Redcloud Peak

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/25/2020, By: Piotr
Info: Dry summer conditions. Thunderstorm on top at 12. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/18/2020, By: hugemike
Info: Did Sunshine and Redcloud. No need for gaiters or traction. Couple of snowfields where poles helped but not necessary. Go for it! 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/13/2020, By: zootloopz
Info: Went up this morning and hit both Redcloud and Sunshine. Would recommend some sort of traction device for the icy sections, but several people summited both peaks without. Snow is not as intense as previous condition report - maybe 12" at most in the absolute worst sections but the steps are already chopped out! 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/13/2020, By: gretchhhh
Info: Mostly summer conditions until ~12,500. Snow is melting but traction was very helpful above that. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/12/2020, By: zachgonzales91
Info: Snowpack above 13k was significantly deeper than forecast suggested. Ran into snowbanks of 12 - 24 inches (snow to my knee in one section). Ridge wind gusts were ~30 - 40 mph. For those going up this weekend, I would expect true "winter" conditions above 13k - so recommend bringing flotation/snow shoes, gear for 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 8/30/2020, By: emroka
Info: Did Redcloud and Sunshine together. The heavy rain from yesterday made the rocks between Redcloud and Sunshine pretty slick. While on the saddle between the two peaks, it snowed a bit. Nothing seemed to accumulate, but may be the first snow of the season. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/21/2020, By: lyrichildner
Info: Beautiful, long day on Redcloud and Sunshine. Perfect weather right up until noon when clouds started to roll in fast. Didn't rain until back down at the trail head though and the rain was quickly gone. That's monsoon season for you! 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/26/2020, By: SARAH342
Info: Hiked 7-20-20

Lovely hike! The valley was gorgeous and there was an extremely well-defined trail the whole way. Final pitch is surprisingly easy. As 14ers go, pretty simple. The way down, of course, is a bit of a B on the knees (poles recommended for descending the upper portion!) 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/16/2020, By: hikehikehike
Info: Trail clear of snow and in beautiful condition. No snow at peak. Wildflowers in bloom in the valley. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/3/2020, By: strayster2
Info: Summer conditions. The only snowfield is like 20 feet long/easily avoidable (pictured) 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/28/2020, By: JakeByk
Info: Summer conditions. Thanks to CFI for working on the trail! In the dark it's easy to go too high into the scree field on your left as you pop out above treeline. Traverse the snowfield even if it feels wrong and you'll quickly regain the trail. 

Route: NW Face
Posted On: 6/8/2020, By: DrSluice
Info: the snow climb is in good shape, nice and solid in the early hours, crampons and ice ace required. Some loose rocks at the top of the snow pitch. after the snow climb there is one easy shallow snow field then the rest of the route is totally dry. the approach to the NW face has avy debris and thin snow over the creek that is an obstacle, stay to the side of the snow and its no problem. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/4/2020, By: Unknown
Info: A few heavy snow areas up the trail a bit. Idk who posted summer conditions but thanks to you I did a couple sketchy downclimbs on sunshine's nw face with no traction or axe, you're the mvp! Micros and gaiters could be useful unless you get on the ridge by 7-8. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/29/2020, By: doggler
Info: Nearly summer conditions. North-facing routes still holding snow. Uncompaghre basin still white up high. West gulleys are in.

Taken during a climb of Cooper Creek and Every. I did not climb R/S but my son did and didn't need any traction or floatation. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/21/2020, By: Squirrellysquirrel
Info: Satisfactory climb, albeit with a weird twist. About 2am start to optimize snow conditions, which worked in my favor as I was successfully able to stay atop frozen snow; returned back to TH just after 9am.

Snow pack started intermittently around 11.5k with active watershedding along trail. Basin is nearly filled with snow still, not quite full-on spring conditions. Easily crunched over areas of reported post holing in the valley and along basin ascent with microspikes and poles, post holing present ranged from knee to mid calf depth. Snow was crunchy and well consolidated throughout, brought snow shoes, but didn't use.

The last bit of snow past the saddle that was *very* glassy and with undulating spongy fins. Put on crampons and used ice axe here and for above. Yes, as previously reported, there are massive cornices along final ridge to gain summit, I skirted climbers right to avoid getting too close and steered clear of the beasts.

Upon descending back into the basin, felt and heard a barely audible egg-shell cracking sound on the previously described glassy, sloped area (Photo 5). It was intermittent and resulted from ice axe/crampon making purchase with the fuzzy glass snow pack. I could feel a slight spiderweb-like sensation of ice cracking project down below my stance; eerie; I've never been on a frozen lake that decided to crack underneath my feet, but this is the sense that I got; anyone else experience this? I saw the sunrise atop, so maybe the early morning sunshine on this area caused the effect; B-lined to the ridge and got off the snow pack altogether; I'd recommend staying on the ridge line as photo #13 of 14ers route outlines, not follow the obvious sign that says to traverse the snowpack and simply avoid the trail across the upper basin snowpack right now.

Watershed has mild to moderate momentum; took a picture of a snow bridge (Photo 6) that is just prior to the cutoff for Sunshine; might prove useful for crossing over runoff.

Took some blurry pictures (my camera phone got too cold (?) and was unable to capture most of the trip...) for whatever they are worth they're posted.... Handies might have similar conditions (?); I'd give it a maybe for accessibility.

Found this great article about understanding ice sounds/textures and climbing:
https://www.outdoorresearch.com/blog/article/the-thin-ice-handbook-understanding-the-ice

Thanks for reading my verbose report! Sheesh. :0/