5/22/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 5/23/2022, By: slawrence2011 Info: Intended to summit via Lavender Col and ski down Snake couloir. Even with starting pretty late at 5 AM from the lower trailhead, I recognized around 10 AM in the final couloir that everything was still bulletproof and my ice axe was barely going in, so I started delaying my climbing interminably and admiring the view in hopes that the intermittent sun would soften it. I summited around 10:30. I thought the scramble from the top of the first couloir to the rock tower with the anchor (not the summit) was frightening even in crampons with the snow. But no one mentions it, so guessing it is considered class 3? Then I rapped off the N, and my 57m rope was not long enough to get past the frightening cliff bands. I went off rope and downclimbed to the edge, and I couldn't see a couloir, only undening cliff bands. Then I came back up the rope, and went a little rappeller's left over a notch in case that was the couloir. That was even more frightening, and it was snow covered slabs, so I couldn't reclimb, and resorted to ascending the rope with a couple slings. Then I skied down the S slopes via my ascent route. Even at 3 PM that was pretty bulletproof with suncups, glad I didn't drop any earlier. But the ski down Yankee boy was great, I think I skied down to below 12K. Next time I try for Snake, I will either go with someone who can find it, ascent from Blaine basin, or drop into the E col and find from the bottom. I'm guessing it was there, I just didn't have the guts to stomach the 5.scary downclimb, maybe I needed an 80. |
|
5/19/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 5/22/2022, By: Reed Harrington Info: Road is open and drivable up to the outhouse parking at 11,350' with a standard 4wd vehicle. Continuing beyond this is possible with the right vehicle, but walking is probably easier and more enjoyable. There are a few snow patches to cross on the way up to the upper trailhead and from there to the bottom of the gully that climbs to Lavender Col, but snowshoes not required. Combination of snow and rocks in the gully, so pick which your prefer. The upper gully at the top of the Col is fully snow packed and requires/I highly recommend crampons and an ice axe. The V-notch is snowed in still, but there is a snow free alternate line (Difficult Class 3) to its right under a pink rappel anchor (use of anchor not needed to ascend/descend) that leads to a straightforward jaunt to the summit. |
|
5/15/2022 Route: Southwest Ridge Posted On: 5/15/2022, By: Wentzl Info: As mentioned in report yesterday, route in great condition. I started at 12:30 p.m. and finished at 6:30. Carried snowshoes to the upper 4wd trailhead and stashed them there. Did not use crampons. Snow on the climb firm and very favorable for kick steps. Just starting to turn to ice right at the crux, about half way up the ridge, just before where Ecocrazy accessed the route. I did a variation to avoid a big snowfield about half way up from Blue Lakes Pass and also descended via the rock ridge, avoiding snow down to Lavender Col. I went up from the outhouse to the upper trailhead via the winter route and came down by the 4wd road. Sort of a toss up which is better. Which ever way you go, it will be sloppy for a couple weeks. The downside of the 4wd road is so much water flowing over it that you will have wet feet all day. The winter route was doable without snow shoes today, but that is not to say there was not some curse worthy soft spots along the way. Last three photos show a ski descent off Gilpin. Hat's off to whoever pulled that off! |
|
5/14/2022 Route: Roach's r2v2 Posted On: 5/14/2022, By: Ecocrazy Info: Road is good to the outhouse; Subaru could make it. Snow conditions were great today going up the gully that intersects the southwest ridge half way up (Roach's v2 on the SW Ridge) and coming down the standard lavender couloir. Getting down the notch with the snow is a bit tricky; recommend crampons for that step (and the couloir after it). Started 5:45, summit at 9:15, spend almost an hour on top, back down around noon. |
|
5/4/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 5/5/2022, By: One Sierra Charlie Info: The Lavender Col route and the birthday chutes are reasonably well filled-in. The road was still gated at Senator Gulch even though it is totally clear up to the 2WD trailhead at 10,700 (also the location of the Revenue Mine). I used a bike for the dry section, but it was still quite a bit of work as the average grade is over 10%. A crew was actively clearing the road above the Revenue Mine on 05/04 and I understand that they plan to open the gate sometime during the week of 05/09. It will appear that the attached photos were taken on two separate days, but this is because the weather turned abruptly from bluebird to snow showers around 8:30. |
|
4/17/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 4/18/2022, By: nicoinco Info: Generally safe morning avalanche conditions and low winds made for a perfect day on Sneffels. The winter gate is still closed at Senator Gulch, which adds 3 miles and 1700ft of dirt road each way to the lower 2wd trailhead summer route (13.75 miles total round trip). Started at 4am and made the summit at 10:20. I wasn't comfortable with the climbing at the notch on top of the Lavender Couloir, so I descended to about 13,850 and found the alternate path to the ridge to gain the summit. |
