Mt. of the Holy Cross

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 9/22/2021, By: mmbakken
Info: Summited Mt of the Holy Cross on Tuesday morning via the standard route. No snow or ice on the trail anywhere. Road to the trailhead is in good shape, but a little bumpy in spots. Saw a Camry make it up. Nice weather all day, no threat of storms at all. Cold start (20F), warmed to about 55F and sunny. Barely any wind, even up high. 7:40am start, took about 7 hours to complete round-trip, with 15 minutes on the summit. About 2.5 hour drive to TH from Denver, GPS directions were solid. Very day-trippable this time of year. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 9/20/2021, By: benmangelsdorf
Info: Did Mt of the Holy Cross via the standard route yesterday and then went up Notch Mtn on the way back as a little extra challenge to myself. Summer conditions on Holy Cross until about 13k and then there a bit of snow and ice. Most of it is not on the actual route and just on talus that can be avoided, but it made a few of the blocks up there a little wet. Notch Mtn is dry all the way up. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 9/7/2021, By: Balcao2546+
Info: This 14er is no joke. You have to gain a 1,000 feet, then lose a 1,000 feet before the true trail to the summit begins. Save your strength for the big push towards the summit. The trail is very well marked with enough cairns and a few wooden poles. I started around 4:30 AM and Summited around 10:15 AM. Took my time coming down. Wonderful day at the top no wind what so ever. I say about 15 people were on the trail. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 8/26/2021, By: Rosey
Info: Mount of the Holy Cross is clearly a challenge with the required climb to return to the trailhead. However I found it much easier than the decision to add Tabeguache Peak to the hike to Mount Shavano or to add Mount Oxford to the hike to Mount Belford. With Tabeguache and Oxford you are trying to access how you feel mentally and physically prior to adding the second peak. Whereas with Holy Cross, you "know" you have to make the final climb to the trailhead. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 8/12/2021, By: lauradaughtry
Info: Pure summer conditions and a bluebird day! There is not a ton of shade on this route, so sunscreen is a must. Trailhead is easily accessible (there were multiple sedans up there), and maybe saw 15-20 people the entire day. Trail was very well marked (and some kind volunteers from Colorado Fourteeners Initiative were out there doing some trail recon). View was a little hazy due to neighboring wildfire smoke, but not terrible. Only a little bit of wind gusts. Mosquitos weren't noticeable *except* when I stopped at East Cross Creek for some fuel to power through the last 3 miles out. NOTE: If you do the 12 miles in one day like I did, PLEASE know that the CMC guidebook is absolutely correct when it says the 12 miles feel like 20. The 1,000 feet of elevation gain on the way out will make you feel completely depleted. It's a long 10-hour or so day. (Camping at East Cross Creek one or two nights to break up this trek will make this summit way more enjoyable.) 

Route: Halo Ridge
Posted On: 8/8/2021, By: Roxandnate
Info: Halo Ridge up, North Ridge down. As prior post noted, no snow en route whatsoever. Mosquitoes appear to be past peak too - were not bothered too much. Haze is really bad though -- cannot see too much past neighboring mountains. One note - while GPS mileage on descent (5.85 miles, via Garmin eTrex 30x) was pretty close to the route description of 6.0 miles, the Halo Ridge route was not. It was 9 miles (vs 7.5 advertised) from TH to Holy Cross summit (5.5 miles to the Notch Mt. shelter). Thus 3.5 miles on the ridge - very different than the 2+ advertised. Be aware - it is a long traverse over talus. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 7/18/2021, By: Evan_Hikes
Info: Summer conditions all the way to the summit on the North Ridge route, never stepped on snow and never had to avoid it. Agreed with the below, mosquitos are persistent and followed me up to 13-13.5k. Bug spray is essential, deet recommended (worked for me). East Cross Creek crossing was easy with great steps available. I thought the climb back up to Half Moon Pass on the descent wasn't bad, the short uphill trek was welcome on my legs after dropping 3k feet from the summit. Mount of the Holy Crap was this a long day though. Tigiwon Road is clear all the way, recommend at least a high clearance 2WD vehicle, don't think I saw a sedan. 

Route: Halo Ridge
Posted On: 7/6/2021, By: teox
Info: North Ridge up, Halo down. Only one snow patch left to cross on Holy Cross Ridge, which can still be avoided by taking a slightly longer detour. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 7/6/2021, By: crb443
Info: The route is snow free. Mosquitoes are intense in the E Cross Creek basin and follow you all the way to 13k. They don't care about DEET so impenetrable clothing is your friend. We camped out at Cross Creek campground the night before summiting and the mosquitoes kept us prisoner in our tent. 

Route: Halo Ridge
Posted On: 7/1/2021, By: kalestew
Info: Summer conditions with two avoidable snowfields up high. Creek crossings are solid with steps. We went up Halo and down standard, conditions great all around. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 6/28/2021, By: penhat8
Info: Beautiful trail. Route finding got fun in the upper slopes but never really an issue. Regaining half moon pass on the way back definitely feels worse than doing it on the way out. Trail in full summer condition. 

Route: N Ridge Up, Holy Cross Couloir down
Posted On: 6/27/2021, By: slawrence2011
Info: N Ridge summer conditions. Only updates from previous reports: a dusting of snow on the final class 2 made it much more thought provoking, beware of mud on the Tigiwon road. My civic was cruising along the first 4 mi and last 4 just fine, but right in the middle, I didn't see the deep mud in the headlights and it sucked my car into the right. I was sure I was stuck, but my friend helped push, and we got just enough movement to save . Couloir is completely in. Runnels cause no problems for skiing on top half, and only minor problems bottom half. I probably down stepped only about 100 ft near a tight runnel section and skied the rest. Almost missed the exit, had to climb back up. Enjoy! 

Route: Halo Ridge
Posted On: 6/24/2021, By: tortilla
Info: A few small easily avoidable snow patches from half moon pass to Notch. Notch traverse is dry and straightforwards, cairned in many places, although more difficult climbing awaits if you seek it. Conditions of Halo ridge basically the same as the 6/12/21 update. 3 small snow bands to cross, likely to melt out very soon. Cornice on climbers left above Teardrop is cracking and looks like it's about to give. North ridge descent completely dry. Poles helpful for the creek crossing, there's a stable log above water one can walk across. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 6/23/2021, By: Gsham11
Info: Low clearance vehicle can make it up road. Summer conditions all the way up. Two small snowfields that were easy to walk through or around. 

Route: North Ridge
Posted On: 6/14/2021, By: Kody Aigner
Info: Decided to give this a go the weekend before the summer trailhead opens. The road isn't exactly scenic and it added a good 5-6 hours round trip but we didn't see a soul past Half Moon so totally worth it. -The stream at the campsites is pretty high right now, you will be fording it. Also it's the last good water you'll see before the summit. -There's a few feet of snow covering the trail in a couple spots above 11k but nothing too daunting and it probably won't be there for long. -This might be a good time to remind you that the entire alpine section is a talus field, plan your time accordingly.