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Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:17 pm
by ablocki
I'm planning to tackle Holy Cross Ridge this season and was hoping to camp near the Notch hut to see a sunrise/sunset over the "cross" on Holy Cross while it still has some snow in it. I know conditions are different every season, but does anyone have any input on what days or weeks were good for this in previous seasons? I was hoping to compare against the snowpack data from those years to try and time this year's melt
Re: Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:33 pm
by justiner
As soon as the road opens.
Re: Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:53 pm
by litote312
I was up there around 4th of July 2017 and it was in great condition. Best of luck!
Re: Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 7:16 pm
by Trotter
justiner wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:33 pm
As soon as the road opens.
+1
thats an extra 20? miles you don't wanna add
Re: Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 10:26 am
by ablocki
thanks for all the input! I'll keep an eye on the road status
Re: Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:40 am
by Eli Watson
July 10, 2019
Re: Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 11:57 am
by Cereal
Eli - I was just about to post my photo from the Notch Shelter, four days before you. 7/6/2019.
OP - This of course was a big snow year, so I think following justiner's advice is prudent. I, too, was aiming for views from the Notch at sunrise. I left the trailhead at ~midnight, and ended up taking three separate naps at the Notch waiting for the dang sun to come up. If there are no condition reports for MOTHC when you are looking to go, I would say it is worth posting to see if anyone else has gotten a look from other peaks recently.
Re: Timing the Cross on HC
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2021 12:10 pm
by Carl_Healy
IMHO you get a better view of Holy Cross from the summit of Notch Mountain itself. The same spot where William Henry Jackson took the photo that made the peak famous in 1873.
There's a trail to Notch Mountain's summit from the summit of Half Moon Pass. See Roaches "8R5 V2" variation on the Halo Ridge route; you can do a Class 2+ traverse from Notch Mountain summit to the shelter and then join the Halo Ridge route proper if you so desire.