Mt Powell Via Marugg Creek/Game Pass?

[Hungry Jack]

I was up "near" Kneeknocker Pass a few weeks back on a scouting hike. We found a sloggy overgrown climber's trail off the Piney Creek trail that seemed to be the right one, but we ended up just below a cirque just west of Game Pass (I think). We never made it to Kneeknocker Pass.

I am wondering if one has ever used the Marugg Creek trail to climb the ridge north of Piney Creek, and then traverse toward Game Pass, and even ascend Powell via its west ridge or southwest or northwest slope. The topo suggests it is fairly steep, and I imagine it is a talusy mess.

Any beta on this is greatly appreciated.

[d_baker]

Game Pass is just N/NE of Pt 12,600' (that is tagged on the map below, just click the link). So I'm not sure you would have been W of it.
Sounds like you were S of the Cataracts.
The map below is in my report for The Corner of the Gore.
I've only hiked Powell from Kneeknocker approach. I have a report on that too, maybe it could help you, maybe not.

http://14ers.com/images/trips/othertrip ... 0130_l.jpg

[Hungry Jack]

We were SW of Game Pass and Pt. 12,600. We ascended a shallow gully in the direction of Corner Pk, and were probably within about 100 ft vertical of it when we bailed toward the SW (eventually rejoining the Piney trail where it switchbacks the side of the ridge a bit west of the big rock face and falls.

Thanks for the map and TR. Do you have any sense if the ridge from Corner Pk. to Powell can be traversed without technical climbing? (below class 5).

[d_baker]

I believe Kramarsic talks about a big drop off of 12,600 to Game Pass, so that could be a challenge. I don't have any pictures of it unfortunately, and I don't recall much of it when I did Powell.
I know Chi-Transplant & Floyd traversed all of the Cataracts/Corners starting I think w/"E Corner". I'm not sure if they did 12,600 or not though. However, they're in the Weminuche right now, so they're of no help!

If gore galore sees this post, maybe he would know and could respond to your question.

If nothing else, Hungry Jack, Powell via Kneeknocker ain't so bad!

Enjoy your return & good luck!

[Hungry Jack]

I believe Kramarsic talks about a big drop off of 12,600 to Game Pass, so that could be a challenge. I don't have any pictures of it unfortunately, and I don't recall much of it when I did Powell.
I know Chi-Transplant & Floyd traversed all of the Cataracts/Corners starting I think w/"E Corner". I'm not sure if they did 12,600 or not though. However, they're in the Weminuche right now, so they're of no help!

If gore galore sees this post, maybe he would know and could respond to your question.

If nothing else, Hungry Jack, Powell via Kneeknocker ain't so bad!

Enjoy your return & good luck!

Thanks for weighing in. It will have to wait a year, but I'd like to explore the Gores a lot more. That hike up the climber's trail was such a buggy, boggy slog, I thought a ridge traverse using that Marugg approach might be much more fun--assuming I wouldn't cliff out. We'll see.