I've had the X-Rated couloir on Sayres Benchmark on my radar for a while now. I never noticed it the couple of times I climbed nearby fourteener La Plata Peak, but once I saw pictures of Sayres' north face I knew I had to climb it. In addition to Sayres I also planned on tagging two nearby thirteeners - Point 13,460 B and Point 13,300 F - as well as a twelver, Point 12,601. The three additional peaks were essentially just the bumps on Sayres' northwest ridge. I kept a close watch on conditions and when they were finally good I went for it.

I started around 4:45am after a night with a good, hard freeze, and began up the La Plata Trail towards La Plata Peak. I crossed over creeks three times on smaller and smaller bridges: first a large one for vehicles across North Fork Lake Creek, the second across a sturdy foot bridge over South Fork Lake Creek, and then across a log bridge over the unnamed creek draining La Plata Gulch. I kept a close watch over my direction of travel up La Plata Gulch, as I didn't want to inadvertently take the trail too high up La Plata Peak's northwest ridge and have to backtrack. The trail steadily gained elevation and was mostly dry, which made for quick travel. Once the trail flattened out prior to turning up the ridge I just cut off the trail and into the forest. My elevation was almost exactly 11,000 feet, and Sayres Benchmark wasn't yet visible from where I left the trail.

As I hiked up the gulch I kept an eye on Point 12,601, the terminus of the ridge I'd be descending. I wasn't sure exactly what the best descent would be off the twelver so I kept looking for various ways down.

Shy Sayres eventually showed itself with early morning light falling on its upper reaches.

The off-trail hike was a bit of a bushwhack but not as bad as the reputation that preceded it. For the most part it was very straightforward, as the upper gulch was mostly flat, and though there was no trail the willows weren't really that awful. Rock hard snow certainly helped, and I soon found myself in the final stretches. The willows here were certainly very thick, so I hiked down to the snow covering the creek and then just hiked directly up it since it was way easier.

The views of the numerous couloirs on Sayres' north face were splendid.

I gleefully hiked to the bottom of the couloir and plopped down on a rock. I got my ice axe and crampons out, and strapped into the latter, cinching them down nice and tight. It's time to goooooo!

The apron of X-Rated started off easy but quickly reared back into Moderate Snow and then Steep Snow and stayed there to the summit ridge. I switchbacked up the lower portion and eventually began facing in and front pointing in piolet appui (middle dagger) position. I quickly wished I had a second axe or an ice tool but never felt like it was a necessity, it would have just been extra security.

Snow in the couloir was variable, trending towards bulletproof. About half the steps I kicked went right in and about half required three or four kicks in order to punch deep enough to feel secure and balanced. Most importantly though is that it was stable. This stuff wasn't going anywhere, which made me feel much better on such a steep line.

About 800 feet up I came to the first of two short sections of melt-exposed rock. This is also where the angle of the couloir reached its maximum, which was a rather spicy combo. I probably only spent a minute or two climbing through the first rocky section but it felt like a lot longer as I searched for the best way through. I wish I had taken a couple of good pictures of this section, but that was about the last thing on my mind as I hacked out the ice around the rocks looking for holds I could use, ultimately just grabbing the ice with one hand like a rock climbing jug (hey, it's probably at least as solid as a jug found on any random Elk peak!) I'd guess this section was at least 50 degrees if not more, and it really kept my focus.

The second rock band came shortly after the first, though it was melted out more and was a little less steep. The rocks here were covered in gravel but were more spaced apart, meaning I could stay more on snow than being forced to choose between the two.

Above this second rock band the angle relented but only slightly, enough for me to feel less tense about making perfect steps every time. A few more rocks poked out of the snow ahead but the couloir had widened enough that I could just bob and weave around them entirely, avoiding the moments of intense focus required for the rock below me.

A couple hundred more feet up the couloir and I was next to the big rock, which also marked the boundary between Steep Snow and Moderate Snow; below and above, respectively. I breathed a sigh of relief as I climbed up the final ramp to the summit. X-Rated had been a superb, exciting, and intense line and I only had a little bit more to go to the summit.

The final summit ridge was easy and not all that exposed, unless venturing to peer down the north face. I was a little tired and a lot elated sitting on the summit. X-Rated had been 1,800 feet of pure joy. I'd call it a classic, even, and it's a route worth repeating.

