7/11/2023 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 7/11/2023, By: emilyexplores Info: Bushwhack was relatively straightforward with minimal undergrowth for the Sangres. Once on the ridge crest, lots of herd path to follow, so navigation was slightly easier than expected. Scrambling was great, lots of solid conglomerate (noting theres almost always a Class 2 workaround should you not be inclined to scramble). Upper ridge was longer than expected, a great surprise that really drew out the fun part of the ascent. |
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7/1/2023 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: MTBen Info: Completely snow free except for a couple of tiny spots near treeline. A lot of blowdown around the beginning of the bushwhacking section. |
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11/20/2022 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 11/23/2022, By: kwhit24 Info: We also did this clockwise to get the most difficult (albeit the shortest peak) early on. We stayed on the Horn Creek Trail for about 1.25 miles until about elevation 9,800' then left to start gaining the NE ridge of Little Horn Peak. The trail didn't have too much but once we left it the snow became more prevalent. In parts we could kind of avoid it but higher we got the more we found. There's about 1,200'-1,400' of suck walking through the trees and snow about mid shin deep. Once we got above the tree line the snow became more of a nuisance. We followed the rocky ridge all the way around the Dry Creek bowl to Horn. Off Horn the "trail" is tough to follow and more a game trail. Once we got down the trees the trail was difficult to follow due to the snow. On the lower trail there are areas that are pretty clear but I'd say 90% of it is snow covered in mostly ankle deep snow. the last mile or 1.5 miles we walked in the almost dark due to a later start since Google maps took us down the wrong road. Overall it was a slugfest of a day with plenty of false summits to really get our hopes up. Weather was fantastic with almost no wind and clear skies (12.47 mi; 5,696' gain; 9:43:21 total time) Start at TH 8:00am; Little Horn Peak 11:40am; Fluted Peak 1:10pm; Horn Peak 3:15pm; Back to TH 5:45pm |
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6/9/2021 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 6/12/2021, By: quandary34 Info: The Little Horn + Fluted + Horn Peak loop has almost fully transitioned to summer conditions with minimal snow as of 6/9/2021. A few unpleasant, unavoidable snow crossings during the bushwhack up Little Horn's northeast ridge, but otherwise, all snow is easily avoidable and quickly melting. I was able to do the whole loop in trail runners without ever using my microspikes or axe. The loop itself comes out to about 12 miles with 5400 feet of gain, and there are a few easy Class 3 sections scattered throughout: near the top of Little Horn as described in the route on 14ers and on the southwest ridge of Horn (although this one could potentially be avoided with better route-finding). Great loop that I would recommend for anyone looking for a big day in the Sangres! |
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12/7/2020 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 12/7/2020, By: angry Info: Trench in place all the way to ridge. Did not use traction or flotation. Bluebird day and zero wind, felt better than summer. |
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11/27/2020 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 11/28/2020, By: bmcqueen Info: There was a decent amount of unconsolidated sugar snow from about 10k to when I finally hit treeline on the ridge about 11,500. I put the snowshoes on and they were moderately helpful. Up high, I was mostly on windblown rock. |
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10/10/2020 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 10/11/2020, By: Grover Info: Dry as of this posting. Add me to the group of those reporting this route (summiting Little Horn first, if going for the trifecta) is a great scramble. Route finding in the trees going up the ridge is not bad at all. Plenty of game trails to keep you moving along. Rock is solid when you start needing to use your hands and feet. |
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9/20/2020 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 9/20/2020, By: bunny256 Info: Did the loop from Horn. Route is 99% dry, the snow that's there is all avoidable and/or inconsequential. |
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5/23/2020 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 5/24/2020, By: Sbenfield Info: Summer |
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5/2/2020 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 5/2/2020, By: supranihilest Info: Almost summer conditions - almost. From the trailhead dry conditions abound, then somewhere around 10,500' or so the snow starts and it's deep and awful. Waist deep postholing is the name of the game until treeline (at least without snowshoes like we opted to do), whereupon there's almost no snow at all. The final scrambles to the summit are a joy and are totally dry on solid rock. Exposure is high in spots but not insane. If Little Horn is your only objective return down the northeast ridge. If continuing to Fluted and Horn the remaining route is dry until you're back below treeline again, where the snow returns. |
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7/5/2019 Route: via Fluted Pk Posted On: 7/6/2019, By: nathansmithpiano Info: Beautiful weather, totally dry, full summer on the Horns and Fluted. Hiked Venable, Spring, and Comanche, same, all from N Crestone TH. Only downside: mosquitos meant BUSINESS until about 11,500 or whenever a breeze came through. |
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6/28/2017 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 6/29/2017, By: desertdog Info: Snow free the whole way. |
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7/9/2016 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 7/11/2016, By: JasonKline Info: Summer conditions. Any snow was easily avoidable. |
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12/16/2012 Route: Northeast Ridge Posted On: 12/19/2012, By: Marmot72 Info: Passage to TH was easy; only a small amount of snow. The Rainbow Trail was bare in many spots and had only a couple inches of snow most of the way. We took the trail to Horn Creek for a mile; it varied from 3-6 inches of snow. We left it as the trail enters the basin and struck up the SE slopes to hit the ridge. Snow got deeper in some parts under the trees; as we got to the ridge crest, the wind had loaded snow in some pretty deep drifts-we postholed well above the knee in certain spots. Once past these difficulties, though, the ridge became mostly dry, as the 40 mph wind was trying to sweep everything (including us) off of it. |