14ers.com

So I was climbing up the mountain from Yankee Boy last weekend, and I made the mistake of turning left up into the first gully and climbing to the summit from there. It was very steep and there were even sections of rock I had to climb where I wasn't sure if I could even get up! Some hand-holds took a while to find! I was also extremely surprised, because on the way up I thought I was on the right route, and couldn't believe how underprepared I was for the exposure and risks I was encountering. After getting to the top, I was able to follow footprints and descended the correct route. I also remember the surprise of witnessing absolutely no evidence of other climbers on the way up. I thought to myself, "Is it possible that I am the first one to climb Sneffels this year?"

Anyway, I made it out alive, but I was just wondering if anyone else has made the mistake of turning into the first gully rather than the second. What was your experience like? And also, what difficulty rating would you suppose that route should be rated? Thanks!

Sounds like you climbed one of the South Face "Birthday Chutes". They are usually climbed with snow and/or skied. Class 3 to 4 when dry.

I’d be pretty hesitant (wouldn’t) climb something I was having trouble going up. It would be much harder to down climb and backtrack. Haven’t personally hiked that mountain so can’t comment on route.

I have to ask... Did you read the route description beforehand?

WOW! Scary. Did you have the 14ers.com app downloaded with the photos saved? I couldn't imagine going up the birthday chutes dry. Sketch! Glad you made it safe.

No one's perfect, we're all human, just have to identify any possible errors in judgment we might have made and try to mitigate them in the future. Also sometimes, things just don't happen the way we intend them to.

Years back I definitely was on the wrong route on sneffles. I don't recall exactly, but was way too far to the right, I think.
It was September, mid week, had just snowed around 8 inches, I didn't have a phone or route description, no other tracks to follow.
Kept pressing upward, telling my (scared) partner that once we got up we'd be able to take an easier route down. After (too much time) of sketchy, snowy scrambling, ended up bailing.
As with most mistakes, I learned some lessons that day.

I f'ed up on Sneffels pretty badly in 04. My wife calls it the Mt. Not Snefflls incident. Turned out I was going up Gilpin. Its all part of life's rich tapestry.

I did the exact same thing yesterday. I am sure others have made this error too.

The first time I climbed Sneffels I turned Right too soon and found myself on the summit of Kismit! Wow, what a shock to see the summit of Sneffels ahead, talk about a false summit moment.

Those gullies, birthday chutes, the direct to the crux on the SW Ridge and a couple in between, I have been there too. As for your question about how does the difficulty compare? They are all mellow 3rd class scrambles. The only difference is the amount of loose scree you have to fight.

tbonetylerc wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2024 8:32 pm I did the exact same thing yesterday. I am sure others have made this error too.

Doing your homework before you head out will prevent mistakes like this. The route description on this site provides clear directions, with photos, to keep you on the standard route. Additionally, if you have a GPS or smartphone, you can follow the provided track line, which is helpful on more complicated routes.

Glad you made it out ok!

BillMiddlebrook wrote: ↑Thu Aug 08, 2024 5:51 am

tbonetylerc wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2024 8:32 pm I did the exact same thing yesterday. I am sure others have made this error too.

Doing your homework before you head out will prevent mistakes like this. The route description on this site provides clear directions, with photos, to keep you on the standard route. Additionally, if you have a GPS or smartphone, you can follow the provided track line, which is helpful on more complicated routes.

Glad you made it out ok!

Also on the app we can download the route description photos for real-time comparison on the mountain!