Mt. of the Holy Cross Trip Report 08/26/2012

Peak(s):	Mt. of the Holy Cross - 14,007 feet
Date Posted:	08/26/2012
Date Climbed:	08/25/2012
Author:	rkalsbeek

Solo summit of Holy Cross
August 25, 2012 Mount of the Holy Cross - North Ridge (standard route, 11.5 miles) Weather forecast: 40 - 60's, scattered thunderstorms Actual Weather: Not a cloud in the sky! Wind was non-existent, warmest I've been on top of a 14er Start time: 4:45am Summit time: 8:30am (left the summit at 9 am) End: 12:00pm Time: Summit - 3 hours, 45 min. Descent - 3 hours This is the 10th fourteener I've climbed for 14 14ers for Alzheimer's in 2012. I was a little worried, because the forecast was calling for scattered thunderstorms all night, with a couple hour window of clear skies, only to start storming again at 11am. Not the case at all! I got off of work on Friday and left Boulder about 5:30pm and parked at the trailhead around 9pm. The road up to the trailhead was well maintained and easy to drive up (I have a Jeep Wrangler), but from the road conditions to the cars parked at the TH, it seemed that any two wheel drive car could make it, only a few spots where you'd have to maneuver a bit so you don't bottom out. When I get to the trailhead it looked like most of the camping spots were already taken. I wanted to hike in to the creek and camp there to trim off a little less than 2 miles from the hike, but because I got in late I didn't feel like exploring in the dark to find a campsite. Good thing I took out the back seats of my Jeep! I woke up about 4:15am and hit the trail at 4:45. Temperature was low 40's, but after about 20 minutes I was already stripping off layers. The first 1.5 miles up to Half Moon Pass was a good warm up to get my legs going. After seeing pictures of Holy Cross at Half Moon Pass, I was contemplating starting later so I could see the whole mountain, but I figured I'd have to come back the way I came, so might as well start early! Here's a photo of the summit at Half Moon Pass, needless to say it was a little too dark to get a sense of the awesomeness of this mountain! I soon started the descent from Half Moon Pass, and man you really lose elevation down this trail. I could sense that I was peering over the edge of a long way down, but in the dark I had no idea how close I really was to the edge. Really fun! I have to mention, normally I really enjoy taking photos of alpine flowers, but today seemed like a day to focus on fungus I've never seen so many different species of mushroom fruiting in one area like this, but it was incredible. I find them fascinating, and it really slowed me down while I was inspecting and taking photos. Here are a few that I found: (Photo , , , ) I caught up with a group of guys and their dogs (who both really wanted to help me cross the stream! Great dogs). It was great to hear the stream at the bottom of Half Moon Pass, but I couldn't really see how gorgeous it was until the return trip. I used my water filter to re-up on some water, we'll see if it cleaned the water well enough in a few days Now started the real summit hike. About half an hour up from the stream, the sun started to come up. (Photo ) I really felt like this initial climb through the forest and up the ridge was the most exhausting part of the hike. Mt. of the Holy Cross kept on bobbing up and down over the ridge, like a buoy in the water. (Photo ) I had a friend following me the whole way up from treeline until the final push up the summit (Photo ) Once you gain the ridge, it's smooth sailing for about 10 minutes. Great chance to let your legs re-energize. Before the final push up the summit I stopped to eat a sandwich and enjoy the view of the sun coming up over the mountains. Here's a view of the ridge from the bottom of the final push. (photo ) I have to say, the final push looked steep and intimidating. But I thought it was relatively easy. It's good, easy scrambling, so you're using your arms to help move up. The trail was well maintained the whole way and I have to thank the Colorad 14ers Initiative for all of the hard work they do. The trail disappears a bit on the final push, just enough to make it some fun route finding, but not "disappeared" enough to get worried you're lost. At 8:30am I summitted, and was alone at the top for about 15 minutes. (photo ) It was warm, no wind, and a little hazy from the fires out West, but I've never had such great condiditons on top of a 14er. Those were a great 15 minutes to just sit and reflect. Soon after me another guy joined me at the top. Great to meet you! Photo of the ridge from the summit: (Photo ) After a while a man and woman joined me at the top. The man was from Virginia and was out here for a business trip. He asked his concierge about this hike and she said her plan was to climb Holy Cross the next day, so she brought him along. That's incredible service, if you ask me!! And finally, the whole point of these hikes. This is for you Grandma and Aunt Theresa, love you both! (Photo ) All in all, Mt. of the Holy Cross was a beautiful mountain, can't wait to go back and camp at the creek, looked like a lot of awesome waterfalls and lakes that I want to explore! Learn more about my adventures to raise Alzheimer's Awareness at 1414ersforalz.org Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Solo summit of Holy Cross

August 25, 2012
Mount of the Holy Cross - North Ridge (standard route, 11.5 miles)
Weather forecast: 40 - 60's, scattered thunderstorms
Actual Weather: Not a cloud in the sky! Wind was non-existent, warmest I've been on top of a 14er
Start time: 4:45am
Summit time: 8:30am (left the summit at 9 am)
End: 12:00pm
Time: Summit - 3 hours, 45 min. Descent - 3 hours

This is the 10th fourteener I've climbed for 14 14ers for Alzheimer's in 2012.

I was a little worried, because the forecast was calling for scattered thunderstorms all night, with a couple hour window of clear skies, only to start storming again at 11am. Not the case at all!

