This is my first trip report on 14ers.com, so bear with me... it may not be the best.

At 14 years old, I am working very hard to finish the 14ers before starting high school. Also, I have started climbing some of the Centennial thirteeners, in hopes to be the youngest person ever to climb Colorado's 100 highest peaks. Does anyone know who the youngest is?

Regardless, one of the peaks I had been a bit nervous for was Ice Mountain. I have done about all of the 14ers (all but North Maroon and Pikes), so I certainly have some experience scrambling, but somehow Ice seemed really intimidating to me. The crux chimney looked steep and exposed and the rock quality poor.

We left friday afternoon (23rd of July), and along the two hour drive rain hammered us relentlessly. In places I-70 was flooded, and I believe Glenwood canyon was closed due to a large muslide. We turned off of the highway, and began our way along clear creek. There was evidence of rockfall and large scale flooding. It was still raining lightly. We camped near Clohesy lake, and it rained for most of the night. Saturday we climbed Missouri Mountain, Iowa Peak and Emerald Peak. Around 8 am ( just passing over the saddle between Iowa and Emerald) heavy fog moved in, and it rained for about an hour. We descended back down to the main road, then drove to the Huron peak/Lake ann trailhead, and started drying out gear in a nice campsite a quarter mile northwest of the TH. We planned to climb North Apostle and Ice Mountain the next day.

Quick facts: Distance: 9.4 miles Vertical Gain: ~4k Time: 8:10

We started hiking down the lake ann trail around 4:30. A gentle pace brought us to the Hamilton Townsite after ~22 minutes.Left turn onto the Three Apostles Trail, then another 20 mins to the trail's end in a large meadowy area and some nice campsites, between the two forks of south clear creek in the upper basin. After the recent rains this entire area was flooded. We crossed west through the swamp, and hopped over the west fork of the east fork of the south fork of clear creek (haha... the creek on your right when you are going up valley). We then traversed all the way back around left. On our way down, we went immediately right and descended through the forest east of the swamp, then came back into the trail lower. There were fragments of trails here, and I highly recommend using this route, although it is very hard to locate where best to turn off, especially in the dark. The following directions should help you find this far superior route: Follow the three apostles trail as it climbs gently, to the west of the east fork of the south fork of clear creek. the trail breaks out of the trees in a large flat meadow. Follow it through the meadow until it comes to the creek. Cross the creek on rocks (where the trail brings you to), or at high water on a log 150 feet upstream (requires bushwhacking). The important thing is to turn left and follow a trail that initially heads northeast, not the more major one that goes southwest. this trail was very wet when we were on it, but the valley had just received 3+ inches of rain, so I dont think it normally is. Follow this trail as it weaves through willows, until a small rocky outcrop is on your left. It has some trees growing on it. Turn left and head east until you reach the edge of the forest. You want to cross uphill of the rock. Follow the edge of the trees south until reaching a small side creek, and a forested hillside with granite slabs. A strong use trail develops around this point. Follow it east directly up the fall line, then southeast until you break out of the trees on a small boulder-field-covered shoulder. That was easy... Now climb 150 vert along the boulders, then traverse southwest, bypassing the large, north facing cliff band on its east side. Plentiful cairns will guide you across the large, broad ramp, until you reach a point with a view of the tarn Roach describes. The route finding finally ends. we had a really nice time hopping up incredibly stable boulders to the saddle between North Apostle and Ice Mountain at 13,460. A cliff band in the basin is easily bypassed in a gully on the east side. We reached the saddle at 7:00 am, 2.5 hours from the car. The swamp did not save us any time.

We took a nice break, then started up Ice's East ridge. Follow cairns and the very obvious trail around on the north side of the ridge to bypass the first fin, and reach the notch on the west side. Class 2 to this point. Continue up the ridge, always on, or slightly north of the crest. Encounter some fun but very easy 3rd class moves with nice exposure to your left. Rock quality is great to here.

Continue along the ridge until it loses its definition and a rock step forces you onto the north face. Follow class 2 ledges with plentiful cairns around a corner, where the crux comes into view, all the way up into the steep rocky couloir.

By this point the rock has deteriorated from solid granite to fractured rock of some kind (not granite. I am no geologist.) When we climbed it, there was water in all the cracks, making the rock extraordinarily fragile. I would say the rock in the gulley is worse than that on Pyramid or the Bells. Carefully climb the couloir's west side. Roach calls it 3rd class. I feel that the hardest move is exposed 4th on bad rock. Possible alternatives are the chimney in the next gulley east ( I have heard that it is low 5th), or what caught my eye was the rib to the west of the standard gully. It looked like spectacular 4th on great rock. After down climbing the standard gulley, we felt no need to try the rib, but if I were to do Ice Mountain again, I would try it. I would appreciate if someone could provide beta on it.

After retracing our steps to the saddle, we darted up North Apostle. Even moving really slow it was only 12 mins from saddle to summit. The rocks are stable and movement is efficient. The summit is awesome, and the view to Ice is spectacular.

We spent over an hour on the summit of North Apostle, watching curious pikas, clouds, and the incredible view out to Huron, Missouri, Belford, Oxford, Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Princeton, Antero, Shavano, Tabeguache, Cronin, Hope La Plata, Grizzly, Ice, Emerald, Lackawanna, Massive, Castle, Cathedral, Pyramid, Capitol, and a thousand others. What an amazing place!

In all, an absolutely great set of peaks. My concern about Ice Mountain seems to have been uncalled for, but the crux chimney is every bit as difficult as advertised. If you are debating between two objectives, choose Ice and North Apostle. Well, unless capitol is on the itinerary. Then choose capitol. Or Maroon or Pyramid. I do love the elks.