Quandary Peak

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 5/20/2012, By: wypatt
Info: Route is snow free except for the occasional hard pack and the final 50 yards to the summit. No traction needed. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 5/6/2012, By: letourneau41
Info: East Ridge was clear of snow except for a few small patches. No need for any traction. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 4/28/2012, By: kyriestone
Info: Hit the trail just before 8am today. The trail below treeline had spotty patches of snow, but well-worn paths through it. Above treeline was a different story, though. The mountain had apparently gotten several inches of snow because the combination of the gusty wind and blowing snow made it hard just above treeline to follow the path. From treeline all the way to the summit, blowing snow continued to make it hard to stay on the trail. I didn‘t use microspikes on the way up, but they would have helped, so I put them on for the descent. Even though the skies cleared on my ascent, the wind and blowing snow were brutal, esp. on the upper reaches. At one point, I considered turning back due to the wind, but did summit. Things were easier on the way back down with the wind at my back, but mud from the melting snow threw me off more than once from treeline on down. I meant to take some pictures on the way down, but my camera died right after the summit shots. Bottom line- I knew the wind would be there, and dressed accordingly, but didn‘t think the mountain had gotten as much snow as it did. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 4/21/2012, By: zdero1
Info: Road dry all the way to the trailhead. Easily accessible by any vehicle. No snowshoes needed during the ascent, even for this big guy! 50+ mph winds experienced on the flat part of the ridge just before the final slope up to the summit, which was unpleasant to say the least. We had to make clothing changes in this wind tunnel because we quickly lost feeling in our fingers with lightweight gloves, even though temps never reached freezing. Recommend putting on some midweight gloves and a balaclava before you traverse this portion of the climb if forecast calls for high winds. Mashed potato snow on the decent which made for great plunge stepping down the ridge. Snowpack rarely above 8" above the forest. Sporadic patches of snow in the forest. Postholed a few times after entering the forest but would not recommend snow shoes. Rapid melting occuring today. Felt like a climb one would have in late May-mid June. Accessible trailhead, great conditions, and a nice easy climb early in the season make this one a no-brainer! Get out and enjoy it! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 4/10/2012, By: compacted_graphite
Info: Hiked Quandary Peak April 9, 2012. Beautiful sunny weather, some wind later in the day. Road to Quandary trail head clear. Trail in treeline was mostly clear with some icy spots. Maybe fourteen hikers seen during the day. Most people did not use micro spikes, skis, or snow shoes. Followed ridge line at treeline and mostly followed snow fields with clearly defined trail thru well packed snow. Above 12,500 most of the trail followed was dry, with occasional snow patch. Mountain goat observed at 13,400. Snow patch on summit was icy. Followed the new recommended trail on return and snow depth was considerate at treeline and warm enough for significant post holing. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/25/2012, By: BigfootUSAF
Info: Good hard-packed snow on the route. Used my microspikes the majority of the time. Left the summit around 11:30am and by the time I got to treeline my snowshoes were useful in some spots to prevent postholing (it was a warm, sunny day). 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/17/2012, By: DanielL
Info: My hiking partner and I climbed Quandary Peak's East Ridge today and there was clear road access to the McCullough Gulch Rd/Blue Lakes Rd junction which is about 1/4 mile from the summer trailhead. On the mountain, there is a great packed trail all the way to the summit. There isn't a lot of snow higher up on the mountain, certainly a lot less than previous years. We brought snowshoes but didn't use them because there is a great trail through the snow. Some of the trail is clear of snow, if you happen to stumble across it, but we didn't really follow it. Also, when coming down, we got lost shortly after entering the trees as there was a spot with three or more trails going in different directions; in this spot, the correct trail is to the left, and it traverses right beneath the East Ridge proper. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/17/2012, By: helmich2
Info: The snow on this route of Quandary is passable without snowshoes, but by the time my wife and I descended later in the afternoon we post-holed in several places below treeline. I would recommend gaiters and microspikes until conditions change if you‘re hiking. 

Route: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
Posted On: 3/15/2012, By: BillMiddlebrook
Info: A couple of pics of Cristo Couloir today, from near Hoosier Pass 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/13/2012, By: Rock__freek
Info: Parked at the winter trailhead for McCullough gultch. Plenty of parking. Trail is packed, but still deep. Postholing will occur, snowshoes needed. I broke trail towards the east ridge following a set of skin tracks from the turnaround on McCullough Gultch road, I was followed by my partner, and a gentleman with two dogs.The going was very tough. Chest high snow with a thin layer of hard stuff on top. Floats were mandatory, but I still sunk through 3 dozen times or so. Once out of the trees, the snowpack was more solid. Ditch your snow shoes and pack at 12,000. Crampons may be helpful in some spots, but I didn‘t use any. Plenty of rocky terrain exposed to avoid slippery snow spots. The glissade from about 12,700 or so was amazing, but you can only got that way if you came up from McCullough:) Get out there before the next snow, and your welcome;) 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 3/4/2012, By: AWright
Info: Parking is open 1/4 mile below actual trailhead. Good trench up to treeline, then multiple packed paths up the ridge. Today was very windy with gusts around 50mph. Microspikes or other traction device highly recommended for descent - packed snow made it difficult to keep footing while coming back down. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/15/2012, By: j-dub
Info: Just confirming mtnmike's report-- wore snowshoes all the way up/down, were especially useful in climbing to 12,100' just after the winter route splits to the right from the last trail sign. Spotchy fresh pow and bare rocks all the way up the ridge. Variously very windy and snowing. Visibility in/out. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/11/2012, By: mtnmike
Info: About a foot of new snow on Quandary! Trail below treeline has been (once again) well trenched out, but those pesky winds will have probably obliterated everything above treeline by the time you read this! Stick to the ridgeline and you shouldn‘t have any troubles. Definitely recommend floatation! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 2/6/2012, By: Wyoming Bob
Info: "Groomed" trail from parking spot to summit, no axe, no crampons, no snow shoes were needed Sunday a.m., light traction on upper most 500 feet would have been convenient. Encountered no substantive ridge avi issues, bowl is a whole different story, so said the big slide dead center. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 1/28/2012, By: mtnmike
Info: All due respect to the previous poster, I did not encounter high avalanche conditions or the aforementioned crowning on Quandary today. The slope just below treeline was windblown but consolidated. I dug a pit for evaluation and there was some slabbing but not what I would consider critical. I was the first person up Quandary today (well, up to 13,000‘ where the wind picked me off my feet) and was able to easily climb this section towards the left, keeping nearer to the trees. The trail below treeline will have been trenched-out by today‘s crowd (passed at least 20 people on the way down) and is now pretty close to the standard summer route. Be sure to turn RIGHT at the site of the big igloo, and not follow the faint trench straight (this might lead to some of the previous posters‘ difficulties and is WAY off the established trail route). Snowshoes are recommended up to 13,000. Even above treeline. I cached my snowshoes at 12,000‘ and wish I hadn‘t. Conditions to 13,000‘ are variable between hardpack and soft powder. Climb safe people!