Contribute  Loading...
Geography Parents Loading... Routes
| Kneeknocker Pass   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 39.75000°N / 106.3367°W Route Type: Difficult Scramble Time Required: Most of a day Difficulty: Lower Class 5
| Route Quality: | | | | Loading...
| Page By: truchas Created/Edited: Sep 21, 2003 / May 24, 2005 Object ID: 158868 Hits: 1450 Loading... Page Score: 86.18% - 1 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Approach
Start from the Piney River Ranch Trailhead. Hike approximately 2 miles to an obvious area where the trail flattens out and meets the river near some very nice waterfalls. Maybe 50 yards further down the trail you will find a 2 foot tall cairn on the left side of the trail. This is the trail leading up to Kneeknocker Pass.
Follow the trail approximately 2 miles up a steep trail. In 2003, there had been a significant avalanche that had knocked down a 30 yard section of trees shortly after the trail leaves the Piney Creek Trail. Make your way over these trees gradually hiking southeast and uphill. You should be able to find the trail as it approaches the main creek and heads steeply uphill parallel to the main creek that comes down from kneeknocker Pass. There is a trail on the other side of the creek at times; do not be tempted to cross and follow that trail. Stay on the north side of the creek.
At around 11,300 ft. you will arrive at some very nice meadows right next to the creek. Continue up and to the right as the trail rounds a corner and then begins its ascent up scree to Kneeknocker Pass.
Route Description
 
Start climbing due south from Kneeknocker Pass over class 3 rock to the higher saddle below Peak C and consider your future. This is the most intimidating place you can be on Peak C. There is no way to give an exact description of this route because it is so complicated, but generally you should work your way up and to the right (southwest) of the summit. We located a couloir with a diheral exiting the couloir up and to the right of this couloir from the pass. This was the crux of the climb as the entry into the diheral was an exposed lower 5th class climb.
Continue Southwest from the dihedral and scramble up and over some class 3 rock and tundra. We located a small couloir with a lesser amount of snow than some of the other couloirs and took a left turn and ascended up. At the conclusion of the couloir we were due West of the summit. At this point it is a 3rd and 4th class scramble (you may be able to keep this at 3rd class with good routefinding) all the way to the summit.
If you do not want to return the way you came, you can make your way down to the tards below the west face of peak C and then scramble on down by the waterfalls down to the Piney Creek Trail.
If you are camped below Kneeknocker Pass, ascend slightly up to the grassy bench above the tards, then work your way down and around to the right over a rock field below Point 12,225. Continue traversing around to treeline until you are located above the creek that flows down from Kneeknocker pass. Hike east to a relatively flat area, then scramble down a ways to a gully full of large rocks. Scramble up the large rock gully and then angle left back up to the meadows below Kneeknocker Pass.
Essential Gear
An ice axe and crampons are highly recommended. Some parties may feel more comfortable with a short rope and a small selection of hardware.
Images
|
|
Gore Range
