Sneffles Southwest Ridge

Shelz and I decided to brave the Class 3 Southwest Ridge of Sneffles on a fine July weekend.  We arrived Friday night amid a hail and sleet storm.  It was so wet that we decided to sleep in the pickup cab rather than try and set up a tent.

We woke after an uncomfortable sleep and took the truck up the 4WD road to a point just below the lower trailhead.  The hike to Blue Lakes pass was very picturesque and enjoyable.  Once up the switchbacks you get a glimpse of the ferocious gendarmes that guard the start of the ridge.  Luckily these are avoided on the west side.

Once past the gendarmes the ridge progresses steadily from hard class 2 to easy class 3 to harder moves.  This was Shelz first big class 3 outing so it was a descent choice for a noob.  She tackled the climb with aplomb.  Route finding was even a test as you pass to the east side and do a bit of descent via a notch in the ridge.

The climbing continues in a fun fashion until you see the final pitch.  The climbing became a bit harder here due to the line we took.  A couple of times we had to retreat and find another way up.  Shelz even slipped once providing a tense moment.

The views on top are amazing.

Our descent followed the standard Sneffels route.  At top it is still some class 2+ ridges but then descends into a nasty scree and dirt slope.  Shelz decided a dirt and mud glissade was best for her.

The shelf road on the way out is crazy for sure.  Once down into Ridgway we stopped at Colorado Boy for a brew and a souvenir T-shirt.  A great adventure in the San Juans!

The Second Flatiron July 2011

scramblers

I haven't been back to the second flatiron for awhile -- it's not my favorite scramble, but it is a good one.  It makes for a good after work climb where you can get done before the sun sets.  Here you can see some of my scrambling brethren.

Dodge Block

Today I climbed the Dodge Block line on the Second Flatiron.  It is a bit easier in my opinion than Freeway.  You can actually make it as easy as you like by trending left.  Here's a picture of the first pitch.

Proof I was there

 On this day I not only saw the scramblers in the first photo, but also some roped climbers on my route.  I stayed left of them and actually climbed below the rock that requires a "flying leap".

Aesthetic Scramble

By staying low and left, I found an enjoyable line that I hadn't explored before.  I also climbed higher than normal.  The final pitch just to the north of the pullman car has an easy escape.  But it isn't visible as you ascend, so it takes a bit of faith unless you remember the ending.

El Camino Royale July 2011

Normally I prefer to try new trails and new routes.  There is so much in Colorado to explore it would take several lifetimes to see it all.  But one climb I return to again and again is the El Camino Royale.  It is the perfect balance between accessibility, excitement, and fun!  You can string together El Camino Royale, Royal Arch, Yodeling Moves, Lost Flatiron, and Fern Alley for a wonderful day of scrambling.

Cactus

Here's a picture of the middle pitch on El Camino Royale.  While you are heads down climbing, don't forget to look for cactus!

 The upper pitch was a bit shaded making for a nice bit of scrambling.  There are many lines to take up ECR, but the middle shady was my choice today.

The final pitch is a must do on most days.  To give the folks at the Royal Arch a thrill seeing you at the apex is only right.  But the downclimb is a bit more work than I want on some days and can eat up twenty minutes of time.  If I'm in a hurry, I skip this pitch and head over to climb the Arch.  I have also done the downclimb off the face of this top when I don't mind the exposure.

Great day in the flatirons!

Pyramid Peak

Brian and I decided on a climb of Pyramid Peak on September 11, 2010.  I had planned to climb it earlier in the summer, but hit a cow elk just outside of Leadville which ruined that weekend.

I made sure I didn't roll thru Leadville at dusk to avoid the wildlife and spent the night in the Maroon Bells day parking lot.  The overnight parking was full, but nobody bothered me since I slept in the cab.

Brian arrived from New Castle and we headed up the trail past Maroon Lake.  The start of the trail to Pryamid is easy to miss, but we caught it and hiked the switchbacks to the boulder field.  The climb up across the boulder field is a bit tedious as the Peak looms over you.

