Mt of Holy Cross from Lake Constantine/Tuhares

[Slade]

I was wondering if you did camp close to the lower Tuhare would it be possible to make the summit of holy cross for sunrise? If so how much time do you think it would take? I've read so much about how the sunrise from the shelter is pretty slick and i plan on doing that as well on another morning, but would really like to watch it from the summit.

Thanks,

Slade

[Monster5]

I think it's a good idea - mainly just a talus hop to the Holy Cross Ridge flanks. Navigate around a few steeper sections above lower Tuhares. I don't know about your hiking pace, but if I were to do it, I would plan on 2 hours and then bump it up to 3 hrs just in case and to enjoy breakfast.

I think the only real crux of the route would be navigating above the headwall above the lower lake.

I took this just E of Holy Cross Ridge right above the flat spider-web section in September

tuharestemp.jpg (150.91 KiB) Viewed 740 times

Edit - from the topo and just slightly in this pic, it looks like there's a bit of a headwall above the higher lake as well - I bet you could find a good little gully through it pretty easily

[Slade]

Excellent, thanks!

[jet]

My wife and I did that route when we climbed Holy Cross. There are some campsites between the turnoff to Fall Creek Pass and the lower lake. We went up by going past the upper lake before angling toward the ridge. My only concern is there are some huge blocks around the upper lake. You would want to be able to see with a good headlamp so as not to slip between them. I had a misstep and just about fell in between the boulders. We came down a different way. We went along the headwall above the lake until we found a gulley to descend. It was close to aligning with that finger that goes into the lake. I seem to recall that we were on a few little ledges to get down.It took us about 9 hours round trip (from lake Constantine) but we had a bluebird day and didn't hurry at all. We spent 4 days enjoying that area. John