| Report Type | Full |
| Peak(s) |
Wetterhorn Peak - 14,021 feet |
| Date Posted | 07/10/2014 |
| Date Climbed | 06/21/2014 |
| Author | Shawnee Bob |
| Settling scores on Wetterhorn Peak |
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 I'm a little late in filing this report, but there are a few good stories to be told. A pretty good-sized group of people went on this one, and for most of us, it was a first time to summit this peak. The weather was cooperative -- cool, cloudy and breezy, but aside from a little bit of snow on the way down I'm not sure we could have asked for more. Maybe some of the crew who wore shorts would disagree, but that's how it goes sometimes. The storylines, as I saw it, were as follows: Noel, who we all know as the cookie hiker, got turned back on this mountain on her first attempt some time ago. Sketchy conditions were to blame. I missed out twice -- once because of family issues, then a second time because I just wasn't feeling it. Another of our group, Tarra, was making her first go at a Class 3 peak. The approach hike treated us well, though there was plenty of snow to navigate. Some postholing, and a few folks got cuts on their legs. But otherwise, no harm done.        Once we got past the approach and above the yellow dirt, the hiking got a little more rugged. It's about here where it went all Class 2 on us.  Pretty soon after that, we started approaching some gullies under the prow. There was still plenty of snow and a little ice in these things. A couple people went off route, up and over the gullies, to avoid the snow. Most of us just traversed those gullies. It was a little sketchy, but we made it through OK. It would be different on the descent. In any case, once we got past those gullies, we hit the prow and a sizable patch of snow just below the notch that leads you to the summit pitch. Those gullies were Class 3, though of a mellower variety than what was up ahead.    By now, the route was dry. Good thing,too, because this is the steepest and most demanding part of climb. At the same time, it's also really straightforward Class 3 climbing. Folks have likened it to climbing a ladder of rock. I'd say that's accurate. The rock is solid, and route finding is pretty easy. You go up a ways, then you face a couple of options maybe 20 or 30 feet below the top. You can walk an exposed ledge to your left, which leads to an easy scramble to the top, or just keep climbing up steep rock. We all chose the latter, although on the way down I checked out that ledge. Photos make it look spookier than it is, though if it had snow on it, it would be pretty dicey.        Things got interesting on the way down. The snow wasn't particularly firm on the ascent, but firm enough. Even though the temps did not get very high, it was warm enough to soften the snow. That was troublesome just below the prow. Me and Dave both had snow break off under our feet at the tops of the gullies. Both of us were able to arrest quickly, and a good thing, too. I'm not sure where the runout on the gully I was on led. For all I know, I was over a cliff, and on that side of the mountain the dropoffs are significant. Durant also took a spill, and he slid about 100 feet before he hit a rock. The rock stopped his skid. If it had not, the dirt and gravel where that snowfield ended would have halted his fall and he would have been OK. In any case, he banged his leg against that rock pretty hard. He got a good bruising out of it, but was able to descend without any trouble. At the same time, there is a sickening, helpless feeling when you watch someone take a slide like that. The snow had softened to the point where kicksteps were falling apart at our feet. So for future reference, if you're climbing this peak in spring or even early summer and there is snow present, bring that ice axe and at least some microspikes. Definitely worth the extra weight. But not every snow experience was a bad one. Take, for instance, the snow slopes in the photo below...  About half of us decided to do a glissade down these slopes, and aside from a few bumps on the tailbone, that was one of the most fun things we did on the mountain. Nothing like losing several hundred feet of elevation in a matter of 30 seconds. I've waited four years for another crack at this mountain, and it's been on my mind that whole time. Wetterhorn was definitely worth the wait. Noel conquered a foe that turned her back a couple of years ago, and did it in style. For most of us, it was our first time up the peak, and a first-time Class 3 for Tarra, who summitted with her husband, Michael. A couple climbing a mountain together is pretty rad. And as always, it was awesome to hike and climb with Noel, Chuck, Dave and Durant again, while also making new acquaintances with fine folks like Brady, Michael, Tarra and Dan.  All that just gets me to thinking about the San Juans. So many awesome peaks. What's great about Wetterhorn is it is quintessentially San Juan. A great hike, dramatic views, a wicked skyline profile and a mix of hiking and climbing that's pure fun. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow): 
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