2/22/2020 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 2/23/2020, By: crowdsurf Info: Came back for this one with 14ers.com member r_grizz. Variable snow conditions made this a long day. From the TH to the ridge was deep powder requiring flotation. Ascending the ridge was breakable crust not suitable for crampons, so it was easier to skirt to the rocks and grass. Once on the ridge, there was great styrofoam snow to walk on until the ridges intersect. The summit ridge involved multiple small snow field crossings if you stay low while bypassing the crux and mixed climbing if you stay a little higher. Staying high seemed to be a better choice as snow field conditions were sketchy to cross. Axe dry tooling was helpful but the rock definitely isn't the greatest. Photos 3, 4 and 5 are of the crux bypass. |
|
12/20/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 12/21/2019, By: crowdsurf Info: Unconsolidated snow from the prior week's storm below treeline. I was able to poach skin tracks almost up to the start of the ridge. After that, ascending the boulders to gain the ridge in this snow was difficult and chewed up a lot of time and energy. Once on the ridge, snow conditions were good and easier to walk on or avoid. Turned around at the crux as further travel forward would have required descending the ridge in the dark. |
|
12/7/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 12/7/2019, By: benbrow1234 Info: All snow consolidated from CO 91 winter trailhead up to the turn off of the former railroad tracks. From this point until treeline about 2-3 feet of snow, floatation necessary to break trail. Less snow above treeline but continued wearing snowshoes until midway up the slope leading to Arkansas' north ridge. Windy (gusts 20-30mph) on the ridge was rough but manageable. Ice axe only equipment used for passage along the ridge to summit. |
|
11/9/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 11/9/2019, By: graberz Info: We took advantage of beta from previous weekend. The road is nice and packed down a good part of the way. We then broke new trail into the trees at some point aiming straight towards the summit. Snow shoes were a must as it was very powdery. We didn't use traction or axe, but of course good idea to have. We did stay ridge proper most of the time, except for some of the towers we dropped down And went around. Still provided some fun scrambling. We descended from summit following the cairns of standard trail which is doable but more post holey. On and off the ridge would have been easier. We Didn't see anyone else on the mountain. Beautiful day! |
|
11/3/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 11/3/2019, By: WildWanderer Info: Put in a trench to treeline, which should be there until the next snow. From treeline to the ridge the wind blew all tracks away. I gained the ridge sooner than the North Ridge because there were large snow drifts with unconsolidated snow littering the basin I wanted to avoid. The snow in the basin was sugary and deep, making snowshoes very helpful. The slope up to the ridge was tundra mixed with small amounts of snow. There were at least 5 of us out there today using different routes but all meeting at the summit ridge so there's a good trench in from ridge to summit. The class 2 area to avoid the class 3/4 ridge section has too much snow to traverse, so plan on making this a class 3 hike. Snowshoes were needed below treeline and in the basin, helpful gaining the ridge, and overkill on the ridge. Microspikes were helpful on the ridge to summit. Bring an ice axe. Beautiful day on the mountain without the intense winds of the past few weeks. |
|
10/1/2019 Route: Southeast Ridge Posted On: 10/1/2019, By: supranihilest Info: I went from Treasurevault Mountain to Mount Arkansas before hitting Mount Tweto. This required traversing on Tweto's steep and loose west slopes. Honestly this probably was not faster, easier, or safer than going over Tweto. It worked but it was tedious and there was plenty of suspect and sketchy rock to either knock down on yourself or go dinner plate skating on down the slope. Once you're at the Arkansas/Tweto saddle things look kind of improbable, but the ridge to Arkansas is remarkably easy compared to how it looks! There's plenty of the usual loose stuff but what little scrambling (Class 2+, maybe Easy Class 3) there is is kind of fun and the route finding is pretty easy. However, the summit ridge is obnoxiously long and has a bunch of ups and downs along the way. The summit ridge takes longer than the climb up to it! The final pitch swings around Arkansas' west slopes on giant blocky boulders. |
|
9/28/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 9/28/2019, By: Grover Info: Highly recommend this route/peak if you are looking for a short, steep, rewarding outing with great views. Followed the railroad grade for .2 miles then turned left to go into the forest. Connected game trails to make quick work up to the steep slope that gains the upper ridge. The ridge to the summit is a fun project as you can take the spicy route over the crux towers or bypass on the right side, which is nicely cairned. Great views of the surrounding 13'ers and 14'ers. |
|
9/2/2019 Route: South Ridge via Tweto Posted On: 9/2/2019, By: LetsGoMets Info: Dry (and loose) all the way. |
|
7/20/2019 Route: from Mt. Tweto Posted On: 7/22/2019, By: swadmin Info: The ridge from Tweto is snow free, except for a short 10 feet section, will probably be gone next weekend. |
|
6/12/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 6/13/2019, By: MTGOAT72 Info: Solid snow from TH to summit. Snow was firm till about 10am then turned to mush on the way down. The standard crux bypass is quite dicey with a steep slope of ice in the early AM. |
|
5/2/2019 Route: Moonshine Couloir Posted On: 5/3/2019, By: BillMiddlebrook Info: A shot of the couloir from 14er Mt. Cameron. The cornice is massive this year! |
|
4/7/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 4/7/2019, By: HikerGuy Info: Tons of snow up there. Wind picked up as the day went on. Flotation needed from highway to ridge proper, no issues. I used spikes on they way up and down the ridge. Carried crampons, but did not use them as the snow was soft. Firmer conditions would probably warrant them. I broke out the axe at the crux section on the way up, but did not use it on the way down. I found poles more useful descending as I was more confident following my boot pack. Started late at 10:30a and finished at 4:15p, 5h 45m car to car. 4.9 miles roundtrip, 2,750 feet. Took longer than I expected. Snow was supportive even late in the day, no different from morning. Two people booted up and skied/rode down Moonshine Couloir. They skied from the summit, there is a cornice, but there is an exit climber's left to the summit. Also saw two other skiers skinning up the North Ridge, but they did not go above 13,400. Fun climb, with a touch of spice at the crux tower, otherwise straightforward. |
|
2/10/2019 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 2/14/2019, By: CreekRunner Info: Snowshoes needed for all of the approach. We used them all the way up to the ridge junction. Afterward, it is useful to have crampons or at least microspikes navigating the snow and rock among the gendarmes. There was a large avy along the summer route, so make sure you're going up the headwall and not skirting the side of the ridge |
|
12/18/2018 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 12/27/2018, By: jklaers Info: Ridge is wind swept and easily navigable. Took crampons for the upper ridge section. Was nice, but I am not sure they were necessary. Could see previous tracks and navigation was super straightforward. Snowshoes were nice for the approach to the base of the ridge. Ski/Splitboard would make the approach and descent much more enjoyable. But ridge is dry or hard packed for most/all of the way. |
|
9/8/2018 Route: North Ridge Posted On: 9/10/2018, By: E_A_Marcus_949 Info: Clear conditions all the way up to the top. Some hints of a trail at parts and some cairns also. |
