2nd time on this route. VERY fun...and really only dicey in a very few select places. Route finding isn't really all that terrible so long as you remember: when in doubt, go HIGH.
As with all non-standard routes on the 14ers, the solitude of the route makes any difficulities worth while Especially on this peak - the East ridge is a CATTLE DRIVE these days.
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: July 18, 2004
Parked at the Blue Lake Trailhead and proceeded around to the west ridge. This ridge is rated class 3, but is very well beaten and more like class 2 up until a couple hundred feet from the summit. We saw some other climbers on the ridge who seemed lost and were headed well below the ridge to avoid the scramble at the top. My advice to to keep the ridge as much as possible. There are only one or two moves with sketch factors above 5 (my personal scale for danger). Just remember that it is not so bad when you take it one hold at a time! We descended the East Ridge and then hiked back up the road to the car. A very nice loop, approx. 8 miles round. Cheers!
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: May 10, 2004
I wanted to work off some winter fat so I grabbed my new hiking partner Jenn and we headed to Quandary for some fun. Camped at 10,800 the night before and headed out early-to-mid morning. There was some snow to contend with just above treeline and then the upper ridge was completely covered. Due to dropping temperatures, the snow was pretty hard on the upper part of the mountain and our axes came in handy in spots. Glissading was fun on the way down and we had a grand time. Sure is good to be back up in the mountains again!
Out of the trees followed the herdpath straight up the slope to the ridge, soft in places. Quite windy on the ridge. Saw 5 other people on the trail, 2 were boarders with their doggies. Looked like it would be nice to ski.
Up and down the East Ridge, the new snow is mostly consolidated, but 6-12 inch wind slabs are hanging around up there. Watched a fiery, smog tinged sunrise from the summit.
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: October 6, 2001
A blustery day and the ridge had a nice layer of fresh hail on it. I have to agree that this is Class 3 though. Great exposure, great mountain goats, great peak
Route Climbed: East Route Date Climbed: April 11, 2004
Got within a few hundred feet of the summit. Turned back due to exhaustion and foul looking clouds. Guess we'll have to try another day, possibly via a different route.
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: April 11, 2004
Dammit, after two miles of post-holing up the east ridge, we turned back from fatigue and weather. Turns out we were above the 14k mark. Only a few hundred feet to go. If we'd only known...
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: May 31, 2002
We climbed Tabeguache the day before, but when we woke the next morning, we realized we needed to get another mountain "fix". We selected Quandary, and didn't leave the Denver area until after 9:00 a.m. We hit the trail at noon, and raced up to the summit. While we climbed, we passed scores of folks on their descent from the summit. There was one guy on the summit, and we chatted with him, while some storm clouds brewed nearby. This was the site of our closest call with lightning, and while I'm not proud of this moment, it was a good lesson to learn early on in our career. Even though the storm clouds weren't yet near, the summit memorial began to make a buzzing sound! Time to go! As we flew down the trail, I noticed that my trekking poles would buzz when they drew close together. Very freaky! We would never make the mistake of starting so late again, and we gained much respect for the mountains and their accompanying weather. A trip report is available here.
DaFreshman - Aug 3, 2004 6:26 pm
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: 8/1/042nd time on this route. VERY fun...and really only dicey in a very few select places. Route finding isn't really all that terrible so long as you remember: when in doubt, go HIGH.
As with all non-standard routes on the 14ers, the solitude of the route makes any difficulities worth while Especially on this peak - the East ridge is a CATTLE DRIVE these days.
Andrew McKenzie - Jul 19, 2004 2:44 am
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: July 18, 2004Parked at the Blue Lake Trailhead and proceeded around to the west ridge. This ridge is rated class 3, but is very well beaten and more like class 2 up until a couple hundred feet from the summit. We saw some other climbers on the ridge who seemed lost and were headed well below the ridge to avoid the scramble at the top. My advice to to keep the ridge as much as possible. There are only one or two moves with sketch factors above 5 (my personal scale for danger). Just remember that it is not so bad when you take it one hold at a time! We descended the East Ridge and then hiked back up the road to the car. A very nice loop, approx. 8 miles round. Cheers!
