1/9/2022 Route: West ridge Posted On: 1/10/2022, By: gluckhikes Info: By all indications, the mountain was dry until Friday's storm which dropped several inches of fine powder on the entire route. We didn't find any consolidated snow until the very summit, which made for easy travel through the trees (no snowshoes needed) but very challenging footing above treeline. The talus on the ridge was mostly covered in 6 inches of loose, fresh powder, making progress very slow and tiring. The snow in the trees was melting fast by the time we were headed back down, but hopefully some remains to start building a real snowpack in this area. Thanks to Wild Wanderer for her trip report on this route, it's a damn good one! |
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11/20/2021 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 11/21/2021, By: arthurtect Info: We followed the North Ridge up from Zapata Falls Trailhead. Just a few small patches near the summit, but never needed any traction. Certainly a peak you have to work for. Rough terrain and then bouldering from treeline to summit on stone that move more than they don't. Oh, but the views along the way...so worth it! |
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6/13/2021 Route: Via Zapata lake (up), north ridge (down) Posted On: 6/14/2021, By: bangerth Info: We did a nice little circle that takes the trail up to Zapata Lake and then west through the basin up to the summit. The trail to the lake is entirely free of snow. There is some snow left in the basin west of and above the lake, but we only had to cross 30 ft of level snow and could have avoided that as well with a 200 ft detour -- in other words, no snow of relevance left. (I should add that previous trip reports seem to usually go to the little high lake at the very end of South Zapata Creek, directly under the ridge people take to Ellingwood. We didn't do that but instead climbed straight into the basin directly west of the main lake, and separated from the high lake by a low ridge. But looking at my pictures, I don't think there is much snow in the basin with the little lake either.) We took the north ridge down, which has no snow at all. The way through the forest involves weaving around deadfall and through moderately dense trees but is, overall, not bad at all. Fantastic loop -- climbing higher and higher from the basin to the summit reveals the enormity of the Blanca group and how incredibly high the whole Little Bear to Blanca ridge is! |
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5/29/2021 Route: Ridge Ascent, South Zapata Lake Trail Descent Posted On: 5/30/2021, By: bryanpeck3 Info: Took the ridge from the cairn at 0.8 miles, similar to previous trip reports, and kept following the connecting ridges leading toward Twin Peaks A. Snow was basically nonexistent until the last ridge connected to Twin Peaks A at 3.9 miles. Quick hike over to the two peaks on firm snow at 9:30 am. Another group of 2 summitted and we followed their route down to the lake trail and then to the trailhead. From the summit to the woods in the lake trail, we alternated between descending dry talus, knee-deep (on average) postholing, and glissading. From the woods to the creek, there was consistent, knee-deep/hip-deep postholing which continued with less frequency for the following half-mile or so. The rest of the descent was dry. I used no snow gear but would recommend flotation if you are going between the summit and the creek along the lake trail. |
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5/21/2021 Route: Zapata Falls Posted On: 5/21/2021, By: kwhit24 Info: I blame my hiking partner and myself for not realizing that the previous conditions reports were talking about the winter or ridge route to get up to Twin Peaks A. We misunderstood and tried the standard route that goes by South Zapata Lake. This route is definitely not snow free ha. You can get 4 miles in without much issue and about 400' vertical from the lake by then you're postholing to your waist and I'm 6'1". Oh well at least we got a good hike and some views |
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5/14/2021 Route: Zapata falls trailhead Posted On: 5/14/2021, By: climbingcue Info: No floatation needed. A little bit of snow high on the ridge, easy to avoid if you would like. Great weather today. Super views of the Blanca group from the summit. It was pretty hot, make sure you don't over dress. |
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5/1/2021 Route: Zapata falls Posted On: 5/1/2021, By: Sbenfield Info: From Zapata falls (& immediately up the ridge), this route is essentially all dry. Leave the snowshoes etc at home! Added Twin Pks A south as well since it was so close. |
