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Peak(s):  Redcloud Peak  -  14,037 feet
Date Posted:  05/31/2011
Modified:  04/11/2019
Date Climbed:   05/31/2011
Author:  BillMiddlebrook
 Redcloud - Sky Blue   

Today's pano from Redcloud
Click for larger images and interactive, Flash version (Try "Full Screen" when viewing the large Flash - it's like being there!)



Stats


Route: Redcloud Peak - Northeast Ridge (standard)
Date: 5/31/2011
Climbers: Me
Skiers: Me
Trailhead: Silver Crk/Grizzly Gulch
Elevation Gain: 3,700'
Time to reach summit: 4.5 hours
Ski Vertical: 2,800'
RT Mileage: 9 miles

The National Weather Service was predicting high winds for much of the north, so I decided to make a quick trip to the San Juans for another ski of Redcloud. It turned out to be a spectacular day with super snow conditions. I'll let the photos do the talking...


Climb


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The familiar view of Handies and Whitecross at sunrise.

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I never get tired of this

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Finally, the sun. 12,700'

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Looking back to the north

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Snow!






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Climbing to the ridge

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On the ridge

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There's not much snow on the trail here but plenty just to the west

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Couloirs and cornices, plus a bit of desert dust. "Gudy Peak" 13,566'

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Wetterhorn Peak

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Uncompahgre Peak

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Approaching the false summit, summit on the left

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Nice cornice

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False summit

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Final pitch

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Looking south to Sunshine Peak

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Looking southwest to Handies Peak


Some familiar names in the summit register from this past weekend.


Ski


The snow was narrow along the east edge of the summit but quickly widened as I skied down toward the false summit.
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Skiing off the summit


From the false summit it was a mellow, corn-covered ski down the NE face.
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Dropping off the false summit

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Looking back at the northeast face

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Looking back at the northeast face

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Big, corny turns down the face

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Wow

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Near 12,300', looking back at the upper basin

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Back to the creek

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Another look at Handies

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The skiing was continuous all the way down to 11,200', 1.5 miles from the trailhead.
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Bye for now...


Topo (blue=hike, red=ski):
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My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):




Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31


Comments or Questions
kimo
User
Wow Bill
6/1/2011 2:19am
The first five or six photos - the pano, the sunrise, and the snow forms are fantastic (esp the sixth snow form). Every photo through your report has a very friendly and organic feel to it, like the day really connected with you. I enjoyed seeing the result.


CargoClimber
Nice
6/1/2011 2:30am
Hey, I was up there on Friday, 27th. It was windy as heck. Just constant gusts, never letting up. Quite draining actually, but we soldiered on over to Sunshine. Great climb to start the year.


pioletski
User
Cheers Bill!
6/1/2011 3:37am
Need to get up there and git me some...


Michael York
User
beautiful
6/1/2011 7:51am
day to be in the mountains, sweet pix!


skier25
User
Great Eye Candy!
6/1/2011 8:15am
Awesome Pictures Bill! You should consider peddling some of your 'bests' to the tourists in Breckenridge! Looks Like you had a great time!


jimmtman
Great Photos and report
6/1/2011 1:24pm
I've never done these peaks and your photos suggest I should do them when there is snow on them. And thanks for this great website!


big_red_pride
User
Awesome photos!
6/1/2011 1:37pm
Great photo's Bill! I cannot wait to get to the San Juans in July to hike Redcloud/Sunshine/Handies.


TheSteege
User
Wilson Peak
6/1/2011 2:32pm
Bill,

Image #17 is that Wilson Peak or Ulysses S. Grant Peak in the background? Awesome photos as usual.

Chris


BillMiddlebrook
User
Distant Peaks
6/1/2011 2:38pm
Chris, that's US Grant Peak (left, 13,767') and South Lookout Peak (right, 13,357'), behind and just right of Handies.

All - thanks so much for the nice comments!


seeker
User
Drive in?
6/1/2011 2:45pm
Gorgeous day you had up there! How was the drive in to the trailhead? Lots of snow or is it finally melting? We're planning on this in 3 weeks. Thanks!
Sharon


BillMiddlebrook
User
Trailhead
6/1/2011 3:02pm
Road was dry and in good condition. Still rough 2WD, though.


bckcntryskr
User
nice ski
6/1/2011 4:04pm
Looks like plenty of lines that need to be skied back there.


stevevets689
User
So jealous...
6/1/2011 7:25pm
of the ski descent! When I went up there (you know when ) I decided to boot it because I wasn't with any other skiers and didn't want to walk the first mile or so in ski boots. I was kicking myself for most of the climb up the ridge...
Looks like you had better weather than we did though! We hit the false summit and thought we were on top because we couldn't see the rest! Oh and it looks like that cornice off the falsy is still about the same size...


benners
User
Nice Bill!
6/1/2011 8:30pm
Good work on Redcloud, coverage on those peaks looks awesome right now.


BillMiddlebrook
User
Pix and Fix
6/1/2011 11:41pm
Pix: Thanks for the positive comments but I must admit that it's easy to get good pics when I take out the DSLR. After skiing Lindsey last week and seeing KansasBoarder's pics, I couldn't help but haul the Nikon D300 up Redcloud since I didn't have the weight of crampons, axe and several other items.

Fix: Ben, Steve, bckcntryskr, Matt and other skiers - GO GET SOME/MORE. Ben and Matt, I have no doubt you guys will (continue to) take advantage of the snow in the area. The San Juans have a ton of snow and I hope you guys find the time to get more.
Be safe.


happy_ledges
Awesome
6/2/2011 1:27am
3 yrs ago i made my first 14er up redcloud on my birthday on 5/31. I have since climbed many peaks and had many adventures. just got back from some snowboard descents in N Arizona. These pics are a siren call...May 2012 will need to come here! Thanks!!


Dancesatmoonrise
User
Finally...
6/2/2011 5:08am
...starting to look just a little like spring.

Thanks for the great photos.

Looks like a really sweet ski. Congrats.



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