Michael Hoyt - Jun 19, 2006 12:37 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2000
Yankee Boy Basin TH, Ascend S Ridge, Descend S Slopes
The scramble up the S ridge was great - it's all route finding. The summit was loaded with climbers when we reached the top. They'd all taken the "easy" way up and wondered where we'd come from. I don't think they were very impressed when we told them.
km_donovan - Apr 26, 2006 11:04 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2004
Route Climbed: South Slopes II
I tried to 4WD across Engineer Pass into Ouray but was blocked by an 8 foot snow drift so I had to drive 140 miles back to Montrose and bagged a hotel. I made it to the Yankee Boy Trailhead around 8 the next morning and ended up going with a guy I met there. The Scree Col was filled with snow from an early season dump that happened a couple of days prior. It was a totally fun climb and we were both left with “perm-a-grin” afterward.
Brian Kalet - Apr 24, 2006 5:34 pm Date Climbed: Apr 22, 2006
One of these days I'd like to get back and climb the North Face.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 12:21 am Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2005
Standard Route
Saw 8 year old girl on the summit that day.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 12:20 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 1995
Standard Route
Tons of snow this year, so the couloir was still full of it even at this late date. I drove my 1976 Volvo 244 up to the parking lot at 10,700 feet. Not sure how I did that.
Climbed standard LavenderCol route; coiloir mostly filled with mushy/slippery snow; view over the top end of coiloir is much impressive.
peerzat - Feb 16, 2006 5:09 am Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2005
snake couloir
actually descended the snake couloir. climbed the couloir around the ridge to the west of the snake. this couloir is located on the opposite side of the ridge that is to the southeast of blue lakes basin and southwest of the blaine basin. this route may be the north face couloir. the change of plans came when we saw the mammoth cornice with long icicles hanging off of it making it look like the jaws of death at the dogleg in the snake couloir (see my photo on the sneffels page). This change of plans may have been safer but resulted in a much longer approach. Due to the longer approach, we ended up above the cornice at 2pm rather than the more ideal 10am. don't ask me where the four hours went. We rapped off the cornice (40ft) in hopes of gaining the summit. Once we were in the snow below the monster cornice, conditions were poor, the snow was wet and deep, the sun was glaring down at us from above, postholing 2feet deep per step with just a few hundred feet to go...we felt saving Sneffel's for next year was a good plan and we headed off to the annual toe-tappin', foot stompin' Bluegrass Festival. We'll be back.
Route Climbed: Lavender Col a.k.a. South Slopes Date Climbed: July 1, 2004
This climb was during my honeymoon. Crampons would have been nice for the couloir ascent in the morning, as the snow was quite consolidated and slick. However, it softened with the sun prior to our descent. The weather was great and the views were even better!
Route Climbed: Lavendar Col Date Climbed: July 8, 2005
This route went much quicker that I had expected. The notch out of the upper coulior was missed on the ascent, and it get's a bit tricky if you try to improvise. Truly a great scenic hike, though.
Route Climbed: South Ridge Date Climbed: August 08, 2005
Headed up from Blue Lakes, went up the south ridge, summited and waited for the rest of the group. Beautiful day! We then headed down Lavender Couloir and over to the lakes. I've gone up from Yankee Boy Basin and Blue Lakes is by far the best way to go and the Ridge is very fun!
Route Climbed: Lavender Col Date Climbed: September 4, 2005
Jathan Cantu reached the summit at 11:00 am. My wife, Janna made it to 13,200' before heading back--not bad for her very first high altitude climb. I was surrounded by clouds on the summit which cleared only briefly for some distant panoramic views. The hike up the boulder couloir was cool, literally, and the scramble to the summit after "squeezing" through the V-notch was easy. The summit area was tiny, however, compared to many others. On the downclimb, the sun broke through and made for another perfect day for my 4th 14'er.
Michael Hoyt - Jun 19, 2006 12:37 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2000
Yankee Boy Basin TH, Ascend S Ridge, Descend S SlopesThe scramble up the S ridge was great - it's all route finding. The summit was loaded with climbers when we reached the top. They'd all taken the "easy" way up and wondered where we'd come from. I don't think they were very impressed when we told them.
km_donovan - Apr 26, 2006 11:04 am Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2004
Route Climbed: South Slopes III tried to 4WD across Engineer Pass into Ouray but was blocked by an 8 foot snow drift so I had to drive 140 miles back to Montrose and bagged a hotel. I made it to the Yankee Boy Trailhead around 8 the next morning and ended up going with a guy I met there. The Scree Col was filled with snow from an early season dump that happened a couple of days prior. It was a totally fun climb and we were both left with “perm-a-grin” afterward.
Brian Kalet - Apr 24, 2006 5:34 pm Date Climbed: Apr 22, 2006
South Face "Birthday Chutes"Skied from the summit!
Rob Thompson - Mar 5, 2006 2:53 pm Date Climbed: Jul 20, 1974
Standard RouteOne really fine hike in the company of Gordon Swenson, Cliff Moser and Hank Hassell.
