2014 Colorado Snow Climbing Thread

Taylor-B. wrote:Does any one have a recent picture of Dark Star on Mt. Meeker?

Meeker from Chasm Juntion 6/7

Looked in but thin from the hike down the Loft from the top of Dutchman.

Did the Snave today, really fun. Mostly snow, a little ice in spots, a little more rock than ice.

Mt Evans, 6/11/14.

The Northeast Couloir on Mt. Arkansas was in exceptional shape on Tuesday. The crux is completely filled in and the cornice is easily passable on climbers left. Such a fun climb with a short approach! Go check it out!

Mt. Arkansas NE Couloir.

Entering the NE Couloir.

First turns! Yeehaw!

Anyone been up Bell Cord recently? Especially looking for comments on the status of the descent, either via South or North Maroon.
Thanks!

Mark E Dixon wrote:Anyone been up Bell Cord recently? Especially looking for comments on the status of the descent, either via South or North Maroon. Thanks!

Stole this from the 14ers.com FB page from 6/10. There are some more recent pic of N. Maroon too I believe.

Bell Cord.

Thanks Scott!
I have been following 14ers, but nothing posted in the last week or so. Will also ask there, but on MP I have a better idea who's opinion deserves consideration.
That's quite a runnel. I might take an extra tool just for that.
Kind of wondering how snowy the top out and descent are going to be, we are not going to be the strongest party for an alpine epic.

Eric Klammer wrote:North Face Couloirs on Pacific Peak need some more time in the oven. The snow is unconsolidated for the most part and large cornices loom overhead on the West ridge. Rock fall is a definite concern as well with many small stones coming down the couloir way too frequently. No sign of ice yet and I'm guessing it will be at least a couple weeks to a month before any shows.

Is the North Couloir any better? Any ice on it yet?

Brown Guy wrote: Is the North Couloir any better? Any ice on it yet?

None this morning. Firm neve past the dogleg. Just below the top out is getting there.

Climbed Juliet on Neva yesterday 6/12. Still plenty of snow in the area and in/on Skywalker and North Star on Arapahoe. North Star looked particularly fat and tasty. Snow was already soft by 8 so get up early. Cornice atop Phoebe is dramatic! Road up to July is in nasty condition and driving very slowly in the pre-dawn hours is required.

W and S aspects of South Arapahoe from Neva.

Skywalker, 6/12/14.

Juliet.

Neva basin/Lake Dorothy area.

Does anyone have any info on Longs, particularly the North Face?

Finally! first time all year I wasn't kicking steps: the clear skies overnight and long-wave radiation cooling set up the snowpack solidly in the Indian Peaks, and I finally got to climb on some névé on Skywalker -- even had to remind my calves what front pointing is all about for much of the upper half. Sweet!

Went up to Chaos Couloir in RMNP today. I think.

MP and Summit Post both refer to a rock step on the route. I did not see that. Was just West of Lake Haiyaha and looking north towards Hallet's south flank. There wasn't anything else in Chaos Canyon climbable but the canyon headwall, so I'm pretty sure I climbed Chaos Couloir, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Chaos Couloir

It was great neve snow. Front points the whole way and two tools in a stiffer section near the top.

On the way back to trailhead, I took Ptarmigan Snowfield to check out the Fingers. The third finger has two small cornices bookending the top of the route. The 1st and 2nd have big cornices. Here's a photo of the debris field from some cornice calving on the second. The chunk in the foreground is about the size of my minivan.

Debris field from cornice on 2nd Ptarmigan Finger.

Andy Novak wrote:Does anyone have any info on Longs, particularly the North Face?

Yesterday, 6/15, the North Face still has quite a bit of snow, with steps in most of the way. The snow was pretty icy at around 7 am. There was some thin ice between the top eyebolt rappel and the third eyebolt.

That little freeze really helped out. Did some easy skiing on Sunday and threw on the microspikes. The top inch was still corn at like 1pm, but I was kicking steps up a 30ish degree slope.

Climbed a route on Notchtop on Saturday, June 14, 2014. Still a LOT of snow up in this range. Watched some guys climb Flattop Gully I think it was. Top of that looked a bit committing but do-able.

Couldn't see all the way up the Notchtop Couloir but it looks the snow was rotting out higher up. Lots of it down low. We brought tools/pons to be on the safe side but this could be carefully negotiated with 1 axe I presume.

Looking up at the Ptarmigan Glacier. June 14, 2014.

Working our way up the Notchtop Couloir on the approach for Notchtop. June 14, 2014.

Down climbing the Notchtop Couloir. June 14, 2014.

The ice pitch of Y Couloir on Ypsilon has pretty much melted out. I was there yesterday, climbed the first pitch of crappy snow and had to bail halfway up.

The runnel below it is huge right now. 10' across x 12' deep in places.

Anyone know what kind of shape the north face of pikes is in? Any beta on quandary or fletcher snow will be appreciated as well.

MarktheCPA wrote:Anyone know what kind of shape the north face of pikes is in? Any beta on quandary or fletcher snow will be appreciated as well.

There's not much snow left on Pikes and things were falling apart. Quandary and Fletcher still have a ton of snow and it looks like Wed. night we could get a good freeze!

A dieing TA.

Climbed and skied the northeast couloir on Mount Arkansas on Sunday (6/15). Plenty of snow coverage top to bottom.

Halfway up.

Mount Arkansas.

Does anyone have any insight on the San Joaquin Couloir in Telluride?? I am heading there for the bluegrass festival this weekend and I am wondering if I should bring my gear..

Anyone know what kind of shape Martha is in right now?

Martha is done (totally melted out in several spots). I was up there to do the notch last Thurs and my partner and I were surprised how bad Martha looked.