Ice Mountain

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 1/21/2026, By: Yikes
Info: Went back after trenching to treeline on Sunday. There isn't much tundra or scree in the upper basin, ridge or peaks... just a million medium sized rocks. So it was very slow travel, having to be very deliberate in every foot placement to prevent dropping knee deep between the rocks. Even with caution, I ended up head over heels a few times. The snow is probably holding the loose rocks on Ice together, but I still pulled down a few. Crux chimney was pretty easy. The only challenge was a 10' class 4 move further up with a near vertical face on the left where my crampons let loose; fortunately I had good hand holds and didn't fall off the mountain. I tried to find a different/safer descent, but wasn't comfortable with the options, so decided to upclimb and then reverse the class 4 moves. I'm glad I was able to take advantage of driving to Winfield this "winter", but it was still an effort to get these 2 peaks (15hr car-to-car). 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 1/18/2026, By: Yikes
Info: Trenching trip up to Apostle Basin, 11500'. Parked at Winfield, road was very dry except for one ice patch.

Nice day in the mountains. Not much snow until Lake Ann split, then a bit of work trenching up to the basin. Not much wind, so probably won't fill back in for a few days. Anyone looking for an "easy" winter Ice Mtn, tomorrow MLK might be a good day to attempt. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 10/8/2025, By: DrSluice
Info: The summit ridge of Ice is in terrible shape (snow and ice, go figure). Plenty of slippery conditions on all of the most concequestial moves. At this point I'm sure it wont have dry contitions again until next summer. North Apostle was almost totally dry and very easy. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 8/23/2025, By: Laxer04
Info: summer conditions. aspens are starting to change already. summit register for ice could use a new pad. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 8/3/2025, By: notidealbutfine
Info: Started about 1.3 miles below the 4WD TH at 5:00AM. Not much to note in terms of conditions; there's no snow whatsoever in the gulley at this point so it climbs a little loose as a result, but I didn't think it was anything to write home about. The crux chimney at the top of Ice seemed a little more difficult than class 3, but I probably could have chosen a better line. Really fun scrambling from the saddle to the summit of Ice. The class 2 hike up North Apostle was short and not particularly noteworthy. Ice is definitely one of the best peaks in the Sawatch! Easily 150+ people on Huron today, but only about 10 on the Apostles. 12.64 miles / 4,180' gain / 6 hours, 38 minutes 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 8/4/2025, By: cdgibbons
Info: Turned back on Ice after this monsoon pattern brought a third straight day of 7 AM storms, with the proverbial 0% chance...6 of us on the mountain on a Saturday in August; spoke with 3 others who pressed on and made it.

Posting not to complain about weather forecasting but instead to name that there's a serviceable climber's trail through the bushwhack section. After crossing the creek, parallel it a bit to the south, pass the gnarly wood in the first photo and go through that gap; continue parallel to the creek in marshy meadows to the cairn in the second photo; turn left there and climb to the cairn in the third photo and enter the forest between those two trees; follow the trail segment to the rock in the fourth photo and turn left, uphill, and follow to a cairned exit at 11,900. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 7/12/2025, By: sehessler92
Info: All snow avoidable. The scramble up to the saddle actually makes you appreciate the willows A LOT. Two other groups were hiking spICEy, both of which yelled “rock” that we could hear from North Apostle so check and double check those handholds. The gully crux wasn’t as difficult as it looks (probably a very difficult class 3 due to exposure and rock quality) just take your time and test your hand and footholds. I was able to butt scoot/crab walk down the crux gully without much difficulty(my pants on the other hand took a beating..). Most of the rock seems pretty solid in the crux but there are a couple rocks that didn’t get that memo. Also saw a thiccccccc porcupine this morning around 4-4:30 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 7/8/2025, By: jcgeissler
Info: Summer conditions as has been said before. The bushwhack was frustrating there and especially back when tired. Beautiful day. Wonder if the bushwhack could be avoided if you stayed west of the stream and scrambling the boulder debris field and met up with the trail. Scree fields heading up to the gates was sucky. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 7/6/2025, By: Sbenfield
Info: Took the standard route along with North Apostle. Summer conditions, no need for any microspikes or axe. Ice summit scramble very fun and enjoyable. Met a great group of other hikers as well. Attached a photo of refrigerator. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 6/30/2025, By: understaffedpackraft
Info: Clear, some snowfields on the way up you can take or avoid. Dry on the upper mountain and in the Staircase! Superb conditions. 

Route: Refrigerator
Posted On: 6/28/2025, By: jbealer
Info: Took the fridge up to ice then traversed over to n apostle. Left upper th at 2:30am, base of couloir at 6:30am. Lower sections once you leave trail are wet. Snow was perfect to the top and in the shade till we topped out. Rock was clear to the summit and over to apostle. Any snow was avoidable. Just used crampons and 2 axes up the couloir.
Go get it! 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 6/9/2025, By: jfm3
Info: I attempted the Ice/North combo on June 8 but only got North Apostle. The snow conditions in the upper basin, above the treeline, are dangerous for those traveling only by foot. The snow is mostly bottomless slush, occasionally covered by a thin layer of breakable crust. It is also DEEP- easily 4-5 feet in some places. I intended to climb the Fridge to the top of Ice, but I elected not to because I wasn't sure about the snow conditions in the upper couloir. Even with a freeze overnight above the treeline the snow was already soft and unsupportive by 7 AM. I used crampons and 2 ice axes to climb/wallow my way to the saddle. The descent was hideous. I sank in on almost every step. There were some small crevasses in the middle of the lower snowfield and at one point I was in snow up to my chest as I was face-in downclimbing. The snow wasn't as deep on the downhill side, but it was still not a good situation. I saw 2 people skiing down the couloir. The snow needs a significant freeze/thaw cycle to consolidate all the way down to the ground. Skiing is the only safe/enjoyable mode of travel right now. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 6/5/2025, By: truekyle
Info: Taken from Huron 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 9/29/2024, By: andrew85
Info: Full summer conditions up to about 13,500. Lots of lingering snow on the final ascent from any access point from the north, bring traction. Recommend doing North Apostle first to avoid the gully and access from the ridge as this will minimize the amount of snow you have to contend with though some will be inevitable if it doesnt melt out. South side of the ridge and summit is completely melted out. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 9/15/2024, By: hanada
Info: Crux gully has snow in it that we thought is likely to not melt out again this season. We were still able to climb up it with spikes. We did not feel it was safe to go down this way, so we down climbed to the right (looking down) of standard route which was class 4, but mostly dry. One of our group who did not bring spikes also went up that way. I highly recommend what others have said about going one at a time on this section. It is LOOSE with potential to knock some big boulders down.