Bald Mountain

Bald Mountain

Climb of Bald mountain via the central couloir to the summit (middle peak of the massif) on Saturday, 2022/5/07. Remembering seeing the line from our Section House hut trips, i went back to take a closer look a couple seasons later. We were staying in Frisco for Chris's b-day, so i woke at 3:30 am to depart at 3:46. Arriving at the trailhead at N39.46268° W106.02106° at 10371’ at 4:05 am and seeing snow behind the gate at the trailhead, i set up to approach with skis and a sled. Unfortunately, there was not snow for some distance past the start, so i cached my sled and skis along the trail at N39.45437° W106.02200° at 10563’ after 1/2 mile of slower going. It did turn out there was consistent snow a little past N39.45032° W106.00655° at 10627’. At least half the approach occurs after that, so  early season visitors may consider bringing just flotation. The snow from Baker's tank at N39.44380° W105.99706° at 10892’ (reached at 6:10) to the couloir drainage at N39.43489° W105.99075° at 11021’ (reached at 6:38) was the most accumulated and least consolidated (random post holing to knee deep even before sunrise). The winter snow remaining closer to the trailhead from Baker's tank was not as deep and definitely better consolidated (not really post holing).

Leaving the road, i generally followed to the climber's left of the drainage - the snow was soft in that area but often thin (making for quicker going) on the edge of the bank above the drainage. After a fork, I found myself in a drainage to the left (NW) of the main chute, and put on crampons at N39.43935° W105.98300° at 11581’ to get going at 8:10. I measured the angle of 21 deg, and was using ice axe in one hand and ski pole in the other. I followed the alternate drainage up on top of hard snow to transfer from N39.43969° W105.98140° at 11775’ to N39.43889° W105.97962° at 11800’. From here I ascended the main couloir which is relatively low angle in its lower 2/3 (I measured angles of 34 and 25 deg, was using ice axe in one hand and ski pole in the other). The main couloir continues straight ahead at a modestly steeper angle – I saved that upper portion for the descent. There is a fork that continues on a steeper angle to the left. I followed this, along the hardened track of a debris chunk from a recent cornice collapse. While I measured 36 deg above the cornice debris field, the steepest section continues above that, I believe only modestly exceeding 40 degrees (I was ascending piolet low-dagger with an ice axe in one hand, ice tool in the other). The steeper section tops out at N39.44464° W105.97049° at 13726’ (reached at 12 pm), which is very close to the summit at N39.44472° W105.97050° at 13722’. While the approach was soft in places (post-holing sometimes to my waist, and crawling on a hard surface layer in a few spots), the couloirs (alternate and main) were in good condition. There were very few rocks in the couloirs, also a good sign.

The summit has good views of Quandary, the Tenmile range, Breckenridge, and Frisco-Silverthorne-Dillon. While taking pictures I could tell the snow was softening on the ridgeline along the Bald massif. The next highest summit on the massif is SE of the summit and has the French pass ridge that ultimately links up with Mt. Guyot. There is a separate couloir (seems like more awkward fall line) to that high point (nominally 13634' on topo), with a base starting at N39.42738° W105.98280° at 11177’. Stopping short of those features, I started down at N39.44306° W105.96978° at 13543’ (reached at 1 pm). This descends at a lower angle than direct fork to the summit. I followed the main couloir I had ascended, this time further down its drainage. I recovered my pack at N39.43955° W105.97729° at 12064’ (which had slipped and only slid from near the big debris chink) and camera filter pouch on the way down in the lower couloir. Practically speaking, the main couloir ends at N39.43828° W105.98120° at 11702’ (gain of 2024’). This time I followed down the main drainage to avoid traveling on softened snow. I bailed from the drainage at N39.43645 W105.98689 at 11267' at about 0.25 miles from the road and bushwhacked high along the bank as I had originally approached on. I reached Boreas Pass road at 3:14 pm, Baker’s tank at 3:41, recovered my skis at 5:11, and reached the trailhead at 5:30.

Start: 22.8 lbs (pack and camera), 24.0 lbs (sled)End: 25.4 lbs (pack and camera)

Link to album of photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/19047247@N04/albums/72177720298865981