Best Routes for Winter Beginners

[JColk]

Hi all!

I have been hiking peaks the past two summers and have a decent number of 13ers under my belt. I am planning on trying a few winter routes this season after getting appropriate Avy training. I was wondering if there are any suggestions for safe routes on any peaks (12ers, 13ers, 14er, whatever) for Winter beginners who have not yet slogged in snow. I have some gear (snowshoes, warm layers) but no idea on which mountains to start. I know that Winter conditions will make the adventure more challenging, but this year I am not ready to give up peaks because the season has changed!

Any advice would be appreciated!

[justiner]

This is not a bad starting point to get your brain churning:

http://www.summitpost.org/colorado-14er ... ter/337648

From experience, Mt. Sherman is a very gentle intro into Winter 14ers,

Mt Lady Washington is a nice 13er, w/the chance of excellent views of Longs.

[MtnResident]

Mt. Rosalie
Pegmatite Points
Mt. Silverheels
Mt. Audubon
Mt. Lady Washington

[XterraRob]

Winter is about suffering and embracing the suck.

Stage 1 - Wind
DeCaliBro, Sherman, Audubon, Cupid, Sniktau

Stage 2 - Post Holing
Any approach through treeline 1-2 days after a snowstorm

[kaiman]

Of the winter 14ers that I've climbed - Sherman, Quandary, Bierstadt, and Pikes Peak are probably the most "winter friendly" of the bunch. Given the avalanche history below Kelso Mountain in Stevens Gulch, Grays Peak has some risks. Also La Plata is also a good option, but has several sections below and above treeline which could be avalanche traps so would be better suited once you have avy training and some other winter mountaineering experience under your belt to understand the terrain around you.

In addition to the 13ers already mentioned, Cupid, Grizzly, and Sniktau near Loveland Pass are also commonly climbed as beginner winter ascents.

Whichever ones you decide on, being prepared, having a good mental attitude despite the sometimes miserable conditions, and accepting failure as part of the game will make your winter mountaineering experience better and allow you to learn from both your success and mistakes.

Good luck,

Kai

[mtree]

I'm no expert, but I have climbed a number of winter peaks. I have no avalanche training so I stay away from anything remotely sketchy and stick to well known routes. Always check weather and avalanche forecasts prior to departure.

I'd say for a first timer, Sniktau or Cupid, and Quandary are good options. Well worn and established trails. Easy trailhead access. Little avalanche danger. Win win.

Sherman depends. Access could be set back to the Leavick mine area leaving a longer approach. The standard summer route could be dangerous with the cornice that builds on the east wall. The winter route can be deep or sketchy. If there's not a lot of snow, Sherman is great. Otherwise, I prefer it in late spring.

Grays also depends on trailhead access. Avy danger could also be higher, but if there's not a lot of snow its a good choice. You might need a serious 4WD with good clearance and driving experience on ice (not snow!) to reach the summer trailhead.

Bierstadt is great because there's little avy danger. However, trailhead access can be set back a ways. And sometimes the snow is DEEP! Especially through the Willows.

I've attempted Elbert in the spring, but turned back due to storms. And La Plata. Turned back because of deep snow suckfest. I've also climbed in the Indian Peaks range with varied success, but its been awhile. S. Arapaho and Glacier worked out well. Others, not so much. That's all I got. Enjoy...although that's very subjective in the winter.

[CheapCigarMan]

I started out with Sniktau and Peak 1. Both very memorable.

My first Winter 14'er, which was also my first 14'er, Quandary. I found that to be gorgeous with its very close Mosquito neighbors. And it's common to see goats there as well.

Bierstadt was good training.

Sunshine via East Ridge Route was great training and another gorgeous route.

CaLiBro was also great training though I personally enjoyed the views from Quandary better. Camping at Kite Lake in snow is great.

Then this year I did my first "official" snow routes. I bought a pair of Scarpas and crampons. Hiked in a ways and camped in the snow before summiting the next day. After living in Minneapolis and Green Bay.....I'm loving the Colorado snow baby!!!

My first snow route was Shavano via Angel of Shavano (rated easy snow route).....excellent beginners route....hiked two miles in and camped at tree line.....Thanks @JQDivide for your advice! You helped me with my first 14'er and my first 14'er snow route

Second, was Bross via S Gully (rated easy snow route).....very much enjoyed glissading back down the S!

