Brief report:
Did not summit (made it up to 13,400 ft). We made Sam Mack Meadow (11,040 ft) our only basecamp. Started walking from Sam Mack around 5:30am. Got to the bergschrund around 9:00am. Waited for a party above us to get higher on the couloir; started climbing at the late hour of 9:30am. Meanwhile, there was another climbing party of 2 right behind us on the queue. After our 1st pitch we saw this party trying to pass us on the ice and ropes would cross (they should have waited 'til we got much higher on the couloir; they got chunks of ice from us planting our axes on the ice). Anyway, at 1:30pm (elev ~ 13,400 ft) we decided to rap down due to our slow progress. The U-Notch on 9/1/02 was hard ice. Bergschrund was crossable towards the right side without getting onto the rock. I was looking forward to the 5.4 rock chimney after clearing the notch. I'll have to come back again, but (1) set up a high camp near the Palisade Glacier tarn ~ 12,000 ft, (2) 4:00am alpine start so that I can be by the bergshrund at 6:30am or earlier, and (3) don't go on a weekend, especially Labor Day weekend (too crowded). Live and Learn!