Mt. Elbert Spring Snow Ascent

“definitely asexual


last edited: 4/10/07 3:59:03 PM”

“The damn dinosaur cannot come on this trip.

The trailhead access is a Barney Free Zone.

Just as all of America should be.”

“What about Tinkie Winkie?”

“I won't even talk about tinkle winkle and it's crew!”

“No......no, Tinkle Winkle is the guy who pisses in the spring.

Tinkie Winkie is the purple thing that carries a purse.”

“Sooooooo,

Tinkle Winkle is pennsy's nickname/alter ego and Tinkie Winkie is the spawn of Barney and ENS's secret lover?”

“Hey, keep me out of your hijinks.
There is no parking in the shenanigans zone.”

“Adventurist -- thanks for the warning. I'll bring my extra large roll of t.p. for eddieS this time 8-S

You other guys have me rolling but in all seriousness...LNT dictates not winkly stream tinkling!”

“1 week to go”

“If Barney shows up he'll have to stay at Dinosaur Ridge - no further west than that is allowed for fear of damage to native vegetaion and other species.

http://www.dinoridge.org/”

“An "extra large roll"

“Adventurist -- thanks for the warning. I'll bring my extra large roll of t.p. for eddieS this time 8-S

You'll have to show me how it works. LOL”

“Sure thing. Got your back :-)”

“Atleast he warns people along the way that they might encounter his "mound".”

“4 Days!

Per the NOAA.... the weather looks pretty good - sorta long range, but I like the forecast!

Friday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 46. Breezy, with a southwest wind between 15 and 20 mph.

Friday Night: A slight chance of snow or rain showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. West southwest wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.

Saturday: A chance of snow or rain showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 42. West wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 20. West northwest wind around 10 mph.

Sunday: A slight chance of snow or rain showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 42. West northwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.”

“Can't wait to read the TR when yall get back. Still wish I coulda made this one.”

“the snow line is a little above the 10,000 foot mark and is compacted and crusted. It supported me (most of the time) without snowshoes. Allthough at one point I did posthole in a drift up to my waist.

The are prediciting a storm for mid week - we'll have to wait and see what impact that might have. Last weeks snow did nothing in the Elbert/Massive valley but we didn't go above 10,500 this weekend.

Our campsite area is SWEET. Looking east the Gore Range will dominate the view. Turn around and look west and up and Mt. Elbert looms over us. Turn left and look south and the Sawatch Range streches out with craggy, triangular peaks marching away.

Its gonna be good.

The low snowline makes an attempt at Massive, or perhaps Holy Cross or maybe even a more remote and obscure 13er in the Holy Cross area pretty possible. We can take a vote Saturday night of what to do on Sun and Mon.

By staying in the general area of Elbert we can minimize car time and maximize mountain time!

Come On Friday!
last edited: 4/16/07 9:06:59 AM”

“Yay - Thanks for the recon Roam. I'm psyched!!”

“Awesome photos.

Yall suck.”

“woohoo .. a couple days to go!”

“Hey Roam thanks for the report. Question is the campsite you picked out snow free or if it has snow how deep is the snow? I'm trying to figure out what length tent stakes to use. My tent is freestanding but I need to use stakes for guy outs.”

“There is snow in the campsite. I've used tree limbs before to get good depth. Right now the snow is pretty firm and compacted. I'd say its about two feet - more in places.

Pic: View of Mt. Elbert from campsite area.


view of the Gore Range from camp area


Thanks for the pics Eddie!
last edited: 4/16/07 11:33:16 AM”

“Hey lyra! You coming?”

“hahahaha she's excited for all of us to go!”

“Cool Pics Roam. The snow did look pretty firm in the campsite. Should work out just fine.”

“worst case, we'll find ya some rocks you can tie to and sink in the snow.

it'll work out.”

“Haha, that was ENS posting as me accidentally. This trip is about 3,472% more hard-core than I am! But have fun, you crazy kids.”

“haha!

shoot!

Here i wuz thinking that lyra was coming to Colorado.

maybe someday......”

“Really great pics.

I second dayhiker, y'all suck. ;)”

“Sure, maybe one day I'll visit this alleged "Colorado"...if it is indeed a real place!
;-D”

“It's only as real as you make it.”

“I think it'd be worth the pack weight to have some sort of small traction device - like yak trax or something along with you. If the snow condition stay the way they are - we might not 'need' the snowshoes, but some yak trax would be beneficial.”

“I-70 West to the Minturn Exit - Hwy 24 (first exit past Vail going west). Follow Hwy 24 through the town of Minturn, noting the location of Chilly Willy's for burgers on the return trip. There's also a quick shop (with bathroom and gas) in Minturn.

