Log In 

Torreys Peak

Peak Condition Updates  
7/9/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 7/9/2025, By: durkan
Info: Snow after knife edge and then after the saddle after descending. All was supportive in trail runners even at 6~6:30pm. Don't know how long that'll hold up though, looked like virga rain rolled in after. 
7/8/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 7/9/2025, By: CEColton
Info: Kelso Ridge was entirely snow free until just after the knife edge. There’s a short mandatory snow crossing there. There’s a trail packed into the snow, which makes footing easier, but there’s also pretty significant exposure on both sides. I used MICROspikes and trekking poles, though the climber after me did not. 
7/4/2025
Route: Dead Dog Couloir
Posted On: 7/5/2025, By: footfungus94
Info: Started the couloir early around ~6am summited around 8:45 (my first couloir). Getting to the start of the couloir could get hard soon. Definitely starting to warm up. Snow was good in the middle section of the couloir but annoying at the bottom and nearing the very top, still good snow though. Only had one rockfall that narrowly missed us. As other people have mentioned there is a runnel closer to the right side of the couloir which is still prominent. Also there seems to be more rockfall on the right side of the couloir. When we were walking down back to the trailhead after doing Grays we saw rockfall that had taken out a good portion of the approach to the couloir leaving scree. 
3
7/3/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 7/4/2025, By: Aidanj5
Info: We got to the trailhead at 2 pm the day before. There was literally one other car in the parking lot, and no camping sites were taken. Camping was great, and the weather was perfect. We did the 2-mile hike to the start of the ridge just to get warmed up, then came back to the campsite to get some sleep. We woke up the next day at 4 am. By 4:30 am, we started our hike. The parking lot was 3/4th the way full (on a Thursday). The pitch before the knife edge was difficult to get to because of a long and exposed snowpatch that we didn't even feel comfortable crossing with microspikes. So we opted into taking an alternate route by going up a pitch to the right to regain the ridge. With my little expertise, this pitch felt class 4, it did not feel anything like the scrambling we faced so far. The snow patch after the knife edge is so punched in that the microspikes were not necessary. My friend is 6'2" and I am 5'11", and we had no problem with the scrambling. My girlfriend is 5'5" and she had a harder time. I know it seems like a little detail, but I think it should be known that height matters in the mountains lol. Not to say she couldn't do it, she killed it, but the jugs we used were just a little out of reach for her. This has been my favorite adventure so far, and I am so glad I did it with some of my best friends. Here are splits... TH to the beginning of Kelso Ridge: 2 mi in 1 hr Kelso Ridge: 1mi in 2.5 hr Torrey's to Grey's to TH: 5 mi in 3.5 hr 
2
6
6/21/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 6/21/2025, By: Laxer04
Info: Mostly snow free. There is one unavoidable section of snow just past the knife edge. There is a solid boot pack in the snow, however, and we found it fairly easy to navigate. We used spikes for that small section. 
2
3
6/14/2025
Route: Dead Dog Couloir
Posted On: 6/14/2025, By: blonde_dinosaur
Info: Dead dog still in good shape. Limited snow on the approach to the apron, no snowshoes needed. We started around 4:15am from the upper TH (road is totally dry to the TH but rough in spots), made it to the apron at 5:45, and started booting at 6. Topped out at 7:45. Snow was in pretty good condition given warmer overnight temps this week, only got a little soft towards the top of the couloir, but even then still supportive. I wouldn't want to be starting too much later than we did. We had some small rocks come flying off the ridge looker's right as early as 6:30 so be aware. As others have mentioned, there's a prominent runnel in the middle of the couloir. We followed an ill-shaped booter about 2/3 of the way up to the right of the runnel, then crossed over to the left and left a nicely shaped booter kicking steps toes down :) I liked having a second axe for the top 200-300 ft but definitely not needed. Summited Torreys, then crossed from the saddle over a social trail through the snow to Grays trail. Still fairly snow covered up high. Some photos of the couloir attached. 
4
3
6/14/2025
Route: NW Face/Tuning Fork
Posted On: 6/14/2025, By: carmitz001
Info: Ascended from Grays, descended Tuning Fork and looped back around to Stevens Gulch TH. Good snow coverage on the east fork starting from 120 feet below the summit, but inconsistent snow texture around 12 pm. I had a difficult time maintaining control during a 2100-foot glissade due to alternating patches of soft and slightly firm snow. I met a climber going up at 12.8k feet around 12:15. You would think the snow would have been too soft for that given the clear skies and high temperatures, but I guess not! I think the west fork would have been softer because it gets more sun. 
