Mt. Elbert

Route: None
Posted On: 1/3/2025, By: backcountrybrodes
Info: **DID NOT CLIMB** Snapped some pictures of Elbert E Ridge/NE Ridge from Hwy 24. Looks like a healthy snow pack up there and current avy danger doesnt bode well either. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 12/28/2024, By: tothestars
Info: Beautiful sunny day with fresh snow that turned stormy/windy. Started close to 10am. About 2 inches snow at trailhead and closer to 6" around 11,000 feet. It looked like 3-4 snowshoers had compacted on the previous trench and path was good until around 3.5 miles in then variable postholing with a few 100meter sections of waist deep post holing until the treeline. This postholing and punching through began at the soft Ridgeline as you can see Twin lakes and first begin emerging from the trees. Most the snowshoers appeared to turn around at about 11k. Staying to the south of mound at 11,500 helps avoid the deeper snow and punching through. Stay to north of second mound just after 11,500. On the way up there is not really any clear path after the two bumps around 11,500 and 12,000 as the heavy wind and blowing snow scoured and covered foot prints and much of the trail indents. Being familiar with the route I was able to follow it visually on the way up by watching for blown snow in patterns but used my Garmin watch track on the way down as the blowing snow as getting more intense. Made the summit without snow shoes, just used trail runners with kahtoola microspikes but probably should have had warmer shoes as the temps with higher winds were definitely sub zero and feet got quite cold. Forecast called for up to 45mph gusts and -15F windchill. I think it was about that, maybe a bit warmer around 2:30p summit. Made it to my car at 5p not needing a headlamp. Fun day! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 12/8/2024, By: djacobson
Info: The trench was much improved over last weekend! Great path but snowshoes still helpful in many areas. Road was packed. We made it until about 11.8k before putting on snowshoes. You can do the final push without them with less than optimal route finding but I still wouldnt want to hike it without them. Brought spikes but didnt need them. Only saw three others and had the summit to ourselves! Great winter training hike! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 12/5/2024, By: djacobson
Info: Started at 2WD TH and took the CDT to the 4WD TH then the 4WD road on the way down. Snowshoes were helpful on both options. We trenched up to ~12k and still post-holed with snowshoes. Icy/punchy top layer over powder. Turned back due to time around 12k. Gorgeous blue sky, sunny, warm day! 

Route: Southeast Ridge
Posted On: 11/9/2024, By: Will_E
Info: Lots of fresh snow on Elbert today, as expected. I was following a shoe track this morning, the snow was deep enough I put snowshoes on about halfway through treeline. Met up with Logan (who I was following) around treeline where he turned around. Wise decision, the wind was pretty nasty above the trees. I kept snowshoes on a pretty good distance past treeline, from there the ridge wasn't as windblown as usual, there were some pretty long sections of postholing. Cold windy day, best views were in the trees. 

Route: Southeast Ridge
Posted On: 10/23/2024, By: bigfoot1
Info: The snow is melting! I used spikes along the ridge just to make going through snowdrifts easier, but you could get away without using them. Some deep postholes along the ridge, but definitely not enough snow in general for snowshoes. Had the summit to myself, and looks like plenty of others have gone up the other two ways to ascend. Easy to stick to the ridge down to Bull Hill, and only a few minor snow patches on the way down from the old mine. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 10/6/2024, By: Cconsidine
Info: As all the other comments say, wonderfully maintained trail. The false summits on this route were a bit demoralizing. FYI the detour to get to the trail is relatively rough road. From being a flatlander with a paved road car only, it wasnt the most fun. Anyone whos local/used to these types of roads are fine. Its not hard, just sketchy for my crappy car. Talked to a few others who tried it in their minivan and were struggling (once again, flatlanders here!) 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 10/4/2024, By: wanderlust073
Info: Smooth sailing. 3 hours up, 2.5 down with stops for snacks and pics. Garmin shows total distance as 11.2 miles and we followed all the new trails. Never seen such a well maintained trail to be honest. Kudos to the folks who work on it. Easy hiking. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 9/30/2024, By: pavelkral
Info: Excellent conditions. The trail is completely without snow cover. The temperature was around 35 F in the morning (7.30 AM) at the trailhead. The temperature at the peak (10 AM) was, I guess, 50+ F with only a light wind. The access road (125.1B) was passable in a mid-size AWD crossover, but I would feel better in a real 4WD offroad (especially in the rough section at 0.5 miles and the stream cross at 1.6 miles). 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/26/2024, By: josephsiefers
Info: Spikes were very helpful after ~13,600. I saw others summit without them but they make the descent easier. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/23/2024, By: timkoh
Info: Some snow and ice above treeline due to a recent storm. Microspikes would have been helpful, but not necessary for 90% of the trail. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/14/2024, By: Smurgu
Info: Thanks to CFI for keeping this trail in perfect conditions. We started at 5.30 am and parking at TH was full. Great sunny day, almost no winds. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/14/2024, By: ihalawe
Info: Decided to do the loop via the Colorado trail and the north east ridge. Ended up being about 15 miles. We went counterclockwise. The climb above tree line was a bit tough because of the wind. It was nice coming down the shorter North East Ridge. Theres no water past the trail head. Overall a great loop but makes for a quite a long day. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 9/3/2024, By: Lonewolf88
Info: Great hiking day. Sunny all morning with light clouds rolling-in just before noon. Wore a t-shirt for 90% of the hike. Almost no wind, just a light and very welcome breeze. 

Route: Southeast Ridge
Posted On: 8/31/2024, By: Jim Davies
Info: The Black Cloud route has changed a bit, due to recent and ongoing work by CFI. Very solid trail up to the saddle, with impressive rockwork. Easy to follow except that a few people have been shortcutting down the old fall-line route from the ridge that's now closed.