Ice Mountain Trip Report 10/18/2015

Peak(s):	Ice Mountain - 13,960 feet North Apostle - 13,869 feet
Date Posted:	10/18/2015
Date Climbed:	09/25/2015
Author:	Mtnman200
Additional Members:	RandyMack

Ice Mtn & Apostle North - Fall Fun on Sawatch Centennials
A nice view of the Three Apostles (Apostle North, Ice Mountain, and West Apostle) from the approach trail Thursday, Sept. 24 - The beautiful fall weather combined with a day off from work left me no alternative but to plan a quick trip to the mountains with my sons (David and Randy) for a couple of centennial peaks that had long been on our radar: Ice Mountain and Apostle North. We left our house in the afternoon and drove through Buena Vista to just south of Granite, where we headed west on the Clear Creek Road past Winfield to the end of the road at 10,700'. This is the trailhead for the standard route on Huron Peak (14,003'). We set up camp and cooked dinner while enjoying the beautiful views of the golden aspens on the hillsides. Hillside with aspens across from our campsite Eddie and David at our campsite The sun's heading for the hills About an hour after we'd gone to sleep, we were awakened by the sound of car doors slamming and loud talking and laughing. After our new neighbors had plenty of time to get their camp set up in the dark, the noise continued unabated. Such is the disadvantage of camping at the trailhead for an easy 14er! I decided to ask our neighbors to please hold the noise down so we could sleep and discovered that our neighbors were three young ladies who were taking selfies and laughing up a storm in the back of a Ford pickup with a camper shell. I haven't always had a positive response when politely asking people to hold down the noise, so I definitely appreciated it when they quieted down. Friday, Sept. 25 - After cooking breakfast, we hiked south about 1� mile on the pleasant Lake Ann Trail and then turned left (south-southeast) onto the Three Apostles Trail for another 1� mile to near timberline. We then climbed southeast to the right of the trees toward cliffs below Apostle North's northwest ridge and then traversed right into the basin below Apostle North and Ice Mountain. Huron Peak in the early morning light David, pausing under an overhanging cliff in the basin below Apostle North and Ice Mountain A closer look at the overhanging cliff We stayed above and to the left of a small lake at 12,100' and then climbed east-southeast up the rocky slope to the 13,460' saddle between Apostle North and Ice Mountain. Looking back across the basin below Apostle North and Ice Mountain. The 12,100' lake is in the lower left part of the photo Ice Mountain looms above us (Taken from the same location as the previous photo) From the Apostle North - Ice Mountain saddle, it was an easy stroll to the summit of Apostle North (13,860'). Since there was no summit register, I wished I'd brought an RTM register and canister. Next time... David and Randy on the summit of Apostle North Ice Mountain from the summit of Apostle North Apostle West (13,568') is the peak in the center of this photo taken from the summit of Apostle North. Ice Mountain is to th We returned to the saddle and followed the ridge toward Ice Mountain. In some places, we had to stay below and to the right (northwest) of the ridge. Once back on the ridge at about 13,860', it was a fun scramble to the summit of Ice Mountain (13,951'). Eddie and David on the summit of Ice Mountain The view from the summit of Ice Mountain Another view from the summit of Ice Mountain And another view from the summit of Ice Mountain After lunch on the summit, we headed along the ridge toward Apostle West but soon reached a steep snow-filled couloir that looked extremely sketchy to cross. After deciding that Apostle West would have to wait for another day, we headed back toward the saddle between Apostle North and Ice Mountain. We descended the first gully above the saddle and then followed our ascent route back to camp. A look back at the Three Apostles as we hiked back to camp After cooking dinner, we broke camp and drove home. It had been surprisingly warm today and felt like typical mid-August temperatures rather than late September. Today's climbs brought David to 87/100 centennial peaks, while Randy is at 88/100. On the drive home, we were already making plans to take advantage of the pleasant fall weather for a few more centennials. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Ice Mtn & Apostle North - Fall Fun on Sawatch Centennials

A nice view of the Three Apostles (Apostle North, Ice Mountain, and West Apostle) from the approach trail

Thursday, Sept. 24 - The beautiful fall weather combined with a day off from work left me no alternative but to plan a quick trip to the mountains with my sons (David and Randy) for a couple of centennial peaks that had long been on our radar: Ice Mountain and Apostle North. We left our house in the afternoon and drove through Buena Vista to just south of Granite, where we headed west on the Clear Creek Road past Winfield to the end of the road at 10,700'. This is the trailhead for the standard route on Huron Peak (14,003'). We set up camp and cooked dinner while enjoying the beautiful views of the golden aspens on the hillsides.

Hillside with aspens across from our campsite

About an hour after we'd gone to sleep, we were awakened by the sound of car doors slamming and loud talking and laughing. After our new neighbors had plenty of time to get their camp set up in the dark, the noise continued unabated. Such is the disadvantage of camping at the trailhead for an easy 14er! I decided to ask our neighbors to please hold the noise down so we could sleep and discovered that our neighbors were three young ladies who were taking selfies and laughing up a storm in the back of a Ford pickup with a camper shell. I haven't always had a positive response when politely asking people to hold down the noise, so I definitely appreciated it when they quieted down.

Friday, Sept. 25 - After cooking breakfast, we hiked south about 1� mile on the pleasant Lake Ann Trail and then turned left (south-southeast) onto the Three Apostles Trail for another 1� mile to near timberline. We then climbed southeast to the right of the trees toward cliffs below Apostle North's northwest ridge and then traversed right into the basin below Apostle North and Ice Mountain.

David, pausing under an overhanging cliff in the basin below Apostle North and Ice Mountain

We stayed above and to the left of a small lake at 12,100' and then climbed east-southeast up the rocky slope to the 13,460' saddle between Apostle North and Ice Mountain.

Looking back across the basin below Apostle North and Ice Mountain. The 12,100' lake is in the lower left part of the photo

Ice Mountain looms above us (Taken from the same location as the previous photo)

From the Apostle North - Ice Mountain saddle, it was an easy stroll to the summit of Apostle North (13,860'). Since there was no summit register, I wished I'd brought an RTM register and canister. Next time...

David and Randy on the summit of Apostle North

Ice Mountain from the summit of Apostle North

Apostle West (13,568') is the peak in the center of this photo taken from the summit of Apostle North. Ice Mountain is to th

We returned to the saddle and followed the ridge toward Ice Mountain. In some places, we had to stay below and to the right (northwest) of the ridge. Once back on the ridge at about 13,860', it was a fun scramble to the summit of Ice Mountain (13,951').

Eddie and David on the summit of Ice Mountain

The view from the summit of Ice Mountain

Another view from the summit of Ice Mountain

And another view from the summit of Ice Mountain

After lunch on the summit, we headed along the ridge toward Apostle West but soon reached a steep snow-filled couloir that looked extremely sketchy to cross. After deciding that Apostle West would have to wait for another day, we headed back toward the saddle between Apostle North and Ice Mountain. We descended the first gully above the saddle and then followed our ascent route back to camp.

A look back at the Three Apostles as we hiked back to camp

After cooking dinner, we broke camp and drove home. It had been surprisingly warm today and felt like typical mid-August temperatures rather than late September. Today's climbs brought David to 87/100 centennial peaks, while Randy is at 88/100. On the drive home, we were already making plans to take advantage of the pleasant fall weather for a few more centennials.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

MtnHub

Nice job!
10/18/2015 3:48pm

Looks like you had a great fall outing!

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