Avy Risk on Uncompahgre Approach

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Tim A
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Avy Risk on Uncompahgre Approach

Post by Tim A »

Planning on doing the San Juan highpoint either Sunday or Monday depending on weather, and based on every report I've studied as well as the topo, the route seems to avoid most avalanche terrain with a little contouring off the SR to avoid getting into small terrain traps. My primary concern now with the CAIC rating most of the Rockies at "Considerable" risk is the 4 mile approach up from the lower TH. I'm planning on backpacking those four miles but a topo seems to suggest that there are a few steep gullies which run out into the road. With the current avalanche forecast, should I reconsider this plan, or can these terrain traps be negotiated quickly?

Partners welcome to help break trail!
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XterraRob
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Re: Avy Risk on Uncompahgre Approach

Post by XterraRob »

Tim A wrote:Planning on doing the San Juan highpoint either Sunday or Monday depending on weather, and based on every report I've studied as well as the topo, the route seems to avoid most avalanche terrain with a little contouring off the SR to avoid getting into small terrain traps. My primary concern now with the CAIC rating most of the Rockies at "Considerable" risk is the 4 mile approach up from the lower TH. I'm planning on backpacking those four miles but a topo seems to suggest that there are a few steep gullies which run out into the road. With the current avalanche forecast, should I reconsider this plan, or can these terrain traps be negotiated quickly?

Partners welcome to help break trail!
I wouldn't worry about theose gullies too much, especially if you're travelling up early in the morning. Your big challenge will be the approach out of treeline. The amount of wind drifted snow that accumulates in that basin is just ridiculous. When I ran this trail earlier in November, I was facing snow up to 3-5' of powder depending where you go.

As you get climb out of the basin and towards the peak itself, it becomes very wind blown and yields shallower/harder snowpack. Climbing up towards Uncompahgre, be careful of any snowbuild up and avalanche potential. I found that the steep climb area (with switchbacks) before the rocky scramble to the summit had started to form some good slabs (stuck to the left side in the rocks to avoid deep snow).

When you approach the rocky scramble on the south face, try to stick to the rocks to move around. There were some pockets of deep wet snow. After you get above the rocky scramble to the flatter area near the summit, this area tends to be wind blown as well and a harder pack. The only time I used microspikes on this trail was on the descent from the summit since the snow was iced over and extremely hard with a steep slope.

If you want, I can throw up a trip report with the pics from when I went if that helps.

Let me know if you have any questions.
RIP - M56
Re-introduce Grizzly Bears into the Colorado Wilderness™
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Tim A
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Re: Avy Risk on Uncompahgre Approach

Post by Tim A »

Thanks for the beta Rob. Any pics you can provide would be very appreciated. Almost every winter report I've read shows the climbers sticking to the left by the cliffs to the west as they gain the summit pitch. I'm planning on doing the same, and looking for some potential class 3 rock options to avoid those gullies on the west side of the peak for the final push to the summit.

I had planned on doing the backpack approach in mid-afternoon, which is why those gullies on the approach concern me a little bit, but given the forecast, they'll have a few days to release naturally and stabilize before I head up that way.
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XterraRob
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Re: Avy Risk on Uncompahgre Approach

Post by XterraRob »

Here's the conditions report I did (forgot I did one): http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/peakstatu ... ecnum=5845

Trail head conditions (probably a lot worse now): http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/threport.php?recnum=4544
RIP - M56
Re-introduce Grizzly Bears into the Colorado Wilderness™
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