6/29/2017 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 6/30/2017, By: CMar75 Info: Most of the snow on the trail was gone, so no trouble with routefinding thanks to the 14ers route description and the cairns. One big snowfield to contend with at treeline heading up toward the gulley - used no traction. Beautiful approach in the trees and enjoyed the ridge. The gully was loose and tough (reiterating the last report - definitely bring poles!) as well as the saddle up to the ridge although it was not quite as bad as the gully. Beautiful day in the mountains!! |
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6/24/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 6/24/2017, By: Nelson Info: Virtually summer conditions. No snow equipment needed. |
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6/24/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 6/25/2017, By: adamjm Info: Echoing all below about summer conditions on SE Ridge, but adding a photo because we missed (and heard other parties did as well) the turnoff from the Colorado trail. The cairn isn't incredibly prominent, but there are a couple of logs directing the way. Routefinding after the turnoff isn't too difficult, just a matter of locating cairns among the downed trees. |
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6/24/2017 Route: Harvard and Columbia Traverse Posted On: 6/25/2017, By: KatintheHat Info: Approach trail muddy in spots. Route finding was tricky in some areas due to the amount of remaining snow. Found the description of the traverse over to Columbia a little confusing around/after point 13,516 and ended up just following tracks of the other climbers coming down from Columbia. Found my micro spikes to be very helpful to get up the snowfields on the backside of Columbia. Route finding at the bottom of Columbia back to the main trail was also a little challenging due to snow. Lost a galaxy S8 phone somewhere near the north side of point 13,516 if anyone finds it please message me- thanks! |
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6/18/2017 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 6/18/2017, By: kinglouie Info: The trail was snow free for much of the forested section, however toward the end there was snow covering the trail making the route tedious to find. I saw the CFI out there shoveling the snow to make the trail clearer. Everything you've heard about Columbia is true. If you don't bring poles, forget it. Brutal mountain. Probably the least enjoyable of all the 14'ers I've done. Views were great though! |
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6/17/2017 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 6/19/2017, By: Kaydubs17 Info: We started from the west trailhead at about 5:30am, summited at 11:30 and were back to the car at 4:30. Lots more snow on the trail than anticipated. We hiked up towards the Southwest ridge after getting a bit off trail and came down the traditional West trail. It was so steep and loose for sections even with poles. We didn't bring any traction and didn't really need it, but it would have been nice through all of the snow fields. On our way back down we noticed the river was incredibly high and threatening to come onto the trail and was running through the road too. I would highly recommend doing the Southeast ridge as we could see from the top that there was barely any snow on that side. |
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6/11/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 6/12/2017, By: BenThom11 Info: As said in the previous report, the conditions are great. Basically summer conditions, I took maybe 10 steps in the snow. Hot day, 80 degrees in BV and even hot above treeline despite the wind. The trail is pretty faint, but I added rocks to a lot of the cairns in the forest. |
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6/10/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 6/10/2017, By: chicagostylehotdog Info: A few patches of firm snow on the final ridge, most of which can be avoided by rock hopping. Mostly clear the whole way besides the occasional avoidable snowfield or short crossing that doesn't require any special gear. Didn't use traction, axe, or floatation. The worst snow was the wind loaded snow just before gaining the ridge. Follow cairns and you'll avoid most of it. On the way down, if you can't find the trail, stay on the ridge down through the trees. Don't try to drop down the slope too early or you'll be on snow longer than necessary. Snow in trees was still surprisingly firm at 1:00pm today. Wind was brutal, worst I've ever experienced. Not the best hike for a windy day. Lots of exposure to the elements. I didn't get a good look at the west slopes route, so no comment on conditions there. SW Couloir was still full of snow (nearly all the way down to Horn Fork Basin). |
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6/3/2017 Route: Southwest Couloir Posted On: 6/3/2017, By: Nelson Info: Climbed and skied the SW couloir. From the TH to turn off at 10,950 there is intermittent snow. At about 10700 I put on microspikes as the snow is almost continuous. At 11500 I put on crampons and booted the whole couloir. At no point was flotation necessary on this route. You can ski off the summit but only 100ft. Or so if you want to go back to the couloir. I walked down to 13,700 and. Skied the couloir down to 11000. I started skiing about 11:30 and had perfect corn down to the standard trail. Of course, the last 200 feet were a pain because of bushes and trees but even here the snow was firm. An epic day worth repeating. |
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6/3/2017 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 6/4/2017, By: drchele Info: Left TH at 4:30 AM. Intermittent snow in the trees, so we donned microspikes in the forest before we hit the avalanche runoff area. The creek was raging, but we had no difficulty with any crossings. We missed the 'right turn' at ~11,600' and wound up following the creek about 1/4 mile too far along the Horn Fork Basin Trail and had to reroute. Glad I had Gaia GPS. I relied on recent conditions reports that suggested microspikes were sufficient, but I really wish I'd had my crampons when ascending the snowy slope from 11,800 to 12,800. (I'd done Yale a few days earlier and toted my crampons to the summit and back down, unused). Once off the snowy slope, it was a typical talus and tundra scramble to the shoulder with minimal intermittent and mostly avoidable snow. The ridge at ~13,600', was snowy, but solid and amply wide, without a cornice. I cut in steps along the final pitch to the summit, which we reached about 10:15 AM. We glissaded down the snowy west slopes and back to treeline without difficulty (glad I had my ice axe to arrest). Back to car about 3:10PM. Minimal to no post-holing on the descent; just the typically squishy slippery slush. We had impeccable weather with no wind and mostly sunny skies. Did not need flotation. |
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5/29/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 5/30/2017, By: JQDivide Info: Snowshoes not needed. Used mircospikes Snow starts in the upper trees, spotty, some is avoidable. More snow on the northern side of the ridge. Little to no snow from treeline to below pt 12,800. Continuous snow from the slope of pt 12,800 to the summit. A few spot without, melting away. More snow on the summit now, than back in December. |
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5/29/2017 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 5/30/2017, By: soloclimber97 Info: Went up the standard summer route, once on the west slope you can pretty much avoid snow all the way to the summit ridge. Never put on snowshoes or microspikes, just had my ice axe out on the final pitches to the summit. |
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5/26/2017 Route: Southwest Couloir Posted On: 5/26/2017, By: lrosenmayer6 Info: Started at 4:45 from N. Cottonwood Creek TH. Intermittent snow almost right away. Put snowshoes on around 11,000'. Made it to ~12,300' in the couloir before I turned around. It was nearly 40 degrees in the couloir before the sun had even hit the snow, the snow was pretty loose and post-holey and the pitch was very steep, so I quit in the name of safety. I was looking for an excuse to quit anyway because the couloir was kicking my butt. Flotation + traction or you will probably be miserable. |
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4/30/2017 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 4/30/2017, By: bmcqueen Info: Started in fresh powder this am from Harvard Lakes TH (by time I came down though, CO Trail was basically dry again). I booted up the fresh snow to treeline where it got deep enough that I broke down and wore my snowshoes. I actually wore them all the way to the top and back down to the CO Trail cut-off. Spikes wouldn't have helped much today on all the fresh snow, but give it a couple days and spring snow conditions will be back. EXTREMELY windy on the ridge between 13k and 13.6k. Almost spun, but just kept adding layers and pushed on to the summit. |
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12/31/2016 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 12/31/2016, By: RyGuy Info: The trench from the Colorado Trail turn off up to 12,000 has been refurbished and additional features added. (New pull-outs, better width and now more supportive if you opt not to use snowshoes.) Overall the route is in great shape. All wind scoured or dry above 12,200. |
