North Arapaho Peak

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 7/6/2019, By: SkiColorado93
Info: The road to the trailhead is completely dry, as is the trail up to treeline... after treeline there are some snow patches that are firm and icy in the morning and soft and wet in the afternoon. The snow is avoidable in some spots, but not really in others. Above treeline, the majority of the trail is a stream, so plan footwear accordingly. We didn't need/use traction. There was no snow on the route once you gain the S Arapaho/Old Baldy ridge that overlooks Arapaho Glacier.

The route from S to N Arapaho is 95% clear of snow... there are a couple patches, at times blocking the standard route, but they're avoidable using thoughtful alternate route finding. The summits are dry. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 7/1/2019, By: Thevirtualsherpa
Info: South Arapaho Peak has lingering snow fields on the standard route but dry to the summit for the most part. Minimal traction needed (if anything). Traverse to North has snow and large cornices on the east side of the ridge, but 99% of the snow is avoidable if you stay on the west side. Route finding is key, but doable with no additional gear. Class 4 move is bone dry. FWIW - Skywalker is also in great shape but melting out quickly. Awesome day out in IPW! 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 9/23/2018, By: salmanalsaif
Info: Perfect conditions. Trail is clear and dry, and great weather throughout the day. Wind picked up near the summit and across the ridge, but not enough to cause any problems if you're careful (~20 mph winds when it picked up).

2 miles to pass/glacier fork, 2 hours to glacier point (a little less than 4 miles) 2.5 hours to summit (4.4 miles), ridge took an hour to cross, about 0.8 miles (with screwing around), crux was a joke (way overhyped, took less than 10 seconds to go up), another hour to get back to South Arapahoe Peak, (2.5 hrs round-trip to traverse the ridge). Another 1.5 hrs back to the car.
Overall was pretty easy. The easiest safest line was always climber's left going to North (opposite on the return). Half of class 2 line with loose dirt/rock near the summit can be bypassed in favor of a solid stable class 3 line (climber's left, may need to backtrack a minute to find it on the way up). 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 8/5/2017, By: Trotter
Info: Traverse in good shape, no snow on route. Fun scramble but leave 2 hours for the round trip from south to north and back. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 9/18/2016, By: jfm3
Info: The trail up to South Arapaho Peak and the traverse to North Arapaho are dry. There are small amounts of snow lingering on the cliffs of both peaks, but hardly any areas of snow on the ridge itself. The crux rock is not hard for anyone about 5'11" or taller, and I thought the top of the block immediately above the crux demanded more attention. There is also an overhung ~10' slab about 2/3 along the traverse that can be bypassed through some ledges on the west side of the ridge. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 8/14/2016, By: ezabielski
Info: Just adding a note that if you're 6'1" (maybe 6'0") or taller, you can reach the top of the "class 4" move while standing on the ground. Which makes it pretty darn easy. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 7/11/2015, By: jeremy27
Info: snow free. leave your axe at home. good luck. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 7/12/2015, By: colokeith
Info: Route is snow free. The trail to south arapahoe has water running down a good portion of it. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 6/21/2015, By: GregMiller
Info: Traversed from South Arapahoe and back. Most cornices are well supported and seemed safe enough to walk on, the ones that aren't are pretty visibly so. West side of the ridge is almost all dry. Went from S to N with crampons on, only needed them in the crux gully due to mixed snow/rock. Going N to S, removed crampons after descending crux, never felt they were needed on the way back. Be careful of the cornice on the SE side of the N Arapahoe summit, don't go to the edge if you don't see rock supporting it. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 9/1/2014, By: jeremy27
Info: Attempted the traverse today. Spotty snow, ice and rime in places - though mostly avoidable. I made it up the crux but no further because my wife was tired of the wind. I suspect the route was passable with care. Probably only take a nice sunny day to clean everything off. Good luck. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 7/13/2014, By: clemsonmtneer
Info: Arapaho Traverse is 99.9% free of snow, aside from a small patch of easily avoidable snow just below the summit of North Arapaho. Moving at an average pace with little to no route finding trouble, it took my friend and I about 2 hours total to complete the traverse to N Arapaho and then reverse back to S Arapaho. Make sure to carefully evaluate the sky for any signs of building cumulus towers before attempting this committing traverse, as it would not be a good place to be caught in a thunderstorm.

This was a very enjoyable, and at times, exhilarating route. Several exposed Class 4 moves (crux is arguably low 5th class) to get the blood pumping, but rock quality is very good. On the hike up to South Arapaho, the wildflowers are outstanding right now. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 6/8/2014, By: falcon568
Info: Climbed Skywalker, topped out with Princess Leia, and did the traverse to N Arapahoe. Snow conditions couldn't have been better, thanks to those that posted beta earlier. There were a couple other groups out there enjoying the day on Skywalker; it was absolutely beautiful weather until a snowstorm popped out of nowhere when I was traversing back from N Arapahoe. 

Route: Skywalker Couloir
Posted On: 6/3/2014, By: moose_535
Info: Good conditions in the couloir and along the ridge. 

Route: Via Fourth of July TH and South Arapaho Peak
Posted On: 7/15/2013, By: kimo
Info: Traverse is wet in spots but snow free. 

Route: Standard S Arp to N Arap traverse
Posted On: 7/3/2012, By: mikemalick
Info: No pics yet. Just FYI that I did the South Arapaho Pk to North Arapaho Peak traverse July 1st and never once had to step on snow. There were only a couple spots with snow along the route, but they were easily avoidable and only still there as they had shade from the sun (i.e. that final gully ascent up to the summit of N Arap).

First time for me doing this traverse. I had the N summit to myself for a while and then a trail runner showed up. He commented on a "sketchy" class 5.3 section. The only way I am on 5.3 (or anything 5-ish) is if I fall off the mountain! So we must have definitely taken different routes. Imo nothing really along the route I took exceeded class 3. There was one down-climb that--on hindsight--could perhaps be class 4 just before you reach the saddle to do the gulley climb to true summit. However, that is easily avoided if you traverse around the climbers left as you head towards N Arap. That is the route I took on the way back to S Arap. Even that first crux with the angled slab turned out to much less that what I was expecting. I'm about 5' 11" and was essentially able to get one good boot placement, top hand just below the top of the slab and pull/stand myself up almost all the way to the top. Nothing worse than the top of The Trough on Longs.