, and the trail will begin on the left-hand side (indeed, in the direction in which the mountain is!) There was still a good amount of snow on the mountain, more specifically after passing Mt. Spalding's summit, but nothing that warranted snowshoes or even spikes. I did leave the Summit Lake parking lot at almost 9 AM, so by the time I went down, the snow was slushier, and I sank a bit, but again, not by much. The trail was hard to follow at times because of the snow, so I recommend downloading the map ahead of time, even if it's not the hardest mountain out there. Got cold and windy with light snow, but nothing much, even after noon.
This was also my first time reaching a summit where visitors can go by car, and I was not quite prepared for that. Everyone is running in shoes, people in t-shirts (while I was in full gear....haha), and girls in short skirts despite the 35F weather. On the plus side, there are clean, well-maintained bathrooms at the top, should you need them. But just don't expect the usual "disconnecting" feeling that one gets at the summit of a big mountain, as this is a totally different vibe. If solitude is what you're after, plan accordingly.
Marmots were everywhere, and goats showed up at the last minute to wrap it all up! A perfect ending to a genuinely memorable morning on the mountain. Gorgeous, gorgeous hike.