Mountain Jim - Mar 3, 2006 1:14 am
Standard RouteOne of these days I'd like to get back and climb the North Face.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 12:21 am Date Climbed: Jul 21, 2005
Standard RouteSaw 8 year old girl on the summit that day.
markhyams - Mar 3, 2006 12:20 am Date Climbed: Aug 15, 1995
Standard RouteTons of snow this year, so the couloir was still full of it even at this late date. I drove my 1976 Volvo 244 up to the parking lot at 10,700 feet. Not sure how I did that.
ChuckO - Feb 27, 2006 11:28 pm
Solo'ing SneffelsClimbed standard LavenderCol route; coiloir mostly filled with mushy/slippery snow; view over the top end of coiloir is much impressive.
peerzat - Feb 16, 2006 5:09 am Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2005
snake couloiractually descended the snake couloir. climbed the couloir around the ridge to the west of the snake. this couloir is located on the opposite side of the ridge that is to the southeast of blue lakes basin and southwest of the blaine basin. this route may be the north face couloir. the change of plans came when we saw the mammoth cornice with long icicles hanging off of it making it look like the jaws of death at the dogleg in the snake couloir (see my photo on the sneffels page). This change of plans may have been safer but resulted in a much longer approach. Due to the longer approach, we ended up above the cornice at 2pm rather than the more ideal 10am. don't ask me where the four hours went. We rapped off the cornice (40ft) in hopes of gaining the summit. Once we were in the snow below the monster cornice, conditions were poor, the snow was wet and deep, the sun was glaring down at us from above, postholing 2feet deep per step with just a few hundred feet to go...we felt saving Sneffel's for next year was a good plan and we headed off to the annual toe-tappin', foot stompin' Bluegrass Festival. We'll be back.
rkymtn - Jan 8, 2006 11:29 pm
Route Climbed: Lavender Col a.k.a. South Slopes Date Climbed: July 1, 2004This climb was during my honeymoon. Crampons would have been nice for the couloir ascent in the morning, as the snow was quite consolidated and slick. However, it softened with the sun prior to our descent. The weather was great and the views were even better!
1mvertical - Jan 5, 2006 12:51 am
Route Climbed: Lavendar Col Date Climbed: July 8, 2005This route went much quicker that I had expected. The notch out of the upper coulior was missed on the ascent, and it get's a bit tricky if you try to improvise. Truly a great scenic hike, though.
CODave - Dec 30, 2005 12:23 pm
Route Climbed: Lavendor Col - Standard Route Date Climbed: September 5, 2005Beautiful hike through Yankee Boy Basin and awesome views from the summit. My favorite 14er so far.
Hobbesgirl - Oct 21, 2005 1:49 pm
Route Climbed: Lavender Col Date Climbed: July 26, 2004Very beautiful on the way up with all the wildflowers! The rock is a little loose, but it is well worth the journey!
iceisnice - Oct 18, 2005 2:00 pm
Route Climbed: Snake couloir Date Climbed: oct 17, '05ok, climb. bit of a slog for me for just a couple hundred feet of good climbing.
iceisnice - Oct 3, 2005 9:35 pm
Route Climbed: SW Ridge Date Climbed: Aug '03Great scramble. The spires on the way are pretty amazing (and yes, many of them have routes). Easy day out.
Bob Sihler - Sep 30, 2005 9:39 pm
Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: July 9, 2004What a finale after starting the day with Wetterhorn!
hhsilleck - Sep 26, 2005 1:53 pm
Route Climbed: Lavender Col Date Climbed: September 24, 2005My first 14er with my wife as a married couple! Somewhere around #46 overall I think ... one of my favorite Colorado adventures yet.
illegal_smile - Sep 19, 2005 12:18 pm
Route Climbed: South Ridge Date Climbed: August 08, 2005Headed up from Blue Lakes, went up the south ridge, summited and waited for the rest of the group. Beautiful day! We then headed down Lavender Couloir and over to the lakes. I've gone up from Yankee Boy Basin and Blue Lakes is by far the best way to go and the Ridge is very fun!
Midlife Mountaineer - Sep 16, 2005 1:43 pm
Route Climbed: Lavender Col Date Climbed: September 15, 2005Absolutely PERFECT day. Awesome mountain!
JCantu1044 - Sep 6, 2005 1:21 pm
Route Climbed: Lavender Col Date Climbed: September 4, 2005Jathan Cantu reached the summit at 11:00 am. My wife, Janna made it to 13,200' before heading back--not bad for her very first high altitude climb. I was surrounded by clouds on the summit which cleared only briefly for some distant panoramic views. The hike up the boulder couloir was cool, literally, and the scramble to the summit after "squeezing" through the V-notch was easy. The summit area was tiny, however, compared to many others. On the downclimb, the sun broke through and made for another perfect day for my 4th 14'er.