There was a short, snowy traverse to Sayres' western summit that I kept my crampons for, and after that things dried out enough that I could just boot most or possibly all of the remaining route. I scampered across the ridge and then packed up my crampons and ice axe.

Most of the ridge to 13,460 B was Class 2 scree and talus, and the first two thirds was quick, easy, and not really noteworthy, with exception of the bright red rock and road that snaked up from Sayres Gulch. I can't imagine the road is actually driveable, as it looked very loose and in a state of disrepair. I couldn't make out any recent (past year or so) vehicle tracks.

From atop the red rock I could make out 13,460 B's summit and the rough towers that stood in the way.

The first few towers were small and rotten but easy enough to get around on the left. After the towers a small catwalk-like protrusion stuck out, and this too was bypassed on Class 2+ terrain to the left.

There was a little more Class 2 talus and elevation gain after the catwalk, but 13,460 B was a few minutes away tops.

The first two thirds of the 13,460 B-13,300 F connecting ridge was - like the ridge prior - easy and fast, mostly tundra. Some snow going north right off the summit was just softening up and posed no safety or difficulty problems.

Near 13,300 F's summit some more rocky outcroppings appeared, this time on very solid granite. Passing around the first on the left and then directly over or through the others, I was able to keep this section at a fun, stable Class 2+.

I had one peak left, diminutive Point 12,601, and this one was ranked, unlike 13,300 F.

There was quite a bit of snow all the way down to the saddle, and it was steep enough that I didn't like plunge stepping it, so I put my crampons (my only traction) back on and skipped down to the saddle.

At the saddle I once again took my crampons off and left my pack behind, since I'd be coming back to the saddle and then deciding whether to descend east or west. The hike up 12,601 was simple and quick, and I stayed below the ridge crest the entire time just sidehilling up in an arcing pattern. The terrain was a bit loose and sandy, but not terribly so, and not nearly as steep as it appeared from a distance.

The descent back to my car would prove to actually be the crux of the day. I had two options: a known eastern descent back into La Plata Gulch which included what looked like a Class 4 down climb on questionable rock replete with large cornice (parts of which had already broken off, which didn't inspire confidence), or an unknown descent west into the forest in Sayres Gulch. The former was a known quantity if I could get down safely, since there was a trail, and the latter had a road (FS 391). I chose the latter based on the crappy looking down climb east, and just hoped I wouldn't find cliffs hidden in the trees or something showstopping like that. (A third option would have been to go north down/under 12,601 back to La Plata Gulch, but seeing it from that side in the morning it didn't look so hot.)

I returned to the saddle, picked up my pack, then contoured across a large snowfield and down into the trees. Things were quite steep most of the way down and the forest was full of patchy, mixed quality snow, small streams, and just stupid amounts of deadfall. I never did find any cliffs, fortunately, but I got my money's worth on the bushwhack out. This was one of the more annoying descents in recent memory. My friend Whiley, who climbed these peaks from Sayres Gulch several weeks later, totally agreed with the assessment of the awful bushwhack; it goes, but it also sucks hard.

After what felt like forever I popped out of the forest next to South Fork Lake Creek. There was no way across the creek, which was probably 50 feet wide, waist deep, and swift, so I just paralleled the creek all the way back to the trail near the trailhead. This was very pleasant and made up for the awful descent through the trees. There was no trail until I got very close to the La Plata Trail but I did pass an old cabin and a fire ring, so I knew others had been up here at least.

Near to the official trail I had to stay above the steep canyon walls of the creek as it dropped dramatically towards SH-82; this was the final unknown, and there was a nice, flat bench that continued to the trail before it switchbacked down and over the foot bridge, so there was no need to worry about the steep terrain above the creek. I returned to my car without issue, the only one at the trailhead. What a great route this turned out to be, and yet another amazing snow climb that should be on everyone's radar!

Statistics

Climbers: Ben Feinstein (myself)
Trailhead: La Plata
Total distance: 12.74 miles
Total elevation gain: 4,983 feet
Total time: 9:06:43
Peaks: Two ranked thirteeners, one unranked thirteener, one ranked twelver

• Sayres Benchmark, 13,743'
• Point 13,460 B
• Point 13,300 F (unranked)
• Point 12,601

Splits:

¹Gearing up.

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