Third, was Humboldt via Southeast Flank Gully (rated moderate snow route).......very pretty route with waterfalls....however, once getting to tree line it's another 2,200' up. So, I found it to be a good introduction to the next level of snow route climbing.

If you're not a skier gotta love glissading!!! Though, hoping to do some skinning for the first time this year. Keep me in mind if you're looking for a partner.
That's a little bit of what my strategy was getting into snow....hope it was helpful for you.

[RyGuy]

Doing peaks in snow/calendar winter is very different from your typical summer hikes and there is a lot more than meets the eye.

There is no way a single post can prepare you for everything, but there are some good starting points and/or prior threads to help you research and figure out if you want to get into it more and to what level.
The single biggest piece of advice I can give you is don't skimp on your research. In winter, there are so many more variables to take into account on a hike/climb. A mistake is much more likely to have very serious consequences.

First peaks: Start very easy. Like anything, you want to build up to doing some of the peaks in winter. Quandary via the East Ridge, Bierstadt via West Slopes, Bross and Lincoln via Moose Creek, Sherman via the South Slopes are good, fairly safe places to start. They all have fairly safe and gentle terrain and hopefully you've already done them, so they are familiar to you. Also take a look at this article from our own SurfAndTurf for some good pointers:
https://iceandtrail.com/2015/11/11/5-wi ... beginners/

Gear: Getting a solid gear system down can take awhile. Everyone is different, so work on figuring out what works in given conditions on a peak like Quandary where if something isn't working right, you can get down to the safety of your car quickly. A lot of winter gear is all about layering properly and not getting warm enough to sweat. No need to invest in mountaineering boots right away. Warm hiking boots with good socks and gaiters will work well in decent weather for your first few peaks. That said, you will want traction to help on slippery terrain. Initially Microspikes are a great investment that will serve you well for a long time. Kahtoola is the gold standard. Don't bother with YakTrax. Crampons aren't something you will need for awhile, so don't worry about them. An Ice Axe isn't essential right away, but getting one and learning how to use it and practicing will be critical if you plan to do more than just very basic and easy stuff. (Mine has already saved my life once)

Education: Take an AIARE level 1 class as soon as possible. You don't know what you don't know...and taking AIARE 1 will really help you get an idea of what is out there and how to avoid the dangerous stuff. Even some of the "easy" 14ers have avalanche terrain that isn't all that apparent, especially to the novice. I strongly recommend Colorado Mountain School, but there are quite a few great organizations that offer AIARE 1 classes. Also look at attending a talk at REI or some of the other backcountry retailers on winter hiking.

Experience and partners: See if you can get some fairly experienced folks to go out with you early on. There is no substitute from learning from more experienced folks. That said, consider attending this years 14ers.com Winter Welcomer. It's a annual event we do on Quandary Peak around Halloween and it's specifically geared to help give people new to winter conditions experience. Here is the thread from last year's event along with pictures:
https://14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=50705

Hopefully this helps give you a good start.

-Ryan

[AlexeyD]

A few other suggestions in addition to the ones already mentioned:

-James Peak (13er) via St. Mary's Glacier/East Slopes
-Mt. Helen (13er) East Slopes route
-Mt. Guyot (13er) NW ridge
-Flattop Mountain (12er in RMNP) via standard trail from Bear Lake
-Homestake Peak (13er near Leadville) via east ridge - can do that one as an overnight from 10th Mountain Hut, or as a longer day trip
-Hoosier Ridge from Hoosier Pass (long ridge of 13er summits, just go as far as you want and return the way you came)
-North Star east ridge (13er) to the first high point (continuing to the final and highest summit of North Star is a bit more involved for newer folks, but just the first summit is a nice enough objective)

(edited)

[rpdawes]

I recommend Quandary Peak for two reasons. First, it is an easy winter hike for novices and second, its trailhead is easily accessible, just a few hundred feet from a main highway.

[Alpine Guy]

You asked about safe routes, and I can't help with that since I spend most of the winter in the foothills. If you don't know already, be prepared for hours of walking into a nonstop icy gale - not much worse than walking back toward the car into one of those. Have some way to cover every square inch of exposed skin. Ear lobes, nose tip and cheeks can be easily overlooked with serious consequences. Hiking with a partner in the winter is always a good idea, and a "skin check" is yet another reason.

[Scott P]

Keep an eye out for the 14ers.com winter gatherings as well.