|
4/2/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 4/2/2022, By: bmcqueen Info: Snowpack still felt very wintery today. The gate is still closed a few miles up from Ouray, but the road is plowed to the Revenue Mine. From there, snowshoes went on and actually stayed on up to the saddle and even the first bit of the Lavender Couloir. I eventually switched to crampons and booted to the top of the Couloir. The v-notch area was filled with crappy, unsupportive snow, so after tooling around on the rockier right hand side for a while, I decided to descend a couple hundred feet where I knew I could attain the ridge more safely. That worked well and I cramponed up the ridge to the summit. |
|
1/27/2022 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 1/27/2022, By: Wentzl Info: No summit info, but been a while since anyone posted so here is an approach update as far as the upper 4wd trailhead around 12,500'. From the winter gate to the mine clear but icy. Easy walk. Great trench in place all the way up to the upper 4wd including a long section packed down by snowmachine. Great snow for skiing, even thought it is a pretty light cover for this time of year. I met some guys who said they broke trail to just about 100' below the saddle at the top of the South Slopes. Snowed most of the day today, but just a light mist, not likely the trench will be covered unless the wind blows like hell all night. |
|
11/18/2021 Route: Southwest Ridge Posted On: 11/28/2021, By: hhoetmer Info: Gate closed for the season. Prepare for a nice long road walk. Booted up to the summit on the ridge & crampons/axe for Lavender descent. Pockets of snow and ice on the ridge, but nothing technical or sketchy. “V notch” conditions are nothing to write home about. Still patches of annoying talus/scree on the standard not covered by snow. Snowshoes not even close to necessary. |
|
10/10/2021 Route: Southwest Ridge Posted On: 10/11/2021, By: Bruno Info: Ridge was beautiful, we got it just right after the last storm that ended early morning 10/9. Roughly eight inches of accumulation up high, snow line at roughly 12500 after the days melt. Recommend micro spikes to help feel more solid underfoot given the snow accumulation that'll be there for the rest of the year (and how crappy and loose the rock is until you're up on the final ridge proper). Mountain peaks are beautiful once your up though, early snow has everything looking truly incredible! Some of the best views of my life. South slope on the way down was much, much easier. |
|
10/9/2021 Route: Southwest Ridge Posted On: 10/9/2021, By: lkk8815 Info: Went up SW ridge and down the standard S slopes. Expect consistent snow from the upper lot, everything below had pretty much already melted by the time we got down. It's not very deep, maybe drifted to ~8 inches in spots. The ridge was holding a decent amount of snow, some of the more scrambly parts of the route were iced over. S slopes down went by fast compared to the ridge. Crux notch is slick and has some snow. Saw a handful of other people out there today on the standard route. Ended up being a great day out. |
|
10/3/2021 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 10/3/2021, By: Tval619 Info: Traveling from Southern California so I'm not too up to date on recent storms etc. Mt stock 4Runner safely made it 1/2 way up the 4x4 road, one could probably make it further. The south slopes on Sneffels were relatively dry with patchy snow which could easily be avoided. Other aspects had considerably more snow. The approach was clearly marked. The initial scree field felt loser than I remember, the upper gully has better scrambling. No special equipment was necessary as of 10/3/21. |
|
10/3/2021 Route: Southwest Ridge Posted On: 10/4/2021, By: Thevirtualsherpa Info: Did the ridge on Sunday- 3-4 inches of snow on most parts after blue lakes saddle - gully crossover particularly muddy and nasty. Crux move is mostly dry and ridge after. Snow is more a nuisance than anything and does not make the route any more difficult for the most part. Melting very very fast. Descent in lavender very nasty and slope is in awful condition, especially with snow and mud. Beautiful day on my 100th 14er summit. |
|
9/26/2021 Route: Southwest Ridge Posted On: 9/28/2021, By: Dignus Info: Route isn't marked but wasn't too hard to follow with this sites instructions. If you do choose the wrong gulley though it will usually be pretty obvious and easy to turn around. Descending the south slope I did my best to stay west of center and even followed in someone else's footsteps but I still sent a few decent sized rocks down the length of the gulley. Strongly reccomend a helmet for both routes. https://youtu.be/JXRoExhq7-w |
|
9/21/2021 Route: South Slopes Posted On: 9/21/2021, By: Gritz3000 Info: Hiked in from Blue Lakes TH and got picked up at the Yankee Boy Basin TH. The entire route was dry, although north facing parts of the peak are holding snow from the dusting on 9/18. Scree was rough going, but the super loose stuff can be avoided. |