If the boulder field is tedious, it is not as bad as the slog up to the pass.  This section was steep and slippery.

We were greeted at the pass by a small herd of mountain goats.  Finally the climb starts to get fun.  We found the gap where you have to jump over about a three foot opening.  Then we shinnied our way across the cliff traverse.  This was an interesting section, but not too exposed.

As the terrain gets steeper the rock gets smoother.  This is rated class 4, but I didn't feel it was any trickier than a lot of class 3 I've been on.  I guess I'm getting some comfort on this level of rock after much climbing in the Flatirons.  A couple of climbers past us on this section and one kicked a rock down on us.  It was easy to dodge and he apologized at the top.

Later that month I learned that Don (peakcowboy) had died on Kit Carson.  He had wanted us to join him on Snowmass the same weekend we climbed Pyramid.

I only made the summit of three 14ers this year, but next year I plan to finish the Elks.  I will also attempt Sneffels, Wetterhorn, and the Wilsons.

Flatiron Fun 2010

El Camino Royale

 Went climbing in the Flatirons for the first time this summer on July 18, 2010.  Here's my favorite combination: El Camino Royale, Royal Arch, Hammerhead, Last Flatironette, and Fern Alley.  I thought I had the approach to El Camino Royale memorized from NCAR to the Mesa Trail, but I missed the start. 

Royal Arch Scrambler

Looking down Yodeling Moves

I was a little rusty on Yodeling Moves and got more confident on the Last Flatironette.  I also missed Fern Alley on this go.  I forgot that it is below the top of the Last.  I decided to descend the Tangen Tunnel Route.  I tip-toed around the poison ivy, and found my way down through the tunnel, but didn't find the wedding ring I lost last year.

Tangen Towers Problem

The next weekend I couldn't break free of work long enough to make it to Aspen, so back again to the Flatirons.  This time I didn't miss El Camino Royale and I even remembered not to stray too far left where I got in a pickle last year.

Last Flatironette

The start of the scramble up the royal arch is a bit of a puzzle, but it gets easier.  Next came the Hammerhead.  Their are two crux moves on yodeling moves. The one just below the arch is a bit too smooth.

To start the Last Flatiron look to the left of the tree at the base and go up the ledge.  You can climb the tree, but the ledge is more fun.  Let the exposure on the top exhilarate you.

Scrambler

The start of Fern Alley is just below the Last Flatironette.  Fern alley's lemon squeezers are not for the portly climber, but are quite fun.

Fern Alley

Ali-Ali and the Raven Ridge

Matt Holy Cross

Matt and I biked some new trails at the lunch loop in Grand Junction: ali-ali and the raven ridge.  Larry caught up to us after descending the Ribbon.

A quick scramble

We then took on the Holy Cross trail once again.  Larry has mastered this most difficult trail, but I crashed twice.  I was also a bit timid after rolling my ATV last month.  I'm just now healing up.

Larry cleans the cross

Matt did an excellent job on Larry's old but sweet Marin.  It is cool that every time I head to GJ they have built more trails out there.  Next time, maybe Miramonte.

Ledge to big?

Castle and Conundrum

Dalton below Castle

Dalton and I left town on Friday afternoon and camped on the Aspen side of Independence Pass.  A cop came by and told us we weren't supposed to camp along the road, but as long as we were gone by early morning we could stay.

glissade from ridge to lake

We crossed the creek and parked at a nice camp site below the two water falls.  We started the tedious hike up the road.  The creek was flowing down the road at one point.  Just past the end of the road we engaged a fun snow climb.  Crampons weren't needed, but we had to kick steps a couple of times.

Dalton Class 4

As you enter the basin we encountered the nasty switchbacks up to ridge.  The rock is loose and the way a bit steep.  Once on the ridge it was a more enjoyable with Class 2+ goings.  We strayed of the ridge proper, so Dalton found a Class 4 arete and I went up a nasty loose gully.  We gained the summit and had it to ourselves for quite awhile.

glissade

We decided to bag Conundrum too, so we started to cross the connecting ridge.  The ridge turned out to be very windy and cold.  After hopping rocks to get to the Conundrum summit, we turned back to get to the large snowfield on the Gary Roach approach.