I got off of work on Friday and left Boulder about 5:30pm and parked at the trailhead around 9pm. The road up to the trailhead was well maintained and easy to drive up (I have a Jeep Wrangler), but from the road conditions to the cars parked at the TH, it seemed that any two wheel drive car could make it, only a few spots where you'd have to maneuver a bit so you don't bottom out.

When I get to the trailhead it looked like most of the camping spots were already taken. I wanted to hike in to the creek and camp there to trim off a little less than 2 miles from the hike, but because I got in late I didn't feel like exploring in the dark to find a campsite. Good thing I took out the back seats of my Jeep! I woke up about 4:15am and hit the trail at 4:45. Temperature was low 40's, but after about 20 minutes I was already stripping off layers.

The first 1.5 miles up to Half Moon Pass was a good warm up to get my legs going. After seeing pictures of Holy Cross at Half Moon Pass, I was contemplating starting later so I could see the whole mountain, but I figured I'd have to come back the way I came, so might as well start early! Here's a photo of the summit at Half Moon Pass, needless to say it was a little too dark to get a sense of the awesomeness of this mountain!

I soon started the descent from Half Moon Pass, and man you really lose elevation down this trail. I could sense that I was peering over the edge of a long way down, but in the dark I had no idea how close I really was to the edge. Really fun!

I have to mention, normally I really enjoy taking photos of alpine flowers, but today seemed like a day to focus on fungus

I've never seen so many different species of mushroom fruiting in one area like this, but it was incredible. I find them fascinating, and it really slowed me down while I was inspecting and taking photos. Here are a few that I found: (Photo

)

I caught up with a group of guys and their dogs (who both really wanted to help me cross the stream! Great dogs). It was great to hear the stream at the bottom of Half Moon Pass, but I couldn't really see how gorgeous it was until the return trip. I used my water filter to re-up on some water, we'll see if it cleaned the water well enough in a few days

Now started the real summit hike. About half an hour up from the stream, the sun started to come up. (Photo

)

I really felt like this initial climb through the forest and up the ridge was the most exhausting part of the hike. Mt. of the Holy Cross kept on bobbing up and down over the ridge, like a buoy in the water. (Photo

)

I had a friend following me the whole way up from treeline until the final push up the summit (Photo

)

Once you gain the ridge, it's smooth sailing for about 10 minutes. Great chance to let your legs re-energize. Before the final push up the summit I stopped to eat a sandwich and enjoy the view of the sun coming up over the mountains. Here's a view of the ridge from the bottom of the final push. (photo

)

I have to say, the final push looked steep and intimidating. But I thought it was relatively easy. It's good, easy scrambling, so you're using your arms to help move up. The trail was well maintained the whole way and I have to thank the Colorad 14ers Initiative for all of the hard work they do. The trail disappears a bit on the final push, just enough to make it some fun route finding, but not "disappeared" enough to get worried you're lost.

At 8:30am I summitted, and was alone at the top for about 15 minutes. (photo

) It was warm, no wind, and a little hazy from the fires out West, but I've never had such great condiditons on top of a 14er. Those were a great 15 minutes to just sit and reflect. Soon after me another guy joined me at the top. Great to meet you!

Photo of the ridge from the summit: (Photo

)

After a while a man and woman joined me at the top. The man was from Virginia and was out here for a business trip. He asked his concierge about this hike and she said her plan was to climb Holy Cross the next day, so she brought him along. That's incredible service, if you ask me!!

And finally, the whole point of these hikes. This is for you Grandma and Aunt Theresa, love you both! (Photo

)

All in all, Mt. of the Holy Cross was a beautiful mountain, can't wait to go back and camp at the creek, looked like a lot of awesome waterfalls and lakes that I want to explore!
Learn more about my adventures to raise Alzheimer's Awareness at 1414ersforalz.org

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

MtnHub	Great report! 8/26/2012 8:39pm Are you familiar with Alan Arnette? http://www.alanarnette.com/ Nice mushrooms shots! Good luck on the rest of your climbs!
rkalsbeek	Re: Great report! 8/26/2012 9:11pm Thank you!! I am actually, I had him come speak at CU-Boulder for a large group of students! He is a huge inspiration to me, and it's really great to hear from people who recognize his amazing accomplishments. Can't wait to join him on top of the world! I was worried that it'd be too dark for some of the mushroom pics, but they came out fine.
rkalsbeek	Re: Nice meeting you too! 8/27/2012 7:55pm It's Jason, right? Thank you!! Hope to see you on top of a peak as well! Did you hike over to the peak next door to Holy Cross?
14erOHOLIC	great stuff 8/28/2012 3:04am I admire your conviction. Very nice pictures as well. This is helpful to me as I will be doing this peak in a couple of weeks...I'll be bring my own mushrooms. I think you will like my trip report.
rkalsbeek	Re:great stuff 8/28/2012 2:13pm Thanks! I appreciate that. I'm glad that you can find some use in this as well, I'm trying to get better at writing entertaining and informational trip reports. Practice makes perfect I guess, and I need a lot of practice. Ha! Well if you run short of mushrooms, there's plenty there you can experiment with . And if you're trip report is anything like your videos, I think I'll love it. Great stuff to you!
jblyth	Nice meeting you too! 12/14/2012 3:49pm Hey Robin - we met briefly at the top, congrats on another summit towards your great goal. Hope to see you around again!
jblyth	Re: Nice meeting you too! 12/14/2012 3:49pm Yes, it's Jason, great memory! Yup, went on to do the Halo Ridge back down, which collects 3 13ers...the weather was kind that day! Cheers!

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