Snowmass Mountain Trip Report 07/19/2009

Peak(s):	Snowmass Mountain - 14,105 feet
Date Posted:	07/19/2009
Modified:	07/20/2009
Date Climbed:	07/17/2009
Author:	centrifuge

Snowmass via East Slopes
The Elks have been cursed for me. Nearly every attempt I have made has been unsuccessful due to weather or snow conditions. When I left Denver on Wednesday, I felt like I had planned for every contingency. After reading the trip report that was posted on the 7/4/09, I decided to bring an ice axe, but to leave the crampons at home. With a warm weather forecast, along with 3 days of a 0% chance of rain I figured the snow should have time to soften enough to move up the snowfield without having to bring the crampons along. Bill, Phil and I met up in Carbondale at his cousins house where we crashed for the night before heading to the trailhead on Thursday morning. In Gerry Roach's description to the trailhead, it says that the Trailhead is the "obvious trailhead" after the second T-Junction. It is not the 1st "obvious trailhead", it's the second one. We stopped, unloaded our gear, and headed up for 5 minutes before I realized we were going the wrong way. After checking the topo, and seeing that there are two trails that start right next to each other, we backtracked and quickly found the actual trailhead about 2 tenths of a mile further down the road. Now that we were at the correct trailhead, we began the long, but beautiful trip up to Snowmass Lake. The log jam was crossable with out much trouble, and most of the logs were stable. Bill, assisted a group of ladies in finding a good route across, giving us a nice break. The hike up the Maroon-Snowmass Trail, nearing the Beaver Ponds Bill Crossing the Log Jam As we ran into people, we asked about conditions, and received reports that there was still a substantial amount of snow up top, and that all but one of the individuals who made it up to the top had both an ice axe and crampons. I was hoping that with the warm weather, we would get enough softening of the snow that crampons would not be a necessity, and that having the axe for safety would be enough. Getting up there on Thursday was a great idea, as there were still lots of available sites with easy access to the water, and a great view through the trees. Pumping water was an opportunity to look out across the lake. Initially, as I watched all the trout jump in the lake, I was disappointed I had left my fishing pole in Denver, then realized that not having it was an opportunity to this lake the way I had found it without interfering with its balance and serenity. We hiked around the lake to scout out our route for the morning, then hit the tent early. A fisherwoman at the lake with the mountain in the background The mountain from near our camp before heading out in the morning We left camp at around 6am, and made our way to the scree field. There are cairns that lead up to a path that rises up along the stream that is climbers left. We found that the closer you can stay to the water, the more solid the rock. Bill and Phil heading up the water fall In the morning, when the flow was lower we were able to stay on rock that during the afternoon was completely covered in melt water. Once above the scree, we could see another couple of climbers up ahead. We followed what looked like a trail to the base of the snow. We opted to stick to the more moderate slopes climbers right, which allowed us to find rock islands that made the ascent without crampons safer and simpler. We watched the climbers ahead move up a steeper line, and we choose a similar one that put us on a rock outcropping earlier then the previous climbers that had crampons on. Phil coming up the next to last rock island on the way up the snow wih bill in the background Me taking a break in the same place, you can see the point we climbed to in the background Bill chilling out on the snow with the mountain in the background looking up at the remaining snow with a red line for our ascent route, and the crude blue dots are where the climbers with crampons went, which was a steeper route our approximate route through the snow Once we were on the rock, it became a fun scramble along the ridge to the summit. There are a number a different trails on the west side of the ridge, but we found that by staying closer to the ridge crest, the rock was much more stable. Bill on the ridge with South Maroon in the background, he's kinda hard to see... its a 14ers.com 'Where's Waldo! Bill on the summit me on the summit We had the summit to ourselves, and had amazing views. We took our time on the way down, and came across a large group who were turning around at the ridge crest. I helped a couple of them find safe glissade lines that would put them away from some more cliffy rocky runout. I waited for my buddies to catch up before we began our glissade that took us all the way to the base of the snow. As we had expected, the descent through the scree was different then our ascent line. Again, we found that the closer we were to the water the better. About half way down, we came across a couple from the group that had turned around that had veered too far into the steep scree. We helped them across before making our way to the lake. Phil on the way down the scree, helmets are 100% necessary here the surrounding valley at the base of the scree I slept well that night, and we headed back to the trailhead, and the car when the morning came. Leaving that lake was difficult, had I not been running low on food, I would have been tempted to try to stay longer. This was one of the most scenic camps I have been at, and was more then worth the 8 miles each way to camp. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Snowmass via East Slopes

The Elks have been cursed for me. Nearly every attempt I have made has been unsuccessful due to weather or snow conditions. When I left Denver on Wednesday, I felt like I had planned for every contingency. After reading the trip report that was posted on the 7/4/09, I decided to bring an ice axe, but to leave the crampons at home. With a warm weather forecast, along with 3 days of a 0% chance of rain I figured the snow should have time to soften enough to move up the snowfield without having to bring the crampons along.

