RMdaytripsgrl - Feb 27, 2006 1:59 am Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2005
Route: NE Ridge
4 hr 30 min - 3 hours up, 1.5 down. Sprained ankle on way down...going too fast. Lots of loose scree. This trail is pretty trashed.
RMdaytripsgrl - Feb 27, 2006 1:54 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2002
Route: Black Cloud
Made summit of S. Elbert (yes, a 14er too!). Weather prevented ridge traverse to Elbert. One of the most beautiful hikes in the Sawatch!
IamLubos - Feb 21, 2006 4:15 am Date Climbed: Feb 18, 2006
Really windy on top!
Climbed via the South Trail and reached the top at 4:30pm. Wes summitted about an hour earlier. Two other members turned back at around 12,500 ft. It wasn't snowing whole lot, but there was a lot of blowing snow due to wind gusting over the ridges at over 40mph. Lower mountain had several (more than 5!) feet of powder. Make sure to stay on the trail unless you enjoy postholing. Only saw one other group, three guys from the Bay area. HP #25.
Route Climbed: East ridge Date Climbed: Feb 4, 2006
Followed a freshly broken track from a CMC group in front of us, which made it much easier for us! The S. Mt Elbert trail is probably the best route to take in winter as you are guaranteed to get within 1 mile of the TH as long as CO-82 is open. Great views on a relatively moderate Feb day, but the winds were pretty rough on top.
Route Climbed: Northeast ridge trail from gravel road. Date Climbed: June 1980
My brother and I climbed Elbert for altitude training. So we could climb Pico de Orizaba in Mexico. We placed our names in the metal tube at the summit. See the trip report about flatlanders climbing Mt. Elbert. If your curious, check out the one titled "Possibly the last climber to climb Mt. St. Helens before the historic eruption of 1980", on my profile page. Iv'e got some photos from that, that have never been seen. Crater too. Thanks, cowlitz
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert trail Date Climbed: October 16, 2005
A really good piece to practice winter hiking on. Long but not terribly difficult. The trail, if that's what you could call it, meanders significantly through the trees but becomes much more evident above treeline. This was in October but I see no reason why it wouldn't be true now (January).
wow, I had Elbert entirely to myself until down to treeline. This summit was the beginning of my summer 2005 cross Colorado peakbagging backpacking general dirtball crusade. Made it to Silverton two months later with approximately 40 climbs and all on foot!
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert Trail Date Climbed: September 27th, 2004
I climbed the entire route without stopping. Although the false peaks almost stopped me. A great climb and a lot of fun. Signed the registry and headed back down.
Route Climbed: via Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: August 11th, 2003
I actually got there the day before and was pumped after already killing two peaks that day, but based on my estimations and good advise provided by some hikers, my 2pm ascent was not the wisest move. Thus I packed my bags and headed for the treeline to setup camp. I had a hard time locating any flat spots for a site, but managed a couple of feet near the end of the treeline. Got an awesome early start the next morning and had 2 miles heads up on the next party. Reached the summit by 7am, 1st one there and had it all to myself for the half an hour and the closest party was not for another hour behind me. Beautiful morning on the summit.
Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: September 14, 2005
I started late after 11 am, because I have just arrived to Leadville that day. It was nice not difficult hike. Unfortunately, I could not enjoy a view from the summit because of the snow storm. Nevertheless, I was able to take some pictures of the other ridge partially hidden by the clouds.
Route Climbed: Regular route Date Climbed: Aug 1995
My first real Mountain. Hitch Hiked there from Texas on my way back to Canada. I had no idea what I was doing. I just heard it was the highest Mountain in Colorado. Climbed to 12,000 or so with my suitcase and bivied under a home made stick tent. Couldn't figure out why I couldn't start a fire. When I finally got one going it burnt like crap. I then got kind of dizzy and lied down under my home made tent. Sometime during the night I started hallucinating and I am pretty sure squirrels were running all over me. Woke up in the morning, filled up the milk jug I had found with water, and hiked to the top. My first 14'er and I was not acclimatized. It was hard....
RMdaytripsgrl - Feb 27, 2006 1:59 am Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2005
Route: NE Ridge4 hr 30 min - 3 hours up, 1.5 down. Sprained ankle on way down...going too fast. Lots of loose scree. This trail is pretty trashed.
RMdaytripsgrl - Feb 27, 2006 1:54 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2002
Route: Black CloudMade summit of S. Elbert (yes, a 14er too!). Weather prevented ridge traverse to Elbert. One of the most beautiful hikes in the Sawatch!
IamLubos - Feb 21, 2006 4:15 am Date Climbed: Feb 18, 2006
Really windy on top!Climbed via the South Trail and reached the top at 4:30pm. Wes summitted about an hour earlier. Two other members turned back at around 12,500 ft. It wasn't snowing whole lot, but there was a lot of blowing snow due to wind gusting over the ridges at over 40mph. Lower mountain had several (more than 5!) feet of powder. Make sure to stay on the trail unless you enjoy postholing. Only saw one other group, three guys from the Bay area. HP #25.
