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"V 3"

Peak Condition Updates  
5/29/2025
Route: From Ophir Pass Road
Posted On: 5/29/2025, By: desertdog
Info: We used supranihilest’s TR. Ben is right, this is a better way to climb this peak. The gate is still closed Ophir Pass Road, but the approach went quick. No snowshoes needed. There are a few snow drifts, but more is dry. We walked up a huge section of avy debris to the upper basin. This made this part easy. The toughest part of the climb are the first slopes in the upper basin. We were sinking to our knees or more. The upper Couloir to the summit is in great shape and goes maybe 45 degrees. We started walking at 4:30. If I had it to do over again I’d start an hour earlier because of the upper basin struggles. Great day in the mountains. 
7
7 2
5/25/2025
Route: West slopes
Posted On: 6/2/2025, By: Marmot72
Info: Took the trail on the west side of Ophir that leads southeast up a valley on an old wagon road. Had continuous snow up an inset but moderate/easy couloir. For the summit pitch, I didn’t like the northern (first) couloir as I had only micro spikes. Took the southernmost couloir and then the 2+ steps up the summit block from the east. Snow was supportive on a very late 8 am start. Short -7 miles RT 
5/27/2023
Route: Supranarchist Variation of East Face Couloir
Posted On: 5/27/2023, By: osprey
Info: Supranarchist has posted a V3 TR of his new snow route going up the east face and narrowing into a steep Couloir immediately below the summit. I have nothing to add to his excellent TR. The route was in fine nick today. The route through the forest is obviously popular with backcountry skiers. Snowshoes were not needed. The Couloir immediately below the summit is very steep. I was there after the snow was softening and did it with one axe but if I had been there earlier when the snow was firm then I would have appreciated a second tool. His route should be preferred over the NW Ridge Route. I did see another persons tracks immediately below the summit. Looked like they went up the day before. I was not able to find the summit register placed by WildWanderer despite looking in all the obvious locations where it could be located. A nice route for this rarely climbed peak. 
5/27/2023
Route: Supranarchist Variation of East Face Couloir
Posted On: 5/27/2023, By: osprey
Info: Supranarchist has posted a V3 TR of his new snow route going up the east face and narrowing into a steep Couloir immediately below the summit. I have nothing to add to his excellent TR. The route was in fine nick today. The route through the forest is obviously popular with backcountry skiers. Snowshoes were not needed. The Couloir immediately below the summit is very steep. I was there after the snow was softening and did it with one axe but if I had been there earlier when the snow was firm then I would have appreciated a second tool. His route should be preferred over the NW Ridge Route. I did see another persons tracks immediately below the summit. Looked like they went up the day before. I was not able to find the summit register placed by WildWanderer despite looking in all the obvious locations where it could be located. A nice route for this rarely climbed peak. 
5 2
4/16/2023
Route: West side ascent, East side ski descent
Posted On: 4/19/2023, By: SnowAlien
Info: Tour de V3. After several springs of waiting for and missing windows, the time finally came. We started from the town of Ophir and essentially replicated PKR route of the west side (see his TR and map, my Delorme died from cold once again). Snow conditions were too variable and the chossy gully above the bench too unpleasant as a downclimb option, so we focused our attention on the east side. Luckily, there was no cornice and the line went from just below the summit block. We followed the most logical line down and were able to ski through the cliffs below. Great coverage this year. We dreaded the exit, but had good instinct to stay high on the left side of the Swamp canyon, and found some old ski/skin tracks that were easy to follow back to town. 
14 5
5/14/2022
Route: East Couloir
Posted On: 5/14/2022, By: supranihilest
Info: Continuous snow to within 20 feet of the summit. Ophir Pass Road is gated 0.3 miles from the trailhead. Follow the road and take the right split into Swamp Canyon and then climb southeast up a broad couloir to a flatter area. Climb the waterfall-topped ledges and cliffs southeast to the middle basin (below US Grant Peak's north face). Follow another broad couloir toward the upper basin but not to the ridge. Below the large summit block go slightly left to reach the top of a knob. This is the upper couloir and leads to the 20-foot Class 2+ summit block. The "standard" northwest ridge described in trip reports is already dry on the upper couple hundred feet so if snow climbing is in your quiver this is a far better and safer route. Snow was supportive all day and highly suncupped which made for easy steps most of the way up. Maximum angle was probably 45-50 degrees. Gear: ice axe and crampons mandatory, flotation not mandatory with a good freeze and early start (4am for us). 
10
8/20/2021
Route: Swamp canyon
Posted On: 8/20/2021, By: tdawg012
Info: I followed Furthermore's route. The last 500 feet to summit was covered in bullet proof snow and ice underneath. Not fun. Many nearby peaks got the same treatment on that aspect (NW). Fortunately, I found a different way down the saddle between V3 and US Grant. It should melt out in a few days I think... 
7/16/2021
Route: UN 12,348 shelf, west face down
Posted On: 7/16/2021, By: Bombay2Boulder
Info: Took the hardrock route up to the saddle with the 12er UN 12,348. After that took the "standard gully" route. This was very loose, the class 4 rock was very sketchy for my comfort so I stuck to the gully and went all the way up. One important thing to note is that I was monitoring weather for this for the last 3 weeks. I will NOT do this in summer after a long dry spell, that soil will not offer any grip when totally dry. If you have any experience in San Miguels you know what I am talking about. It really helped me that there was a continuous wet spell for the last two weeks, soil was very grippy because of this. Coming down I took the west face, I much preferred going down this than the crap I came up on. This does require some navigation thru the ledges near the waterfall to reconnect back to the hardrock trail. Reminded me of the loft route on Longs. If you have snow travel skills, leave this one for spring, as everyone else has mentioned this will be an amazing continuous climb/ski.