fun scrambly spring 14er route

[catullus]

Hey Guys,

California transplant here. Have a friend coming to visit CO in mid-May and I'm looking to expose her to some fun scrambly 14er action. Looking for a long-ish route (7-17 miles RT) that's doable in a long and painful day and has some 3rd or 4th class scrambling. Some easy ice ax + crampon work would be fun too. Any recommendations?

Something sort of like a spring ascent of California's 14er Split Mountain if you know it.

Thanks,
Chase

[EatinHardtack]

Ellingwood Ridge on LaPlata

[catullus]

Ellingwood Ridge on LaPlata

Reading this trip report (http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), I think this might be a bit much for us in spring. Maybe something a little easier.

[catullus]

and by "easier" i mean fewer steep snowy/icy exposed sections with high consequences for a fall

[jf32]

i haven't done it yet but kelso ridge on torreys looks fun - on the shorter side (assuming you can get to the 4wd summer th)

[catullus]

i haven't done it yet but kelso ridge on torreys looks fun - on the shorter side (assuming you can get to the 4wd summer th)

ooo that looks like a good option. already done greys and torreys though so would prefer something else, if other people have good suggestions. that's the kind of thing i'm going for, though.

[benners]

I'll recommend a few routes on a peak close to Denver that often get overlooked, both make for excellent spring climbs:

1. Democrat's North Couloir if you want more of a snow climb (taken June, 2008):


or...

2. Democrat's North Ridge if you want more of a scramble (taken October, 2008):


Both routes start from Montgomery Reservoir, you'll likely see a lot less people on either of these routes than on the standard route from Kite Lake. Both are super fun and fairly easy. The North Couloir intersects the North Ridge about 2/3 of the way to the summit, so you get more of a mix of couloir climbing and ridge scrambling. The ridge starts from the bottom and gains the Traver/Democrat saddle before turning south towards Democrat, the climbing difficulty never exceeds class 3 and is similar to that of Kelso Ridge. Have fun whatever you end up doing!

[catullus]

Thank you benners!! North couloir looks perfect! I've read a couple trip reports and it seems everyone does a different couloir. One trip report they did the second one from the left (east) and another trip report they did the one farthest to the right (west). Any comment on whether it really matters which couloir you head up? Thinking about going up north couloir, summiting Democrat, Cameron, and Lincoln and then coming back down the lincoln amphitheater side. I think that would be pretty sweet/long.

Looks like it would be an awesome ski descent too, but sadly my partner doesn't ski =P. Maybe another time.

[benners]

Thank you benners!! North couloir looks perfect! I've read a couple trip reports and it seems everyone does a different couloir. One trip report they did the second one from the left (east) and another trip report they did the one farthest to the right (west). Any comment on whether it really matters which couloir you head up?

Well there are several couloirs to choose from, just depends on what you want to climb really. The couloir furthest west (aka North Couloir) involves less vertical since it tops out on the North Ridge below the summit, it's also the steepest option on the face and may be the most aesthetic. This would also give you a "mixed bag" since you'd finish the climb along the ridge. The central couloir, sometimes referred to as the "Nordwand", is the longest, widest, and most obvious and goes direct to the summit. This one wasn't as interesting of a climb as the North Couloir, though it makes for a great ski descent. The eastern couloirs are the least interesting in my opinion as they basically hit the Democrat/Cameron saddle and aren't very steep or aesthetic compared to the others.

Thinking about going up north couloir, summiting Democrat, Cameron, and Lincoln and then coming back down the lincoln amphitheater side. I think that would be pretty sweet/long.

For sure, this is a super fun circuit, way more interesting than the standard way of doing it. The only trouble spot is getting from the Lincoln Amphitheater down to your car at the Reservoir. This section involves some steep terrain and a pain-in-the-ass bushwack but it's worth it in my opinion.

[catullus]

Thanks for all the beta... sounds awesome. Steep terrain? A bit of a bushwhack? Those are pros not cons in my book haha.

[SchralpTheGnar]

Kiener's on Longs has a little bit of everything.

[MikeyC]

I'll recommend a few routes on a peak close to Denver that often get overlooked, both make for excellent spring climbs:

1. Democrat's North Couloir if you want more of a snow climb (taken June, 2008):


or...

2. Democrat's North Ridge if you want more of a scramble (taken October, 2008):


Both routes start from Montgomery Reservoir, you'll likely see a lot less people on either of these routes than on the standard route from Kite Lake. Both are super fun and fairly easy. The North Couloir intersects the North Ridge about 2/3 of the way to the summit, so you get more of a mix of couloir climbing and ridge scrambling. The ridge starts from the bottom and gains the Traver/Democrat saddle before turning south towards Democrat, the climbing difficulty never exceeds class 3 and is similar to that of Kelso Ridge. Have fun whatever you end up doing!

In the bottom photo, is that the north couloir to the left of the climber? Those do look like fun routes!