Bill, Phil and I met up in Carbondale at his cousins house where we crashed for the night before heading to the trailhead on Thursday morning. In Gerry Roach's description to the trailhead, it says that the Trailhead is the "obvious trailhead" after the second T-Junction. It is not the 1st "obvious trailhead", it's the second one. We stopped, unloaded our gear, and headed up for 5 minutes before I realized we were going the wrong way. After checking the topo, and seeing that there are two trails that start right next to each other, we backtracked and quickly found the actual trailhead about 2 tenths of a mile further down the road.

Now that we were at the correct trailhead, we began the long, but beautiful trip up to Snowmass Lake. The log jam was crossable with out much trouble, and most of the logs were stable. Bill, assisted a group of ladies in finding a good route across, giving us a nice break.

The hike up the Maroon-Snowmass Trail, nearing the Beaver Ponds

Bill Crossing the Log Jam

As we ran into people, we asked about conditions, and received reports that there was still a substantial amount of snow up top, and that all but one of the individuals who made it up to the top had both an ice axe and crampons. I was hoping that with the warm weather, we would get enough softening of the snow that crampons would not be a necessity, and that having the axe for safety would be enough.

Getting up there on Thursday was a great idea, as there were still lots of available sites with easy access to the water, and a great view through the trees. Pumping water was an opportunity to look out across the lake. Initially, as I watched all the trout jump in the lake, I was disappointed I had left my fishing pole in Denver, then realized that not having it was an opportunity to this lake the way I had found it without interfering with its balance and serenity. We hiked around the lake to scout out our route for the morning, then hit the tent early.

A fisherwoman at the lake with the mountain in the background

The mountain from near our camp before heading out in the morning

We left camp at around 6am, and made our way to the scree field. There are cairns that lead up to a path that rises up along the stream that is climbers left. We found that the closer you can stay to the water, the more solid the rock.

Bill and Phil heading up the water fall

In the morning, when the flow was lower we were able to stay on rock that during the afternoon was completely covered in melt water. Once above the scree, we could see another couple of climbers up ahead.

We followed what looked like a trail to the base of the snow. We opted to stick to the more moderate slopes climbers right, which allowed us to find rock islands that made the ascent without crampons safer and simpler. We watched the climbers ahead move up a steeper line, and we choose a similar one that put us on a rock outcropping earlier then the previous climbers that had crampons on.

Phil coming up the next to last rock island on the way up the snow wih bill in the background

Me taking a break in the same place, you can see the point we climbed to in the background

Bill chilling out on the snow with the mountain in the background

looking up at the remaining snow with a red line for our ascent route, and the crude blue dots are where the climbers with crampons went, which was a steeper route

our approximate route through the snow

Once we were on the rock, it became a fun scramble along the ridge to the summit. There are a number a different trails on the west side of the ridge, but we found that by staying closer to the ridge crest, the rock was much more stable.

Bill on the ridge with South Maroon in the background, he's kinda hard to see... its a 14ers.com 'Where's Waldo!

Bill on the summit

me on the summit

We had the summit to ourselves, and had amazing views. We took our time on the way down, and came across a large group who were turning around at the ridge crest. I helped a couple of them find safe glissade lines that would put them away from some more cliffy rocky runout. I waited for my buddies to catch up before we began our glissade that took us all the way to the base of the snow.

As we had expected, the descent through the scree was different then our ascent line. Again, we found that the closer we were to the water the better. About half way down, we came across a couple from the group that had turned around that had veered too far into the steep scree. We helped them across before making our way to the lake.

Phil on the way down the scree, helmets are 100% necessary here

the surrounding valley at the base of the scree

I slept well that night, and we headed back to the trailhead, and the car when the morning came. Leaving that lake was difficult, had I not been running low on food, I would have been tempted to try to stay longer. This was one of the most scenic camps I have been at, and was more then worth the 8 miles each way to camp.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

sunny1	Great stuff! 7/19/2009 6:47pm Excellent photos - especially #4 Nice write up! Congrats!!
centrifuge	:) 7/19/2009 6:56pm thanks
ROCK HOPPER	What a day 7/24/2009 7:07am Nice trip report. I was part of the group in front of you that day. Are you still planning on doing the Bells this weekend? If you don‘t and you want company later in the week let me know. You were right about the snow on the way down. It was a lot of fun.
centrifuge	i am 7/24/2009 12:10pm heading up to pyramid tomorrow, and then N. Maroon on Sunday. We are not really looking at doing the traverse, but I think I would end up waiting to try Maroon again until next spring so I climb that via the Bell Cord. It was nice talking with you guys on the mountain, have a safe climb on Maroon if you head up there this week!
ROCK HOPPER	HAVE FUN 7/25/2009 6:03am climbing this weekend. Nice talking to you guys as well.
vizion	Pretty Cool 8/2/2009 3:22pm Excellent pictures, looks like you had a wonderful time. Have you ever thought of carrying me along as your videographer?

Caution: The information contained in this report may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this report provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the report author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.

Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.

14ers.com

Social

Mobile App