Flattop Mountain - N side  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  10,500' Page Views:  9,844. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Ben Mottinger, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monomaniac, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Joel Levenberg on Oct 24, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

BETA PHOTO: Taken March 2005 from Notchtop Couloir.

Description 

In a fine little drainage between Notchtop and Flattop mountains, you will find a multitude of rock and snow/ice routes. There are many possible routes up and down Flattop (due south), Notchtop (due north), and the terminus of the drainage, Ptarmigan Cirque (due west).

For the purposes of organization, we'll limit this subarea to those mixed/ice routes on the northern aspect of the mountain which are approached from the Emerald Lake area.

There are at least 4 distinct routes and 2 variations here including:

Flattop Gully
East Couloir WI2
Hourglass Couloir WI3-4
West Couloir WI3 M2

Getting There 

Park at the Bear Lake Parking lot (newly renovated) at the end of Bear Lake Road. Hike north of Bear Lake on the Flattop Mountain Trail. Follow signs to Odessa Lake, forking off of the Flattop Mountain trail. Break off trail and continue southwest past Lake Helene and up the obvious drainage.

The Classics

Featured Route For Flattop Mountain - N side

West Couloir WI2-3 M2  CO : CO Ice & Mixed : ... : Flattop Mountain - N side

West Couloir is the right of the three Flattop Mountain Couloirs at the head of Odessa Gorge. The first 500' is beautiful 50-60 degree alpine ice in the summer, which then necks down and turns to snow. If its melting out, there will be a 1-foot wide ridge of snow with trenches between it and the rock in the neck of the couloir that makes the climb interesting and provides a touch of mixed climbing in late summer. 200' of 55-60 degree snow to the top. ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CO

Photos of Flattop Mountain - N side Slideshow

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A view of the "Ptarmingan Fingers" (N side of Flat...