Peak Condition Update | Mt. Columbia

Peak:	Mt. Columbia
Route:	East Ridge
Range:	Sawatch
Posted By:	bhaydin
Date of Info:	10/9/2011
Date Posted:	10/10/2011

Details
Very quiet day with near perfect conditions. Three Elk Trail has little snow (1-3 inches) until just below treeline. There is a well tracked trail regardless, so no troubles there. Climbing the headwall was pretty straightforward until just below the ridge. In the gully I climbed, there was at most 18" in the deepest parts, but nice and firm snow. The ridge is pretty windswept, but several areas are holding snow making boulder-hopping a little more precarious. Image 1 = Meadow looking at route; Image 2 = Gully view; Image 3= East Ridge from summit; Image 4 = Horn Fork Basin from summit (note Bear Lake)

Details

Very quiet day with near perfect conditions. Three Elk Trail has little snow (1-3 inches) until just below treeline. There is a well tracked trail regardless, so no troubles there. Climbing the headwall was pretty straightforward until just below the ridge. In the gully I climbed, there was at most 18" in the deepest parts, but nice and firm snow. The ridge is pretty windswept, but several areas are holding snow making boulder-hopping a little more precarious. Image 1 = Meadow looking at route; Image 2 = Gully view; Image 3= East Ridge from summit; Image 4 = Horn Fork Basin from summit (note Bear Lake)

Comments or Questions

dannyg23	missing hat 10/11/2011 2:10pm hey, you didn't happen to find an Adidas hat on the way up there did you? My buddy droped it the day before on that route.
bhaydin	Hat 10/11/2011 2:27pm Nope, no hats that I could see.
semitrueskerm	Climbing this weekend? 10/12/2011 3:43pm I've been waiting for some snow on this route to avoid the loose scree and crapola that you have to endure when there is no snow. Would you say the route on the snow is firm and will still be firm this weekend? are snowshoes at all necessary? or, will the snow be more or less gone by Saturday?
bhaydin	forecast 10/12/2011 4:11pm Looks like the clouds have been hanging around up here, so I would expect the snow to linger. Assuming no more new snow snowshoes are definitely not needed. The snow was good climbing. I just kick-stepped my way up. There were a few spots that were loose up top, but that was because the snow was thinner there. Have a great hike!

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