Just curious if anyone's done this route? Any info would be appreciated.

It technically may not be legal. Generally, once above tree line you are supposed to remain on the trail in order to protect the alpine biota up there (the same reason Agassiz is closed when not snow-bound). On a more practical matter, the slopes up high are very steep, loose and rubbly. Remember, this is an extinct volcano. That being said, no one will be patrolling those areas so you may be fine there. You might try it from the east's inner basin.

You know .... those "biotic plant" restrictions have been in place for the past THIRTY YEARS. Seems like that plant would be THRIVING by now ..

What is the REAL reason for closing Agassiz and the northern routes on Humphrey's ??????

Why not side with the greater opinions (of the climbing community) and REOPEN those routes

I'd be all for a hiking route to Agassiz. You can do it in winter when it's snowed in.

I think the restrictions are partially due to appeasing the Navajo, the peak being its traditional western boundary. Given all the controversy about making snow with treated water up there, it's easy to assume by extension they don't want people up there in principle, and the trail is a compromise.

Just eyeballing the north slope of Humphreys, it looks unpleasant. It's steep and a slope of ball-bearing cinder nuggets. It would seem to me to cross that fine line between challenging and exasperating.

You can come up that north ridge from Abinuea Canyon, you just have to start somewhere down slope to avoid the dangerous spots.

I've come over from the trail to Agassiz, and up from Freidline prairie road and the south ridge to Agassiz. Take the route from the weatherford trail, as there is still a trail up there leading to the Agassiz summit. The south ridge is loose and brushy.

Agassiz was closed in 1984 to placate natives who didn't want Snowbowl expanded. There is not much veg up there, and with the rocky conditions, and exposure, there likely never was. Agassiz never should have been closed. The trail keeps 99.9% of the hikers in check and protects the very limited "endangered" senecio species that is endemic to the Peaks. Also, it tends to grow further down than the bulk of either trail, and does best on the western ridges just above treeline in places most people never visit, but elk and mule deer do, and they don't care what they step on. I've seen them, so they are there.

Hike Agassiz, dry or in snow. I have.

Don't mean to sound confrontational, but another reason why it's NOT OPEN is because the U.S. Forest Service manages the land, (even though it belongs to the Navajo), and they're a government agency faced with a reduced budget and several ongoing "liability" issues.

If you happened to slip under the radar, the chances of getting caught would be SLIM to NONE.

If you're really adventurous, you could do a San Francisco Peaks traverse... all 6 peaks. I've always wanted to do that.

If you want to give a "dicey" one a go...try the Four Peaks Traverse.

I ended up not being able to go to my friends made it 3/4 of the way up and turned back due to a thunder storm. Rute might be easier in snow insted of scree.



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I remember seeing a sign at the end of Abineau Canyon saying that access further was restricted. If you did the Traverse up to BearJaw, Abineau and Rees I guess one could say that they "didn't see the sign"...The closure to do the groundsel is silly and that policy needs to be revised..or hey, maybe they should put in some more trails above tree line to concentrate the impact

Alex Wood wrote:I remember seeing a sign at the end of Abineau Canyon saying that access further was restricted. If you did the Traverse up to BearJaw, Abineau and Rees I guess one could say that they "didn't see the sign"...The closure to do the groundsel is silly and that policy needs to be revised..or hey, maybe they should put in some more trails above tree line to concentrate the impact

It's not all about protecting the Groundsel. There's some kind of "cover-up" here.

Word from the streets is they can't afford to build any more trails .... monies tight enough to maintain the ones they have.