Mt Massive - Best Route

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B[3]
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Re: Mt Massive - Best Route

Post by B[3] »

We did the East Ridge route from the Native Lake Trailhead described in Roach's guide. Massive was our first 14er (Labor Day Weekend, 2004), and we did the route as a backpack so we could get an early start on our summit day. It was a nice backpack, with good campsites near the lakes. The east ridge wasn't too bad--I don't remember it very well except that there was some talus to negotiate near the summit. I looked through our photos from the trip, and this one is probably the best as it shows part of the east ridge route.
east ridge1.jpg
east ridge1.jpg (180.29 KiB) Viewed 668 times
It was a fun trip and got us started on our 14er quest--looking back over the photos makes me tempted to repeat the route at some point.
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markhingston
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Re: Mt Massive - Best Route

Post by markhingston »

I hike the Highline Trail from Native Lake TH last August. The Highline is a beautiful, easy to follow trail. However, I could not find any sign of a trail from the Highline to the East Ridge as Roach suggests. You will have to negotiate beaver ponds and bushwack thick woods for at least the 0.4 miles mentioned in Roach. Allow plenty of time for that. I found it was too much for a day hike. USFS staff in Leadville discouraged bushwacking. It is a pretty popular area already, though not as a route up N. Massive. Good luck.
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TaylorHolt
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Re: Mt Massive - Best Route

Post by TaylorHolt »

I did Massive Mania from Windsor Lake last summer. Once you gain the ridge, the route is very straightforward. It is very long though and you need a good weather day because of how much time is spent above treeline.

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rkalsbeek
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Re: Mt Massive - Best Route

Post by rkalsbeek »

SW Slopes are spectacular! I had a lot of fun hiking this. Great views, steep without much exposure. Started really early in the morning so we got a little "off trail" in the beginning and had to do some scrambling, but that was a lot of fun and easy to find the trail again. The summit is deceptive from this way though, make sure you keep on hiking until you hit the true summit! Definitely worth the trade off - it is steeper but shorter. And fewer people.
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gkhickox
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Re: Mt Massive - Best Route

Post by gkhickox »

Thanks for all these comments, I am likewise planning a trip for a small group next July. I had more or less decided on the SW Slopes Route and all of the feedback confirmed it for me.
peter303
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Re: Mt Massive - Best Route

Post by peter303 »

Trailhead access is a factor. East is graded gravel road. Any sedan can drive.

SW has high clearance parts.
Rossback
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Re: Mt Massive - Best Route

Post by Rossback »

I'm attempting to summit north massive (if the weather is right) from Skinner hut mid March. Has anyone ever attempted this route? (Summer or Winter).
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