Question about Humboldt

[Dancesatmoonrise]

Looking at Humboldt for a winter ascent of the west ridge, standard approach.

The area of concern is travel on the standard approach underneath the steep east slopes of Broken Hand. As well as perhaps the steep north slopes above the upper 4wd road.

How much of a concern is this, and does one preferably want to veer right off the 4wd road to ascend directly east to the lower lake, avoiding the above areas, in winter?

Any other tips for winter ascent of this route appreciated.

Thanks,


Jim

[mjsherman]

There is another trail that leaves the 4wheel parking lot straight north and does not cross the river and go on Broken hand's slopes. It reaches the lower lake on the east side of it and continues up to Humboldt route. This trail should be safe. Not sure of snow levels down there but looking at resent reports it is dry up high. You do cross one runout but it is low on it and not steep angle. This could be a possibility right now. Have fun.
Matt

[Dancesatmoonrise]

There is another trail that leaves the 4wheel parking lot straight north and does not cross the river and go on Broken hand's slopes. It reaches the lower lake on the east side of it and continues up to Humboldt route. This trail should be safe. Not sure of snow levels down there but looking at resent reports it is dry up high. You do cross one runout but it is low on it and not steep angle. This could be a possibility right now. Have fun.
Matt

Thanks, Matt.

I'm thinking about maybe Sunday (weather window) or within the next couple of weeks. Looking at a ski ascent (XC) of the road section to save time. Thinking I'd ski the road, take it to the lake if possible without skins (wax only) and then change out to boots and spikes for the remainder of the route. Iffy, perhaps, but would eliminate carrying snowshoes, and if the conditions fit the tools (so to speak) it would be light and fast. I see that trail going due east to the lower lake, on the map.

Unless there is a clear track already in, I'd maybe split the difference between that trail and the standard route, to ascend the drainage (coming out of the lower lake) to the south -- where the terrain is a little mellower and more straightforward. Once at the lakes, it should be green-light all the way.

If the weather cooperates for Sunday there is the added advantage of a moon in the sky on the return trip down the road. (Or I may wait a bit for better weather and a more stable snowpack.)

Jim

[RoanMtnMan]

Jim,

I like the strategy. I would suggest looking at the east ridge route as well. Less mileage, same vert, and can be done with little avy exposure. Just a thought. I suspect there is quite a bit of snow up there given all of the upslope activity this winter.

[Dancesatmoonrise]

Jim,

I like the strategy. I would suggest looking at the east ridge route as well. Less mileage, same vert, and can be done with little avy exposure. Just a thought. I suspect there is quite a bit of snow up there given all of the upslope activity this winter.

10-4, Caleb, that's the wild card. Not sure anyone's been up there so far. Hoping for some snowmobile tracks. If there's a track in up the east ridge, I'm there. If not ... may just stick to the saddle above the lakes and the west ridge.

Truth be told, a hot bath and a beer sounds better than battling this cold lately. Damn near frostbit my toes on the bike ride today. Hey, I thought this was Colorado? What happened to our 60 degree days this winter?

Seriously, may hit it on Sunday, may wait till January, not sure yet. (Still want to do that full moon NYE party on Quandary this week.)


I guess if nothing else a good stiff kick-n-glide up to the end of the road will provide some decent aerobic penitance for the week.

[AlexMack]

Me and a buddy are thinking about camping out at the Lakes on 1/1 and going for Humboldt on 1/2. Was thinking West Ridge for standard route options and camping at the lakes, but interested in the east ridge as well. Not much recent beta on the area though.

[Dancesatmoonrise]

Me and a buddy are thinking about camping out at the Lakes on 1/1 and going for Humboldt on 1/2. Was thinking West Ridge for standard route options and camping at the lakes, but interested in the east ridge as well. Not much recent beta on the area though.

Hey, did you guys ever get up there? How do things look?

[AlexMack]

We axed our Humboldt plans as weather wasn't looking great. We decided backpacking at Kite Lake and going for the Bross/Lincoln/Demo trio would be a good fallback, I've been up there a few times in the summer and knew the basic area fairly well (although Lincoln still eludes me, ugh). If things went bad up there it would be much easier to manage than if we were at South Colony Lakes. We talked to some people on 1/1 afternoon on their way out saying the ridge routes all around looked windscoured and dry, great and we should be able to do them, granted the weather didn't go bad. Well, it did ladies and gentlemen. Winds were howling all night and a pretty strong snow was on by the time we were at 12,000 (due to the winds we decided to sleep in the truck and make it a day-hike). You could see maybe up to 13,000 or so at the summer TH, and we decided to hang out and see if it would blow through while it just got worse. We made some tea and talked to the other pair that had gotten a bit higher and turned around saying they'd encountered waist-deep snow. The road at the time was surprisingly bare besides a few big drifts. As far as the surface we were walking on, getting to kite lake from the parking area 2.5 miles or so after the turn off of Highway 9 was a cake w/ general hiking shoes. I didn't even realize the winter parking area was so far up that road - I was expecting more like the full 6 or so miles from Alma. A few motivated individuals w/ sweet rigs could have kept that road open to the TH until 1/1 no doubt. But this snow on our hike out was dumping and the winds died down, making the snow settle everywhere like a big cotton blanket. Missed my window for a cool winter triple-ascent and completing the trio w/ an ascent of Lincoln by one day - bummer. But at least Mom and Dad were proud to hear that I have the ability to turn around and smile about it :D (Come on, raise your hand if people in your family worry excessively about you and your enjoyment of the mountains....)

Although I might have to wait a few months before I can do any new 14ers. I don't know of any others at this time that might have scoured ridges/anything basically avy free that I can summit. I don't mind longer approaches in the winter, I'm trying to warm myself up to more winter camping.