Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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37.88810°N / 108.2557°W |
Route Type:
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Scramble |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Difficulty:
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Class 3 |
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Approach
From Norwood, drive 1.5 miles east. Turn south on County Road 44Z (Lone Cone Road). Turn east after 11 miles onto County Road 44M (Beef Trail Road) and follow it to County Road 46M and turn right (south) onto 46M. Road 46M becomes FS 611 once you reach the Forest Service boundary. 2.8 miles after the boundary, turn right onto FS 612. Turn right again after 1.7 miles and follow FS 612 for another 2.2 miles. Park at the vehicle barrier and the old logging road that takes off to the right. This place is at co-ordinates N37°54.390' W108°14.488'. Passenger cars, driven slowly and with lots of care could make it to the trailhead, but a high clearence vehicle is certainly recommended.Update from Jaypkk, August 2007: From the northeast along FS 612 as described was straightforward, GPS coordinates will get you to the right parking spot. Road would have been impossible in a low slung sedan; 4WD a must.
Route Description
Note: I climbed this route when much of the route was covered in snow. Because of this, the description may change some after the snow melts. This isn't a marked trail and there are several old logging roads in the area, so you must follow the topo map carefully.You will need a map to follow the route. From the trailhead at N37°54.390' W108°14.488', follow the old logging road up the ridge that is marked on the topo. There are a few side trails, but just stay close to the ridge until the old road ends at about 11,000 feet. Continue to follow the ridge on minor trails until you can see the huge rock glacier called the Devils Chair. From the base of the Northeast ridge, scramble up it to the summit. There are many cliffs to bypass.
Seth@LOKI adds: I found the NE Ridge to be 3rd class at most if you avoid the ridge proper which is not worthy due to rottenness. We tried the ridge then dropped to the north side just below the crest. Easy boulder hopping. Snow could make it tougher or easier depending on conditions. The upper slab looks intimidating but is easier than the upper block of Sneffels for reference.
Because of loose rock, it may be easier to descend the North Ridge. Be careful.
