North Ridge/Mayflower Gulch Approach

North Ridge/Mayflower Gulch Approach

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 39.42310°N / 106.1228°W
Additional Information Route Type: hike
Additional Information Time Required: Most of a day
Additional Information Difficulty: Class2
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach


Hike 1.1 miles up the road to 11,360. Leave the road and head 0.2 mile northeast, crossing Mayflower Creek and head for the Pacific Creek drainage. Be very careful not to miss this drainage as you are bushwacking at this point and could lose valuable time for this long hike. Climb 0.7 mile northeast up Pacific Creek. When this beautiful basin begins to open up and the creek turns south, cross the creek and head northeast up to the really steep part of Pacific's west ridge, you are officialy bouldering the rest of your journey. From here you can see Crystal Peak 1.6 miles ahead. Traverse 0.9 mile to the bottom of Pacific's and Crystal's saddle-ridge.

Route Description


Climb up broken talus and gain the ridge (class 2+). The view of Pacific's northwest face is amazing from this perch. From here you can go for Pacific or head to Crystal the opposite way. I had planned on summiting both, so I left for Crystal Peak first. Hike about 0.5 mile up more broken talus to the summit. The view here of Pacific is very cool and your route across the connecting ridge looks harder than it is. You also get a good view of the back-side of Copper Mountain Ski area toward I-70. Hike back down to the saddle and back up Pacific's north ridge. Toward the top you have to make one or two minor class 3 moves to gain the gully to Pacific's summit notch. Climb the short gully and Pacific is yours. A few other thoughts about this amazing hike, start early, summiting both peaks will cover around 10 miles round trip and close to 3,800 ft. of vertical with a lot of it bouldering. Be prepared for some route finding 3/4 of this route is not on a trail. Again I'll stress to not miss the Pacific Creek drainage.

Essential Gear


Prepare for an overnight stay in case of an emergency.

Miscellaneous Info


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Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.