Dalton on lower glissade

The glissade started off a bit through the rocks.  We tried to keep enough snow under us to surf over the rock field.  The glissade below was a swift slope of fun.  This mountain has more glissade available after you cross the lake basin.  Very fun glissading down to the road.  There were people sliding without ice axe or even poles, but luckily nobody got hurt.  Of course after my Sherman encounter, I always take an axe.

After slogging back down the road, we took a nap at our nice camp.  That night I won the hot dog eating contest.  We didn't want to leave any food out, since there were bears in the area. 

Obligatory Maroon Bell Shot

Sunday we took a trip up to Marble then took a nice long soak in the Penny Hot Springs.  Dalton had a great time trying to get his rock wall just right to get the hotness dialed in.  That night Dalton got sick on a mushroom burger at Little Annies.  The next morning we had planned to climb Pyramid, but decided to just go to Maroon Lake to take a look at the Bells after he had a long night of puking.

Rainbow Falls ATV

We made a trip up to Rampart Range only to find the trails closed.  The ranger there was very pleasant and professional.  He gave us a map and told us that the Rainbow Falls area outside of Woodland Park was open for riding.  We decided to make the trip.

We took a quick loop around what I think was trail 348.  This trail has a nice technical section to challenge your skills whether ATVing or Jeeping.

We then took the ATV only trail 633 which has a fun little rock to climb (more later).  See picture.

This lead to trail 631 which was the most interesting of the day for me.  The trail winds through tight trees and is a joy to ride.

Next was 633 more fun in the woods.  We came to a hill climb which I was the first up, then Matt

We came back to our rock and three of us made it, but John didn't.  He wrecked his bosses ATV!  He then wrecked it again in a rutted down hill on trail 634.

Spring Mountaineering Wish List

After a few weeks on the ATV, it is time to leave the motorized sports for a while because it is backcountry ski season here in Colorado!  Here's my wish list for this year... no way to complete it, but let's see if I can do at least four:

Mt. Sherman - I would like to get a 14er descent in, so I thought this or Quandary would be an easy option.

From the Front Rage Descents book:

1. Quandary Peak: p 176, Intermediate, 5 miles :) :) :)
2. Mt Guyot: Advanced p 172, 5 miles :) :)
3. Pawnee Peak, SE Slope: Intermediate p 85 7.5 miles :) :) :)
4. Kelso: p 149, Advanced, 2.5 miles  :) :) :)
5. James Peak: p 132, Intermediate, 8 miles :) :)
6. Skyscraper Peak: Intermediate p 116, 6 miles :)

I bought a new book "Powder Ghost Towns" about abandoned ski areas.  Here's three from the book:

1. St. Mary's Glacier - p 51, 1 mile Intermediate :) :)
2. Jones Pass - p 63, 2.8 miles Intermediate :) :) :)
3. Climax - p 189, .75 miles Easy :) :)  (For a really easy approach and gentle descents)

Riding Rampart Range

Dalton joined James, Matt, and I for another early spring trip to ride ATV's at Rampart Range.  Last time the snow drifts were a bit much and we got stuck many times.

At first my old Yamaha 400 had trouble with the snow drifts.  The drifts were smaller and no trouble for the newer machines, but we had just a bit of trouble with the old girl.

We started down trail 673, but after removing many downed trees from the trail we came upon a large pine that was not removable.  We decided to turn around.

Next we went on the Overlook trail and got further than last time.  Last time the snow drift just past the creek turned us around.  This time there was less snow, but as the trail comes back around and crosses the creek again we encountered a crossing that had been washed out.  The snow drift on the opposite bank was a further complication.  Again we had to head back the way we came.

We then chose to try Scotty's.  Scotty's is a very fun trail with many whoop-te-dos, and burns.  We finally found the section that gives Scotty a black diamond.  This large sloping rock was a bit too steep for us to go down.  Next time we hope to come up it.

Another great day at Rampart.