Joel Hopper - Feb 20, 2006 5:31 pm
Route Climbed: Northeast ridge Date Climbed: June 1995Climbed with my brother, SP member Woodie Hopper. The climb was windy and the summit was snow-covered.
peakrat76 - Feb 19, 2006 6:46 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 1979
peakrat76Beautiful day with few other climbers. My wife's second 14'er.
NanitaD - Feb 18, 2006 8:48 pm Date Climbed: Jul 30, 1988
NanitaDIt was a good day to be on top of the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains.
foreverwild - Feb 13, 2006 6:57 pm
winter ascentClimbed in early February 2005 with a part of five, long but enjoyable dayhike from the South.
shknbke - Feb 6, 2006 1:09 am
Route Climbed: East ridge Date Climbed: Feb 4, 2006Followed a freshly broken track from a CMC group in front of us, which made it much easier for us! The S. Mt Elbert trail is probably the best route to take in winter as you are guaranteed to get within 1 mile of the TH as long as CO-82 is open. Great views on a relatively moderate Feb day, but the winds were pretty rough on top.
cowlitz - Feb 6, 2006 12:22 am
Route Climbed: Northeast ridge trail from gravel road. Date Climbed: June 1980My brother and I climbed Elbert for altitude training. So we could climb Pico de Orizaba in Mexico. We placed our names in the metal tube at the summit. See the trip report about flatlanders climbing Mt. Elbert. If your curious, check out the one titled "Possibly the last climber to climb Mt. St. Helens before the historic eruption of 1980", on my profile page. Iv'e got some photos from that, that have never been seen. Crater too. Thanks, cowlitz
Kiefer - Jan 20, 2006 6:15 pm
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert trail Date Climbed: October 16, 2005A really good piece to practice winter hiking on. Long but not terribly difficult. The trail, if that's what you could call it, meanders significantly through the trees but becomes much more evident above treeline. This was in October but I see no reason why it wouldn't be true now (January).
barratt - Jan 19, 2006 8:58 pm
Route Climbed: South Elbert Trail Date Climbed: 6/29/03Rewarding hike on Colorado's highest. 14er #7
SteamboatClimber - Jan 12, 2006 12:54 am
Route Climbed: South Elbert Trail Date Climbed: May 10th 2004Small patches of snow to cross at top. Nice easy hike for our group of 6.
chicagotransplant - Jan 9, 2006 7:58 pm
Route Climbed: South Mt Elbert Trail Date Climbed: July 2, 2005Success in July after failure in January...
1mvertical - Jan 4, 2006 4:50 pm
Route Climbed: NE Ridge Route Date Climbed: July 18, 1999This was my 2nd climb of Elbert. The first being a March '98 climb in the snow. Very straight forward and easy route. Even in pitch black.
colint - Dec 30, 2005 11:26 pm
Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: June 2005wow, I had Elbert entirely to myself until down to treeline. This summit was the beginning of my summer 2005 cross Colorado peakbagging backpacking general dirtball crusade. Made it to Silverton two months later with approximately 40 climbs and all on foot!
Drifter - Dec 29, 2005 9:55 pm
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert Trail Date Climbed: September 27th, 2004I climbed the entire route without stopping. Although the false peaks almost stopped me. A great climb and a lot of fun. Signed the registry and headed back down.
Livelife4Summits - Dec 29, 2005 2:29 am
Route Climbed: via Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: August 11th, 2003I actually got there the day before and was pumped after already killing two peaks that day, but based on my estimations and good advise provided by some hikers, my 2pm ascent was not the wisest move. Thus I packed my bags and headed for the treeline to setup camp. I had a hard time locating any flat spots for a site, but managed a couple of feet near the end of the treeline. Got an awesome early start the next morning and had 2 miles heads up on the next party. Reached the summit by 7am, 1st one there and had it all to myself for the half an hour and the closest party was not for another hour behind me. Beautiful morning on the summit.
Alex Hiker - Dec 21, 2005 5:34 pm
Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: September 14, 2005I started late after 11 am, because I have just arrived to Leadville that day. It was nice not difficult hike. Unfortunately, I could not enjoy a view from the summit because of the snow storm. Nevertheless, I was able to take some pictures of the other ridge partially hidden by the clouds.
Rileywyna - Dec 19, 2005 6:36 am
Route Climbed: Regular route Date Climbed: Aug 1995My first real Mountain. Hitch Hiked there from Texas on my way back to Canada. I had no idea what I was doing. I just heard it was the highest Mountain in Colorado. Climbed to 12,000 or so with my suitcase and bivied under a home made stick tent. Couldn't figure out why I couldn't start a fire. When I finally got one going it burnt like crap. I then got kind of dizzy and lied down under my home made tent. Sometime during the night I started hallucinating and I am pretty sure squirrels were running all over me. Woke up in the morning, filled up the milk jug I had found with water, and hiked to the top. My first 14'er and I was not acclimatized. It was hard....
Will Davis - Dec 11, 2005 11:19 pm
Route Climbed: N. Elbert Date Climbed: July 1, 2005First 14er. Piece of cake, mostly.