Hwy 24 passes over Tennessee Pass and into Leadville - watch signs going through Leadville. Out of Leadville (try to watch the road and not the view to your right) take a right on Hwy 82. Follow this to the Twin Lakes area and look for a right hand turn on County Route 24 (blue signs). The turn to CR 24 is just past a sign for "Mt. Elbert Power Plant Service Road". Follw CR 24 uphill a little, go past the Lakeview Campground and look for a parking area on the left in a curve that overlooks Twin Lakes down below. There's a sign here "South Elbert Trailhead". Just past the parking area a 4WD road proceeds up the hill - Road "125 1B". This 4WD road is the trail (the first mile or so at least).

If your hiking this jeep road you'll come to a place where the road turns right and a trail continues straight up the hill. DO NOT proceed up the hill. Rather, follow the bend in the trail to the right and you'll go over a small rise and soon come to a bridged creek crossing. Follow that and you'll come to a sign that reads "Mt. Elbert". Our campsite is just downhill in the flat area from the sign.”

“I'm bringing everything,

Snowshoes, Yaktrax and crampons -- first of all so that I may win the gearhead award :-)and secondly cause, just in case.

Well, ok -- I'll watch for the last minute snow report and decide.

In any case, I need to pack. Pack or sleep, pack or sleep -- Sleep today pack tomorrow. Why do I do this to myself???”

“sleep first - dream about gear.”

“Here's info for our plan to conquer Mt. Massive on sunday.

http://www.summitpost.org/route/163676/willow-creek-east-slopes-winter-route-.html”

“Roam, should we pack food, or is it possible to pick some up Friday morning whilst enroute?

also, do you think canister stoves will be ok and can we stop at a gear store to get some canisters?”

“We can hit a grocery store very easily. We could also hit the mother ship (downtown Denver REI - 3 stories of gear nirvana) without being terribly out of the way at all. So - food is accessible once your here.

If we're gonna do the REI stop - cannisters are readily available.

If the temps hold at their predicted levels I think canister stoves will be fine. I'm planning on carrying a white gas myself, just because however - so worst case we'll be able to manage.

It's about a 2.5 hour drive to the trailhead. We'll have plenty of time to take care of those type things.”

“I could also just grab a few cannisters for you guys too. That's no biggy.

You will need to bring your own kayaks however.”

“Awesome. You guys are going to kayak down from the top? Don't forget your paddles!

Zoooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmm!”

“I was thinking about stoves as well. I've got the white gas packed but would love to get by with canister instead. A food stop for last minute snacks additions would be nice. I'm going to bring some freeze dried meals with me (Yuck) to keep it simple. This is going to be a gear heavy trip. Do you guys know of a flowing stream near camp that would make a filter worthy to pack? Melting enough snow to drink will burn a lot of extra fuel.”

“There's a stream that crosses the road and I believe the area you guys are camping has a stream near it?”

“There is a running stream near camp. I don't believe that we'll be forced to melt snow.

Bateaux - I have a large can of white gas fuel at home - your welcome to fill a fuel bottle out of it.”

“At 14,000 feet, and with snows continuing on Mt. Elbert, it will be icy at the top. It us just much more colder at these elevations. Most slopes on Elbert are not steep, but a slope is a dangerous slope if iced.

I have been in this area during the winter. If you want another good workout after Elbert, head further south pass Leadville, make right at Vicksburg turn off. Park at Vicksburg. Hike back a few miles (many switchedback in beginning, pass through what I call xmas tree forest, then over the ridge. You will descend down into the Missouri/Belford/Oxford 14er. Head directly to north face of Missouri...doable, but need crampons and iced ax. This way you don't have to drive all the way back to RMNP (I read your trip description and a mention of going into RMNP). If you head over into RMNP, give me a call since I live in Estes Park.”

“Hey Snowpeak - I've pretty much decided to ditch the idea of going over to the park - too far to drive.

Thanks for the idea for an option.

Options are good.”

“Baeteuxdriver: Cannisters work fine in winter at our elevations. I use the MSR brand with a -10 degree rating. I have used these at elevations just above 12,500 feet in temps of 0 and lower.

I don't mean to butt in, it is just that I have quite a bit of overnight dead-o-winter mountaineering experience in Colorado's high country and wanted to answer some questions.
last edited: 4/17/07 2:12:02 PM”

“You don't know anything....







Hehehehehe”

“I'm bringing a canister stove, it must have been nearly 50 degrees on Sunday. Just have to cozy up to it in the morning. Same with the water filters, they'll freeze overnight unless you snuggle with them, the beeechees.

Also, it'll be windy above treeline, so eye protection like goggles and a face cover would add to the enjoyment.

Plus a Duck. If you have room, I'd highly recommend bringing a Duck.

Just my $.02”

“Jeeze, Is it me or did Eddie give away all the cents he has?

Anybody want to borrow my bug glasses?”