Larry V - Jul 13, 2004 12:04 am
Route Climbed: south slopes Date Climbed: July 1972This was the first of five 14er climbs my family did that week in July, following my graduation from high school. Great memories!!
awillson - Jul 8, 2004 9:54 am
Route Climbed: Cristo Coulior Date Climbed: August 8, 2002This is a short but steep class 2+ route. Climbed with my 2 brothers.
mountainmota - Jun 15, 2004 7:13 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: October 2003Nice easy 14er!
lostman - Jun 9, 2004 3:15 pm
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: July 2003A wonderful route! Fun and loft up top, beautiful empty valley below. Combined with Fletcher
bps - Jun 9, 2004 4:54 am
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: May 10, 2004I wanted to work off some winter fat so I grabbed my new hiking partner Jenn and we headed to Quandary for some fun. Camped at 10,800 the night before and headed out early-to-mid morning. There was some snow to contend with just above treeline and then the upper ridge was completely covered. Due to dropping temperatures, the snow was pretty hard on the upper part of the mountain and our axes came in handy in spots. Glissading was fun on the way down and we had a grand time. Sure is good to be back up in the mountains again!
DaveC - May 21, 2004 9:21 pm
Route Climbed: e ridge Date Climbed: march 97winter climb, super cold and windy, and i was out of shape, but winter 14ering is the bomb. well worth it.
petersbike - May 11, 2004 10:31 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: 5-11-04Out of the trees followed the herdpath straight up the slope to the ridge, soft in places. Quite windy on the ridge. Saw 5 other people on the trail, 2 were boarders with their doggies. Looked like it would be nice to ski.
brandon - Apr 29, 2004 2:18 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: 4/28/2004Up and down the East Ridge, the new snow is mostly consolidated, but 6-12 inch wind slabs are hanging around up there. Watched a fiery, smog tinged sunrise from the summit.
Ryan Kowalski - Apr 19, 2004 2:48 pm
Route Climbed: West Ridge Date Climbed: October 6, 2001A blustery day and the ridge had a nice layer of fresh hail on it. I have to agree that this is Class 3 though. Great exposure, great mountain goats, great peak
MtnWoman - Apr 13, 2004 12:34 am
Route Climbed: East Route Date Climbed: April 11, 2004Got within a few hundred feet of the summit. Turned back due to exhaustion and foul looking clouds. Guess we'll have to try another day, possibly via a different route.
CharlesD - Apr 12, 2004 11:53 am
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: April 11, 2004Dammit, after two miles of post-holing up the east ridge, we turned back from fatigue and weather. Turns out we were above the 14k mark. Only a few hundred feet to go. If we'd only known...
coloradoiceclimber - Apr 10, 2004 3:44 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: March 31, 2001Solid work by the stray dog that came out of nowhere at the lot and ended up on the summit with Jay and I a couple of hours later!!
RyanS - Apr 9, 2004 12:52 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: May 31, 2002We climbed Tabeguache the day before, but when we woke the next morning, we realized we needed to get another mountain "fix". We selected Quandary, and didn't leave the Denver area until after 9:00 a.m. We hit the trail at noon, and raced up to the summit. While we climbed, we passed scores of folks on their descent from the summit. There was one guy on the summit, and we chatted with him, while some storm clouds brewed nearby. This was the site of our closest call with lightning, and while I'm not proud of this moment, it was a good lesson to learn early on in our career. Even though the storm clouds weren't yet near, the summit memorial began to make a buzzing sound! Time to go! As we flew down the trail, I noticed that my trekking poles would buzz when they drew close together. Very freaky! We would never make the mistake of starting so late again, and we gained much respect for the mountains and their accompanying weather. A trip report is available here.
Chris - Mar 22, 2004 10:11 pm
Route Climbed: Quandry Trail Date Climbed: May 2001Nice quick hike of a 14er. Good views of the Ten Mile range and surrounding mountains.
This is a good first 14er to try, fairly easy routefinding (once you get out of the trees its super easy), short, not a ton of elevation gain.
apierce - Mar 16, 2004 7:51 am
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: March 12, 2004My first winter ascent. It seemed way longer on the way down, but conditions were perfect. Took six and a half hours total.
Natasha - Mar 11, 2004 1:54 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: March 7, 2004Great views, near perfect weather
carloselbrus - Mar 2, 2004 11:10 am
Route Climbed: Normal . Winter Climb Date Climbed: Feb 22 2004Winter climb.
carloselbrus - Mar 2, 2004 11:09 am
Route Climbed: Blue Lake Date Climbed: Aug. 02 , 2003My second attemp to climb this guly...