2
2
6/14/2025
Route: Dead Dog Couloir
Posted On: 6/15/2025, By: Caitlin123
Info: Dead Dog was in good condition for snow climbing (6/14). I started from the upper trailhead at 4:45, started climbing around 6, and topped out about 7:45. There's a fairly prominent runnel in the middle of the couloir and the odd small rock that has fallen from above. A group of skiiers came up behind and they decided not to ski the couloir. The trail to the base has some patches of snow but no need for snowshoes. Nearing the top of the couloir, the snow was getting soft but was still supportive. If I was going again, I'd aim to top out 30-45 min earlier. There was some fairly significant rock fall in the two gullys either side of Dead Dog and a couple of little rocks came down from climber's right as it started warming up. Swapped out boots for trailrunners for the mostly snow-free crossing over to Grays. There were still decent snowfields coming down of Grays and most of the hikers were (sensibly) using microspikes but felt fine without traction. 
5
6/10/2025
Route: Dead Dog Couloir
Posted On: 6/10/2025, By: soxfan249
Info: Left a bare patch of rock at the base of the apron at 6:08am this morning and topped out at about 7:50am. Coverage is good, but there are several runnels in the couloir that provide an alley for rockfall. Snow quality varied from firm, to solid enough to kick good-quality steps in, to softly sinking nearly past our ankles as we approached the top. You may want to get in and out earlier still than we did if you want to attempt this in the next few weeks before it is out. Torreys is 90% dry to the saddle with Grays, and from the saddle to Grays is about 50/50 dry/snowy. However, the push to the saddle from where we turned off for the apron is still very snow-covered. 
1
6/10/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 6/11/2025, By: timkoh
Info: The lower part of the ridge has almost no snow so nothing to note there. The upper section has 2 or 3 snow fields to cross. We brought spikes and didn't feel the need for them. We did not bring ice axes however, and that would have been a helpful tool just as a hand hold in some of the steeper snow sections, though not necessary. Everything is there and the kick steps are well set in the snow. You may want to be decently experienced in route finding as the snow may force you to take a path that isn't "on route". But if you stay within the ridge, you'll be fine. Saw a skier head down Tuning Fork, he said it was in good conditions. It was a little bit of a rough descent as the section before the turn off still has a decent amount of snow and we were post holing a bit. Either go fast and early or be prepared for wet feet. It's definitely not worth bringing snowshoes for this. 
3
6/9/2025
Route: NW Face/Tuning Fork
Posted On: 6/9/2025, By: SpacebirdMtnCall
Info: We were able to park just after the 3rd creek crossing. Overnight freeze was solid luckily. Dropped just after 11am, could have waited another 15-20 minutes, top was still pretty hard. Snow below 13.5 was prime corn. We didn't ski from the top, it's sharky, but possible. 
3
6/8/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 6/9/2025, By: Cruiser
Info: To add to Brad's report from yesterday, there is intermittent snow in the lower valley that really can't be avoided yet. I did not bring snowshoes and found the snow to be mostly supportive but there was plenty of evidence of nice deep postholing by folks who had descended later in the day. Upper soles are still nicely filled in. I talk to some folks who had decent turns on the north face of grays and another group who climbed and skied lost rat. Dead dog is still full although it looks like there's a pretty healthy runnel forming towards the top. I did not summit via Kelso as the wind out of the north made the ridge pretty unpleasant so I hunkered down in a protected spot and watched the skiers and climbers play in the snow for a while before descending. No snow between the turnoff and the first major obstacle at 12,700 but def some snow to contend with near the knife edge, dead dog exit, and the final push to the summit. 
6/8/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 6/8/2025, By: bmcqueen
Info: Climbed Kelso Ridge this am, then went over to Grays and down the face. The first crux (dihedral) is dry. Second crux (white wall) has some snow at the base blocking access from where I usually ascend. I climbed the rocks on the left hand side to stay out of the snow. I finally put my crampons on for an awkward step-around on steep snow at the winter crux (~13,500). From there, the snow builds over the last several hundred feet. I was glad I had my crampons and axe. Grays face is quite snowy still. I mostly plunge-stepped down. Carried my snowshoes the entire day, but never put them on. There are definitely places where the snow isn’t supportive in the basin, but they were fairly brief and intermittent. 
10
7
6/6/2025
Route: Kelso Ridge
Posted On: 6/8/2025, By: Bpip18
Info: At about 13,000 feet and above, most of the ridge is still snow covered and requires several steep snow crossings, kicking steps, using ice axe. There is a huge cornice on the left side of the ridge, so be careful when traversing the ridge you are not too far over. Start early. Terrible post holing on the way down and snow was starting to soften and become dangerous just before summiting at 10 to 1030am. Will probably still need atleast two weeks with no new snow for summer conditions The knife edge is dry and has snow on either side, actually reducing exposure. You can get within .1 mile of the summer trailhead. Starting hiking at 5am, back to car at 1pm. 
5/17/2025
Route: West Ridge
Posted On: 5/17/2025, By: notidealbutfine
Info: Started at Loveland Pass at 4am. First to the TH, first on the summit. Brought snowshoes, but only used them on my way back while climbing back up Grizzly Peak. Otherwise, I stuck with micro spikes and mountaineering boots all day. Horribly cold and whipping winds made for a pretty unpleasant day. 9.89 miles / 5,725' gain / 7 hours, 42 minutes 
2
10