Yo,
Wanting to hit up as MANY 14ers as possibly fri-sun, will be leaving thursday night for the TH. What 14ers would be conducive (collegiates seem the best, start at Tabaguache and move north) to this fast paced movement? Also, how is getting to the TH these? Driving a suebee.
Which 14er and TH access
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illegal_smile
- Posts: 47
- Joined: 6/21/2005
- Trip Reports (1)
Re: Which 14er and TH access
For some reason this post reminded me of a conversation I heard somewhere...
The Lincoln, Democrat, (Cameron) and Bross combo is the easiest place to get a group of 14ers done in one shot. However a December 4th report said the road is blocked by snow 3 miles short of the trailhead and they've had a lot more snow since then. I don't know where you live but see you've done Torrey's so I'll assume Denver. Evans and Bierstadt can be a decent winter combo too, but you may have to descent to the valley between rather than crossing the sawtooth depending on conditions and your comfort level. Again though that trailhead is going to be closed well before the summer trailhead.
You may just want to focus on ones that you can reach the trailhead. Mount Yale has an easily accessible trailhead, so does La Plata, and Mount Princeton. All three of those are in the Sawatch Range and would be reasonable to do on consecutive days.
I hope you know what you're getting into with attempting any of these peaks in the winter. 14ers in winter have little tolerance for the unprepared.
Randy: Can I get you something?
Second Jive Dude: 'S'mofo butter layin' me to da' BONE! Jackin' me up... tight me!
Randy: I'm sorry, I don't understand.
First Jive Dude: Cutty say 'e can't HANG!
Jive Lady: Oh stewardess! I speak jive.
Randy: Oh, good.
Jive Lady: He said that he's in great pain and he wants to know if you can help him.
Randy: All right. Would you tell him to just relax and I'll be back as soon as I can with some medicine?
The Lincoln, Democrat, (Cameron) and Bross combo is the easiest place to get a group of 14ers done in one shot. However a December 4th report said the road is blocked by snow 3 miles short of the trailhead and they've had a lot more snow since then. I don't know where you live but see you've done Torrey's so I'll assume Denver. Evans and Bierstadt can be a decent winter combo too, but you may have to descent to the valley between rather than crossing the sawtooth depending on conditions and your comfort level. Again though that trailhead is going to be closed well before the summer trailhead.
You may just want to focus on ones that you can reach the trailhead. Mount Yale has an easily accessible trailhead, so does La Plata, and Mount Princeton. All three of those are in the Sawatch Range and would be reasonable to do on consecutive days.
I hope you know what you're getting into with attempting any of these peaks in the winter. 14ers in winter have little tolerance for the unprepared.
Remember what your knees are for.
http://www.hikingintherockies.com
http://www.hikingintherockies.com
Re: Which 14er and TH access
shavano/tab can be accessed from Angel of Shavano TH (not Blanks Cabin), but will add about 4 extra (but easy) RT miles.
The last few years, you couldn't get past Avalanche TH on the hwy for Yale, which leads to the non-std east ridge route.
Princeton, you have to start from the 2wd TH.
La Plata has the same hwy start (as summer).
Antero would start at the bottom of the 4wd road (anna was up there tues). the 4wd road was well packed down.
The Sawatch are getting some snow right now, maybe up to 6" by tomorrow. I think friday is supposed to be pretty cold in the arkansas valley (around -17 without wind chill).
The last few years, you couldn't get past Avalanche TH on the hwy for Yale, which leads to the non-std east ridge route.
Princeton, you have to start from the 2wd TH.
La Plata has the same hwy start (as summer).
Antero would start at the bottom of the 4wd road (anna was up there tues). the 4wd road was well packed down.
The Sawatch are getting some snow right now, maybe up to 6" by tomorrow. I think friday is supposed to be pretty cold in the arkansas valley (around -17 without wind chill).
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illegal_smile
- Posts: 47
- Joined: 6/21/2005
- Trip Reports (1)
Re: Which 14er and TH access
Thanks for the info.
Last weekend we attempted shavano and had a crazy long day, turned around 13,200, give or take due to the wind and time of the day. We were only able to skin up above treeline and then we carried our skies the rest of the way. Not too much a problem going up the ridge right at treeline but then it became quite quite windy as we met the higher ridge to head to shavano. We bailed off the east side (approximately) and skied some nasty steep sastrugi, oh yeah and some sharp rocks, following safe avy practices across sketchy snow slopes. We were back to treeline a little after dark and that's when our cliff navigating sensors kicked into overdrive. Made it back to the car after a long windy day with little excitement/motivation due to the weather to attempt again.
THIS weekend it was off to the mosquitos to do some ridge walking. We easily had a sunrise above treeline though once again there was no skiing above treeline but skis were put on the pack to carry (strength training right...). Pretty easy day of walking especially without the pesky skis and pack attached. Skiing sucked from Democrat, i do not recommend it and probably will not even bring my light at skis next time, if anything opting for an even lighter XC/3pin setup. All snow was easily bootpackable, windblown and stable. However, if skiing bulletproof snow is your thing head to the 'squitos. Windward sides of mountain were breezy to say the LEAST. Including two rather long soup breaks we made the 3 peaks and skied back to the car before dark.
From Grand Junction, just trying to pick off some winter peaks that are easy to ease into winter mountains... Some hastily thrown together pics...
p.s. what's with all the s**t (pardon my language, but really) in the summit register tubes?
Last weekend we attempted shavano and had a crazy long day, turned around 13,200, give or take due to the wind and time of the day. We were only able to skin up above treeline and then we carried our skies the rest of the way. Not too much a problem going up the ridge right at treeline but then it became quite quite windy as we met the higher ridge to head to shavano. We bailed off the east side (approximately) and skied some nasty steep sastrugi, oh yeah and some sharp rocks, following safe avy practices across sketchy snow slopes. We were back to treeline a little after dark and that's when our cliff navigating sensors kicked into overdrive. Made it back to the car after a long windy day with little excitement/motivation due to the weather to attempt again.
THIS weekend it was off to the mosquitos to do some ridge walking. We easily had a sunrise above treeline though once again there was no skiing above treeline but skis were put on the pack to carry (strength training right...). Pretty easy day of walking especially without the pesky skis and pack attached. Skiing sucked from Democrat, i do not recommend it and probably will not even bring my light at skis next time, if anything opting for an even lighter XC/3pin setup. All snow was easily bootpackable, windblown and stable. However, if skiing bulletproof snow is your thing head to the 'squitos. Windward sides of mountain were breezy to say the LEAST. Including two rather long soup breaks we made the 3 peaks and skied back to the car before dark.
From Grand Junction, just trying to pick off some winter peaks that are easy to ease into winter mountains... Some hastily thrown together pics...
p.s. what's with all the s**t (pardon my language, but really) in the summit register tubes?
