Tijeras Peak

Route: North Ridge of Tijeras Peak and South Ridge of Music Mountain
Posted On: 7/15/2024, By: jjmirk12
Info: Both gullies have about snow patches about 10-15 feet long at the very base of the gully. Microspikes could potentially be helpful if you are there early in the morning but I think they are unnecessary. The down climb music's east face was more exposed than expected, stay left when looking down the ridge to have less exposure, It's a super fun climb little to no trail most of the hike so it feels very rugged! Be warned, if you are camping at lower lake the mosquitos are pretty brutal. 

Route: East Face from First Gulley
Posted On: 6/25/2024, By: JakeByk
Info: Both gulleys still hold enough snow to climb up and want an axe / spikes to gain the upper slopes. The bushwhack up from lower sand creek is a bit rough, follow the waterfall on the right side for a bit of a cleaner ascent away from the willows. I took the rock scramble straight up the north face - expect it to be Class 4-ish at its max - but it's sustained. Also, if you were thinking of descending via the headwall where the ridge meets Music, it goes via a series of steep grassy ledges. Not fun but it goes, for those who are curious. Deadman Basin is dry. 

Route: North Ridge of Tijeras Peak and South Ridge of Music Mountain
Posted On: 6/17/2024, By: supranihilest
Info: The road to Music Pass trailhead is snow free. The trail up and over Music Pass and down to Sand Creek is snow free. From Sand Creek to Lower Sand Beach Lake there are some snow drifts but it's mostly avoidable. We passed around the north side of the lake and ascended steep slopes to the lower lakes. There was one short snowfield ascent we made here and the slopes were very wet. We ascended the southern gully to the upper plateau, which was fine with an axe and microspikes. There was some Class 3 scrambling where the snow ended, pretty exposed and wet but not hard. Once on the upper plateau we ascended the tedious boulderfield under Tijeras' north face and then climbed the central rib which was sustained Class 3 with some Class 4 on solid rock, mostly dry. Nice scrambling here and more sustained compared to the northwest ridge. We then went on to Music, there's some Class 3 along the northwest ridge and then difficulty eases to Class 2 until you're beyond the saddle. If just doing Tijeras the northern gully through the cliffs might be easier to descend. It's a bit taller and steeper and completely full of snow but there's no exposed scrambling (yet) to down climb. 

Route: North Ridge of Tijeras Peak and South Ridge of Music Mountain
Posted On: 6/15/2024, By: HoosierWaffles
Info: Did the tijeras music combo. The trail to lower sand creek lake was a little messy with the fallen trees and snow, but nothing too annoying. The bushwack to the ramp was of a similar level and went quick. The ramp was filled with snow but went fine with spikes and poles. Upper tijeras was basically summer conditions, as was the south ridge of music, as well as the east ridge of music. The bushwack off of music's east ridge went well by getting close to the ascent bushwack sooner than later by avoiding the deadfall. 

Route: North Ridge of Tijeras Peak and South Ridge of Music Mountain
Posted On: 11/4/2023, By: Skimo95
Info: Was able to check out tijeras and music today. I took the ugliest line from lower lake to the crossover gully. I used traction to gain the gully, didnt use it the remainder of the day. Im sure some would want crampons and axe. Fun scrambling up to tijeras, and then a phenomenal ridge route to music. Taking the ridge head on was probably harder than 4th class, but solid and enjoyable. East ridge of music goes very quickly, and I was able to find less bushwhack back to the switchbacks. Someone took a narrow base SxS halfway up music pass, probably has to do with elk season. I parked at grape but upper TH is accessible. 

Route: Northeast face
Posted On: 6/30/2022, By: Wildernessjane
Info: The ramp providing access through the cliff band was very wet and still has some remaining snow. At the top, we were literally getting rained on. We had come over from Pico Aislado and so had not come up this way. We had a very lightweight 30m alpine rope with us and used it as a backup while down-climbing the wet slab on the lower section of the ramp. There was some existing tat that we cleaned up and reinforced. There is also maybe ten feet of snow at the bottom of the ramp that is unavoidable but it was easy enough to kick steps. 

Route: from Lower Sand Creek Lake
Posted On: 6/3/2022, By: markf
Info: The access gully through the cliff band was doable in micro spikes; the snow up there is going fast. Snow is still there on the trail in to Lower Sand Creek Lake and above the lake, but not enough to matter. There are a massive number of recently downed trees between the Sand Creek crossing and Lower Sand Creek, and again around Lower Sand Creek Lake. In both areas there are enough down trees to hinder travel and route finding. The USFS ranger I spoke to (San Isabel NF) did not expect all the trees to be cleared this year. 

Route: From Lower Sand Creek Lake
Posted On: 9/18/2021, By: ScottLovesRMNP
Info: There must be 8-10 "cracks" through the cliffs leading to Tijeras' gentle upper slopes, ranging from absolutely vertical, to super steep & exposed, to do-able with care. From below, there are few cairns to help find the correct (two) access points, and trying to climb in the wrong gully could be really bad. I did manage to find one of the correct ones, even though there was no cairn at the base of the gully. I did finally see a cairn when I got to the top of it. I believe I was in the shorter of the two climbable (class 3) gullies, and it does have some exposure at the top -- a "no fall zone" for sure. I took it very carefully going up, and even more slowly coming down. Other than this crux, the rest of the climb is straightforward. 

Route: Lower Sand Creek Lake
Posted On: 7/28/2021, By: JasonKline
Info: Summer conditions. Route was entirely dry. 

Route: N Ridge
Posted On: 7/19/2021, By: davisrice4
Info: Access gullies almost completely dry. 

Route: North Slope from Music Pass
Posted On: 6/19/2021, By: Aphelion
Info: Both access gullies are still mostly/completely filled with snow. Upper portion is dry, traverse to Music is completely dry. 

Route: North Face
Posted On: 9/29/2020, By: tdawg012
Info: Snow patches on upper North Face. I stuck to the class 3 ribs. I didnt take standard access gulley and opted for a spicier gulley lower in the cliff band free of snow 

Route: NW Ridge from Lower Sand Creek Lake
Posted On: 9/21/2020, By: Tony1
Info: The access gully to get through the cliffy section between the lower and upper bowls is completely filled with snow, ranging from mid-calf deep to mid-thigh deep (average height adult male). It is deeper the closer you get to the western wall where snow fell in from above. The snow was not hard, but not sugar either - a good in-between which made it easy to create a bootpack. My party of 3 had microspikes and helmets, but I forgot my spikes at camp (whoops), so I went first. At least I had gaiters (those helped a ton). Wasn't too bad, was able to pack down to the rock/dirt with almost every step. Near the top, we veered left to finish out the section on dry rock. I imagine the bootpack will stay there until the area receives additional snow. I'd recommend microspikes, helmet, and gaiters right now. Poles couldn't hurt either. I can't speak for how descending this would go, as we went to Music after Tijeras. The mountain was otherwise in summer hiking conditions. 

Route: from Music pass
Posted On: 7/18/2020, By: SnowAlien
Info: The ramps don't have any more snow, but the left one still has some water running down in the middle. We scrambled a bit on the left side. There's rapel webbing, one of the cords looked to be in good shape. Ridge to Music is super fun. 

Route: Lower Sand Creek Lake
Posted On: 7/6/2020, By: Grover
Info: The remaining snow at the far left ramp can be avoided. No need for spikes, IMO. I placed one foot into the snow, stepped over it, and walked between the snow bank below the favored ramp and the rock wall. Images show the view looking down at the snow from above, climbing down the ramp. The climbing in the ramp does take some moves to get the right hand hold/foot placement.