Prettiest hike for wknd, uncrowded (non-standard routes?)

[maddog54]

by maddog54 » Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:44 pm

highpilgrim..is the route you desribe the std route up Challenger? I heard that the std route has alot of scree. Or is this another route?

It's not the standard route. You start on the early part of the standard to the bench above the lake and falls and climb to the right of the face instead of the inset center gully. You'll know how far right to go because there are serious cliffs if you go too far that way. When you top out on the ridge, you cross over to the west side and traverse throught the very steep west facing couloirs until you top out near the summit. Very solid traverse, up and down and around some little pinnacles. There were a few cairns along the way. It was way more fun and far less loose than the standard route.

I will never climb the standard way again, up or down. This alternate is much more fun.

Here's a pic. The ledge is solid and doesn't feel as exposed as the pic looks.

Highpilgrim, never been there but am curious since I plan to go there in a few weeks. Where is it on the map to the left of the std route? Did you file a trip report? Can you show me or will it become obvious once I am there? Thanks

[dcbates80911]

This one will depend on where you are located on the Front Range, but San Luis is remote, fairly scenic, very low crowds, and I think your car could make it. It took me 4 hours to get to the TH from Colorado Springs. Probably about the same from west Denver (near 285) south towards Walsenburg. I had put this one off for some time because it seemed remote, but was incredibly surprised how beautiful the valley was. RT it is ~13 miles. I have a Trip Report on my climb a couple weeks ago.

[highpilgrim]

maddog54

Highpilgrim, never been there but am curious since I plan to go there in a few weeks. Where is it on the map to the left of the std route? Did you file a trip report? Can you show me or will it become obvious once I am there? Thanks

I'll get a pic of the face today at lunch and draw in the route for you. Basically, you just stay right and climb the solid rock instead of drifting left into the center gulley. When you get to the top you slide around the west side and my recollection was that you quickly see about half of the rest of the route traversing across the steep couloirs in the pic. At about the halfway point you climb over a little knob and around a corner and you see the rest of the route to the intersection on the ridge with the standard route. It was fun, very solid, more Crestone conglomerate than loose slop like on the standard route and once on the traverse there is no routefinding to speak of.

I'll try to do the pic at lunch.

[Jim Davies]

Having accidentally descended the gully on Challenger, I'll agree that the backside ledges are the way to go. On the way up, you basically go climbers-right up the face of the mountain, up to a hidden notch in the ridge where you cross to the back side. You exit the ledges at the top of the gully; make note of this spot on the way up so that you can find it on the way down, or you'll wind up descending the gully too!

This is kind of a long drive and a long hike for the original poster's purposes. But it does have a high awesomeness-to-effort ratio nonetheless.

[highpilgrim]

This is kind of a long drive and a long hike for the original poster's purposes. But it does have a high awesomeness-to-effort ratio nonetheless.

Agreed. But if you carried a light overnight pack you could pack into the area below the lake, camp on Saturday evening, summit early Sunday morning and be down and back to the city by Sunday night. A full weekend, but a truly memorable one that will hook you permanently on the backcountry...and Willow Lake.

[highpilgrim]

here are a couple of possible lines to get to the ridge. I think almost any line in this area will go. There were a couple of cairns along the way and it never exceeded class three so if it does you are likely off route. I think the notch is the one the red line terminates at but I could be wrong; it's been a few years. We took the further right variant.

[rocksrock]

What are you from Wisconsin or something?

[madbuck]

What are you from Wisconsin or something?

Hah! My wife is.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone...The Willow Lake option sounds like a great weekend for a next climb with some more planning and prep, maybe with bro 'rocksrock' if he's buyin' afterward . Agreed that rushing for a long day doesn't make it better than enjoying the wknd.

For now, La Plata from Winfield is looking pretty good...

[uwe]

Willow Lake area rocks!
One of the prettiest places...
And a nice fairly mellow hike up, to boot.
Liked it better than the two 14ers.

[jwproulx]

All right, since everybody is recommending standard routes (or slight variations, or alternate standard routes), I say just do Bierstadt from Guanella Pass.

But if you want something that's actually uncrowded and non-standard, I'd suggest the NE Ridge of Mount Massive from Native Lakes. It's a bit longish compared to some routes, but it fits your timeframe, and when I was there on a beautiful summer weekend I didn't see a soul outside of my own party for the whole hike. Well, except for one place. That is, the summit itself.

It's hikes like that that make me come back to the boring overgrown anthills of the Sawatch time and time again, even after I've been all over the state to muck more spectactular areas.

Another easy hike that gets much less traffic is the East Ridge of Sherman. It's hardly as spectacular as some other areas, but it goes up lovely open meadows. The access is a little tougher, but my Camry made it when I went. That one is not very long at all, but definitely longer than the standard route.

[ketel1]

There's decent camping at the North Cottonwood Creek TH, and you can hike Harvard from there (12 miles R/T). The only question I have is whether the road has problems; in the past it's been 2WD accessible, but I haven't been there for five years or so. There's also the possibility of climbing Yale via Kroenke Lake from the same trailhead (the route is in Roach's book but not on this site).

I did Yale via Kroenke Lake. It was wonderful, scenic and I saw one person the entire time until the trail meets with the std trail just below the summit. Kroenke Lake is about 4-4.5 miles in, and Yale is about 2 miles up (if I remember right) so it may be a long day as a day hike. We backpacked in, camped at the lake, and I did Yale the next morning. The lake is beautiful too, and has lots of fish
Beth

[madbuck]

Thanks for all the fine suggestions, friends!
Wife and I did La Plata from Winfield last weekend. Started from group camp below trailhead, didn't want to waste time turning around and looking for a little longer hike, but turns out we could easily brought the Subaru all the way up to the trailhead.

Gorgeous day, gorgeous hike...not too busy, though not overwhelming solitude, but it didn't cross my curmudgeon threshold of too crowded, and wife loved it.
Loved the camping btwn Missouri Gulch & Winfield, found a scenic and quiet spot.

Thanks for the great suggestions! I'm clipping-and-saving these other suggestions for future trips...