Mt. Elbert Trip Report 03/09/2011

Peak(s):	Mt. Elbert - 14,438 feet
Date Posted:	03/09/2011
Date Climbed:	03/05/2011
Author:	TedWhit

East Ridge
Starting out about 0530 at the lower trail head it was pretty cold around 6 degrees, zero wind walking through the birch grove, the trail on the 4 wd was solid and easily walkable, just don't step off of the solid part or you will sink to your knees. Once at the main trail head ( The Bridge ) still pretty easy walking without snowshoes, stay left on the trail and head up from the birch to the pine, which starts to get steep and then levels out a bit in the pines where it opens up to a grove this is where you want to put snowshoes on cause it is about waist deep and keep them on until about 11,800 feet then the mountain is snow blown and most of the trail or alternates are available to walk on but I put on microspikes because some points are slippery, the wind picked up and the clouds moved in at this point, I dropped my pack and continued on without thinking and had wind burn on my face, so take face protection and some extra layers if the wind is coming in gusts at this point cause at the top it was about 60 to 70 MPH gust of wind if not constant at the summit. At some points from 11,500 to the summit there are some deep spots of snow that you can't avoid but are easily crossed since they are only about 20 meters across. The summit I didn't want to stay long because of the wind but there was a guy sitting up there drinking a beer and telling me "Highest beer in America" before I walked the last 10 meters to the high point Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

East Ridge

Starting out about 0530 at the lower trail head it was pretty cold around 6 degrees, zero wind walking through the birch grove, the trail on the 4 wd was solid and easily walkable, just don't step off of the solid part or you will sink to your knees. Once at the main trail head ( The Bridge ) still pretty easy walking without snowshoes, stay left on the trail and head up from the birch to the pine, which starts to get steep and then levels out a bit in the pines where it opens up to a grove this is where you want to put snowshoes on cause it is about waist deep and keep them on until about 11,800 feet then the mountain is snow blown and most of the trail or alternates are available to walk on but I put on microspikes because some points are slippery, the wind picked up and the clouds moved in at this point, I dropped my pack and continued on without thinking and had wind burn on my face, so take face protection and some extra layers if the wind is coming in gusts at this point cause at the top it was about 60 to 70 MPH gust of wind if not constant at the summit. At some points from 11,500 to the summit there are some deep spots of snow that you can't avoid but are easily crossed since they are only about 20 meters across. The summit I didn't want to stay long because of the wind but there was a guy sitting up there drinking a beer and telling me "Highest beer in America" before I walked the last 10 meters to the high point

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

SurfNTurf	Nice work 3/10/2011 5:18pm Were you the guy in the navy blue jacket? I think we mostly shared the final few hundred feet to the summit. I was in the red softshell and then the blue puffy, with glacier glasses. Good job on reaching the top in tough conditions, either way!
TedWhit	Thanks 3/10/2011 10:44pm I was the guy with a black Columbia jacket and black cap on, I ditched my pack around 12,000 feet so I wasn't carrying anything at the top. Anyhow good job to you too, I know I was miserable for that last few hundred feet. I do remember you stopping to put more layers on, which I should have thought of as well.
SurfNTurf	Oops 3/10/2011 11:43pm Navy blue...black...I guess it all runs together when you're exhausted and fighting brutal winds. Good job again, was nice (kind of) meeting you.
TedWhit	Re 3/12/2011 12:18am Nice meeting you too in that kind of sort of way. Any future plans for a climb? The 18th or the 19th I'm planning on Quandary Peak

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