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Last September I pulled out of the Kelso ridge when it was covered in a layer of fresh snow, so it was high on my list of unfinished business.
This year the conditions were awesome. The ground was wet enough to bind the gravel which made for comfortable footing on looser parts of the trail.
I consider myself a bit cautious, but I was surprised by how easy this was. There was a well-defined trail all the way up. When it crossed rocky sections the trail was obvious because previous users had cleaned the rock of lichen and weathered grains.
The trail is pretty easy to follow
Some of the locals
I kept looking for the obstacles described in Bill's Route description. I didn't notice the Class 3 scrambling in Photo 10. At one point I got to a trail that dropped down to the left of the ridge, I figured it might be this path but there was trail along the ridge. Not wanting to loose height I followed this trail without any trouble.
The same with the White Rock wall (photos 12-17). I can't recall getting off the ridge and climbing a Class 3 white rocks. Perhaps these were not significant and I accomplished them without pause or I just ended up following a trail that by-passed them altogether.
I definitely joined the route as described when I dropped to the left of the ridge to skirt "some large, smooth, angled rocks, climb steeply to the right to reach the top of the bump". (Photos 28-30 in the Route Description) I was glad to have Photo 31 to guide me back up to the ridge and on the Knife's Edge.
The Knife's Edge was easy for me. I straddled the ridge and edged across using my arms to propel me. Not very elegant, but needs must. To my surprise I didn't even notice the drops on either side as I went across, but I can well imagine that some people would totally freeze at this point. It's not a place if for people who can't deal with exposure. The drop-away selfie. Looking into the Dead Dog Couloir from the beginning of the Knife's Edge How Kids cross the Knife's Edge How the Man with Kids crosses the Knife's Edge
There were some people, who seeing myself and another person ahead of me coming up, decided to descend the Kelso Ridge from the summit. I'm pretty sure they did this on a whim. I pointed them down the crack (image 31) after the Knife's Edge, which was the most challenging remaining point in their way. I met them at the car park 2.5 hours later. They made it but scrambling down some of the terrain I'd come up, but it was not much fun.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
I overprepped for Kelso (training, gear, food/water, route studying), and when I got there the wind and rain was howling at 30+mph and freezing ice, so I just did Grays (my first 14er). Grays was so easy, and felt disappointed by all the build up...Kelso had mix of "easy" and "very difficult" discussion...After Gray's, I'm going to divide by 3 everyone's description of difficulty...
Grays is definitely an easy 14er, and I understand the frustration of bailing out on Kelso and having to settle for Route 1. Keep in mind that the route descriptions for the more accessible peaks are probably written to cater for people with no experience. I've seen people quite ill-prepared out there, so if they skew a little on the difficult side then that might be to try and keep the Sunday strollers from getting in over their heads.
Another point is that different people are scared by different things. The Knife's edge was easy for me because I could straddle it and inch my way across. I was slightly freaked out watching some people cross on their feet rather than their bums. I know people who would have frozen on it even if they were on belay.
In my brief experience, I've noticed that the hardest points on the Class 3 Routes might not be the crux of the route as described in Bill's route description. There was one point on the East Ridge of Bierstadt where I had to step across an exposed point between two rocks. The crux for me, but not in any trip reports I saw. Similarly there were two gullies to cross on the West Ridge of Quandary that freaked me out a more than either of the walls or the big gully, but which only one other person felt worthy of a mention. Each to their own.
Generally, I've found the Class 3 routes easier than I expected based on my research, but I resist the temptation to over discount others' advice. The Mountains can be unforgiving so a little healthy respect goes along way. I'm sure as your knock off more 14ers you'll find the points which push you - No surprise if it is not on Grays!
Happy Trails
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