Hagar Ski – 4-8-12 : Trip Reports : SummitPost

Stats

Mountains: Hagar Mtn- (13220’)
Route: Started from the gate closure at the end of the dirt road off the Loveland Pass exit 216 on I70W. Climbed an E-facing gully to Hagar’s summit. Ski descent.
Stats:
Elevation Gain ~2600’
Distance ~7 miles
Crew: Heather, Prakash

Approach / Climb

The TH is at the end of a dirt road off the Loveland Pass exit 216 on I70W. Dry Gulch is the valley south of Herman Gulch.

The Dry Gulch TH

We began hiking at ~645AM aiming to make a quick attempt at Hagar and travel to Citadel if the spirits and snow were willing. The first mile of road was dry and we carried skis / snowshoes on our packs. Past the creek crossing I began skinning and Heather popped her snowshoes on.
We stayed to the left of the creek until we were up past treeline, and then crossed over.

View of Hagar as we passed treeline

We ascended a bench to reach the base of our gully for the day. The wind had picked up probably getting close to the 0F windchill forecast for the day.

Base of the Climb

The gully was still icy from the overnight freeze and wind. We went up part of it and threw crampons on. It was warming by the minute though and by the time we got the spikes on the snow had softened up.

Summit

We made summit just as the snow up high reached great condition for the descent. Grays and Torreys as seen from the summit…

Grays and Torreys from Hagar

Citadel and Bethel

Citadel to Bethel

Heather on the summit

Heather on Hagar

I didn't plan to billy-goat off the rocky summit although I carried skis up there.

Fiddling with camera on the "breezy" Hagar Summit (c) Heather

The Descent

Heather begins her down-climb down an alternative route

Heather Downclimbs Hagar

More climbers ascending the gully

Skier Approaches the top of the Gully

I clicked in a few feet below the top.

First Couple turns on the Descent Line off Hagar

The group behind us collects at the top of the gully.

A second group tops out

My descent route…

The rest of my descent route

The descent, while winning no style points, was quick, and fun. After a couple low 40s turns at the very top, I’d say the body of the gully goes in the low to mid 30s.