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3/21/2021 Route: Ridge from Zapata Posted On: 3/22/2021, By: bmcqueen Info: Tornadoman put a moat in through the brutal snow in the trees to get this one to go for us yesterday. A moat is bigger and sloppier than a trench, with plenty of carnage visible. Took us over 5 hours to get to treeline, then we made reasonably quick work of the mostly windblown ridge up top. Spikes were nice for the upper peak on the way down as some of the snow up high was quite firm (unlike the mess in the trees). |
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2/6/2021 Route: Ridge from Zapata Posted On: 2/7/2021, By: angry Info: Booted all the way to summit and back to th. Veered off the zapata trail fairly early. Did not use traction or flotation. Broke trail to treeline, which really does seem to go on forever. Snow depth/quality varied, the worst section between 11-12K (post-holing knee deep). From treeline to summit, combo sugar snow/ice over rock. Cornices along ridge easily avoidable. Another late start and bluebird day. Wind wasn't bad until last ~500ft. |
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5/23/2020 Route: Zapata Lake/East Slopes Posted On: 5/24/2020, By: HikerGuy Info: Essentially summer conditions. Trail is dry from trailhead to lake. Some short, flat snow crossings as you hit the benches going up the east face, snow was supportive. Saddle not accessible due to steep snow bank running between summits. Upper approach to south summit is dry, then dry on the traverse to the main summit. We decided to descend directly from the main summit and there is some unavoidable postholing through a snowfield, but it's not that bad and is over quickly. Great views of the surrounding peaks from this perch! |
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1/24/2020 Route: Ridge From Zapata Trailhead Posted On: 1/24/2020, By: WildWanderer Info: Trenched from Zapata Trailhead to treeline in several feet of soft, sugary snow. I wore snowshoes trailhead to treeline and then switched to microspikes, but would have been more comfortable wearing snowshoes the entire time: I experienced a lot of postholing on the ridge above treeline. The entire route above treeline was full of snow 4-12 inches deep that was just a crust above rocks (a twisted ankle waiting to happen). The summit has a large and hollow cornice at the top: I wouldn't walk on it. I brought an ice axe but didn't need it. This 9 mile, 4600+ elevation gain hike was difficult to trench (to say the least, it took me 12 hours). I had to get creative when the drifts were over my head: if you're looking to summit this peak soon, do so before the next snow so you can poach my trench. |
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10/20/2019 Route: East Slopes from South Zapata Lake Posted On: 10/21/2019, By: supranihilest Info: The trail from Zapata Falls Recreation Area to South Zapata Lake is great. There's some deadfall but nothing terrible. Patchy snow starts at about 10,500' and continues until treeline where it's almost entirely melted out. From the lake turn west and behold the rest of your route; steep Class 2 slopes of mixed grass and talus. Angle southwest through cliff bands and gullies then once the slopes open up straight towards the summit. The entire route, if kept to the easier terrain, is dry enough that you don't need special footwear at this point except what will keep your feet warm in cold temperatures and brutal winds. |
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6/8/2019 Route: Zapata Falls Posted On: 6/10/2019, By: RWinters Info: From Zapata Falls TH the trail is free of snow for the first 3.5 miles. Snow is sporadic for a few hundred yards after that and then consistent in the basin and around the lakes. Temps dictate ease of travel as postholing starts to happen once the sun hits the slopes and it warms. |
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6/5/2016 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 6/5/2016, By: sdkeil Info: We started at the Zapata Falls TH and took the Zapata Lake trail up into the basin. Around 9500' Twin Peak A's north ridge is only about 20 vertical feet above you on the climbers right and this makes for a good jump off point from the main trail. We took the ridge all the way to the summit. There is some occasional bushwhacking, but nothing too serious and there are the occasional trail segments and random cairns. In general up is the way to go and the route is pretty straight forward. No significant snow until the last couple hundred feet, but nothing that couldn't be done is summer shoes. |
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8/2/2015 Route: Zapata Lake/East Slopes Posted On: 8/4/2015, By: TravelingMatt Info: From lower Zapata Lake it‘s Class 2 all the way mostly on grass and stable rock. From the lower lake at 11900‘, where the official trail ends, I did not go to the upper lake, but instead ascended directly west through a series of plateaus. Eventually I arrived in the upper basin at around 12800‘, above the upper lake, then went straight up (west) to the ridge between the two Twins. Ridge is only about 150‘ "deep" and it‘s easy to bag both Twins and go straight down from either one. |
