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Vestal Peak?

Original Post
Austin Baird · · SLC, Utah · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 95

When does Vestal start to be climbable? I want to do Wham Ridge before I move back east and I'm hoping I'll be able to by May or June.

Austin Baird · · SLC, Utah · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 95

Also - the TRs that I read tend to vary. Is the ridge soloable for a competent 10+ leader?

Ryan Marsters · · Golden, CO · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 1,431

Can't really answer with certainty and the only time I was in the area was this past May/June when everything seemed unusually dry. However, not sure if you've seen it, but there's a recent discussion on soloing Wham over on 14ers:

14ers.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.…

They have several TRs with late June listed as the earliest date and the pics still show quite a bit of snow on the approach.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
Austin Baird wrote:Is the ridge soloable for a competent 10+ leader?
Tough question for some folks around here.

superdolph.org/BrentsPage.html

Maybe something only you should know the answer to?
Kevin Craig · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 325

Late June could be iffy. July 4 weekend is normally do-able. Looks like the SNOTEL graph for the San Juan and Animas basin is right about at average, so if it stays that way and you can find a decent number of successful trip reports from late June from a number of different years, you have a reasonable chance.

Only you can, or more importantly only you SHOULD, answer the soloing question. You should be very familiar with climbing alpine rock (as opposed to only cragging) before even thinking anout it though IMO. Shyte happens in the mountains.

Matthias Holladay · · On the Road...Looking for a… · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 7,494

Indeed, if one is not familiar with this descent, a pleasant climb could turn into an epic.

Keith Guillory · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 1,005

Agreeing with Brian that it's a personal decision, nonetheless, the route is hard clean rock for the most part and eminently solo material. I mean, it's the mountains and ledges have debris on them but the route was straight-forward with brief cruxes.

As solid as the route is, the descent is that loose. I had no trouble finding a way down a ways then traversed to a saddle between Vestal and Arrow back to a lovely camp.

Keith

jeff gj · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 0

I have done it in early June. The route cleans early and does not hold snow too much. the basin and the descent might be loaded but the route should be fine. OB runs up vestal in early june with students, you should be fine.

Ray Hellinger · · Gunnison, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 350

Well, in theory you can climb it any time of year, right? ha! Climbing it in May is totally doable...just be ready to handle snow in the upper basin (we have had a pretty low snow year but seem to be getting more precip now). If you go early in the morning when its frozen you can probably travel faster than when it completely melted out and is a big boulder field. The line to the right of the face (the "ridge" that most people climb) is just 5.4ish in one short section with the rest in the 4th/5th class range. Right up the middle of the face is my favorite variation that is only 5.6 for a couple hundred feet. The way left goes up to 5.7, but only for a pitch and the rest is mid 5th class. Honestly, I would prefer going when there is snow up there cuz it makes the boulder fields (particularly the descent) much easier.

But don't take it lightly....only a few yrs ago (4 or 5) a somewhat accomplished climber from SLC died on the it.

George Barnes · · Westminster, CO · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 175

Austin,

Here's a picture I took from Jones Mountain this week. Still a bit of snow on there.

Vestal Peak on 6-8-2011. As seen from Jones Mountain A (~15 miles north)

Austin Baird · · SLC, Utah · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 95

Wow. Stupid winter...ruining my plans. Thanks for the picture!

Kyle Christie · · Davis, CA · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 50

2012 conditions?

Anyone know the conditions of Vestal Peak and Arrow Peak this season?

Thanks.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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