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 Peak:  Mt. of the Holy Cross
 Route:  Angelica Coulouir
 Range:  Sawatch
 Posted By:  mountain_gallivanter
 Date of Info:  6/25/2016
 Date Posted:  7/1/2016
Details

While Angelica Coulouir may be a more straightforward climb than nearby Cross Colouir it is by no means "easy". The only thing more straightforward about it is the increased visibility of the route. You can easily see it from Halfmoon Pass. Get an early start for this one (Or for Cross Coulouir) because the route-finding to the start of your snow climbs will take some time. The climber's trail leading out of the Cross Creek campground is faint, at best. You will have the best chance of finding it if you begin searching between campsite 4 and 5. Stay left of the small beaver pond and you will find a creek crossing between two stumps and the trail will start ascending steeply to the south. If you lose the trail, it is helpful to double back. Close to timberline expect to lose the trail admidst the small tarns and rocky knolls, where off trail navigating will take place. I went in a south-westerly direction to ascend a rocky drainage to the base of Angelica Colouir. Here you want to refuel and hydrate! There are no reliable breakpoints from the bottom to the end of the colouir climb. I left camp at 4:40 AM and did not begin the climb of the Colouir until 8:00 AM, and already the sun was quite warm. The snow had softened up to the point I no longer felt crampons were necessary, but the route required significant kick-stepping. An ice ax is a must. The best recommendation I have is to really judge your energy level before starting up the colouir. I spent 2.5 hours of climbing before I reached the top of Angelica Coulouir, which is a slow pace for me, as I just climbed Conundrum and Castle the day before. The snow is not continuous any more to the top, and the last 100-200 vertical feet is loose scree. This section is due to increase as it continues to melt. I wouldn't wait too much longer for this route.


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