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| North Ridge   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 39.46500°N / 106.48°W Route Type: Hike/Scramble Time Required: Most of a day Difficulty: Class 2 - hike/bouldering
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| Page By: mtnhiker13 Created/Edited: Aug 11, 2001 / Sep 1, 2010 Object ID: 155652 Hits: 5870 Loading... Page Score: 84.88% - 10 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
ApproachTwo trailheads start from the end of the Tigiwon Road. The Notch Mountain Trail, which leads to the Halo Ridge option, Lake Constantine and Seven Sisters Lakes heads south and is to the left. You want to head up the Halfmoon Pass Trail, to the right, due west.
From the Halfmoon Trailhead at 10,300 feet, follow the wide and worn trail over Half Moon Pass. The trail is hard to miss and other folks will likely be on it. As it crosses over the north shoulder of Notch Mountain, assess the weather, as this is a good spot to turn around if weather looks questionable.
Descend the eleven or so switchbacks into East Cross Creek (1,000 foot loss). The trail is easy to follow and a crossing of the creek is required. Depending on your crossing point, the maneuver could be tricky depending on flow volume.
Route DescriptionBeyond the creek, the trail remains well defined and bypasses a number of good camping spots. Good camping spots closer to the creek have been closed due to over use. Please practice dispersed camping methods to preserve the beauty of the area!
A side trail departs the main trail shortly after crossing te creek and may be hard to spot. This trail accesses Patricia Lake and approaches for the Angelica, Teardrop and Cross couloir options. It is easy to miss, but you'll want to stay on the main trail anyway for the North Ridge route.
The trail switchbacks and climbs out of the trees, and above timberline, large cairns will aid in your upward navigation. Well above timberline, keep the east slope of the mountain on your left close, and once on the ridge, stay on the ridge top.
The ridge top levels off as you travel south toward the large summit pyramid. Follow the ridge line beyond the top of the Angelica Couloir's north arm and position yourself on the slopes west of the summit and climb directly due east to the top over large boulders.
DESCENT
A common mistake that gets folks in trouble on this mountain is not paying attention to one's surroundings and not staying close to the ridge top, particularly in bad weather situations. The result is an epic night spent on the mountain, frequently followed by an equally epic rescue. See this TRIP REPORT for one such harrowing account.
When descending the north ridge route, it is important to stay as close to the ridge top as possible. Descend the summit pyramid, staying as far to the right as possible, At the base of the pyramid, turn right, keeping the EAST slopes of the mountain as close to your right as possible. This practice will keep you on top of the ridge and on route. Descending from the ridge, keep the slopes to your right as close as possible in bad weather or poor visibility. Cairns will be helpful, but a GPS and map in poor visibility will be priceless.
Page design and route description by Aaron Johnson.
Essential GearA map, GPS or compass and good routefinding ability is essential on this mountain should the weather turn foul and visibility is nil. Weather in the Holy Cross region can reach epic levels, particularly in August. Be prepared for any type of weather during your visit.
Standard dayhike gear will do for a single day attempt. However, it is highly recommended to make your visit a backpackig outing to thoroughly enjoy the area. It's certainly worth it to do so!
Good water is available in the East Cross Creek drainage. Plan on taking more water than you need and filling up regardless of your supply.
Winter climbs are routinely done on the mountain, but be prepared for epic possibilities. An avalanche beacon is a good idea. Be advised that slopes above the switchbacks to East Cross Creek and below the north ridge are predictable runners in te winter time. AcknowledgementSpecial thanks and acknowledgement to SP member mwalker2 who originally submitted this route to SP during SP's earliest period. Some of his material is still available and utilized on this page. Images
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Sawatch Range
