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SAWATCH RANGE | COLORADO | UNITED STATES
Summary | 350 inches a year
MT. ELBERT
The Sawatch mountains in general are high, massive, and relatively gentle in contour. While some peaks are rugged enough to require technical climbing techniques, most can be climbed by a simple, if arduous, hike. Notable summits include Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, La Plata Peak, Mount of the Holy Cross, and the Collegiate Peaks (Mounts Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale). (wikipedia)
Snowpack
Typical Colorado Snowpack
Mountains
MT. ELBERT (0) Elevation: 14,443 ft
Elbert is the second highest mountain in the contiguous United States, after Mount Whitney in California, and is 62 feet (19 m) shorter than Whitney's 14,505 feet (4,421 m).There are three main routes up the mountain, all of which gain over 4,000 feet of elevation. The standard route ascends the peak from the east, starting from the Colorado Trail. The most difficult is the Black Cloud Trail, which takes ten to fourteen hours, depending on the pace. Nearby fourteeners include Mount Massive to the north and La Plata Peak to the south.
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Vert Tracker
Lowpro79: April 20, 2010 Uphill: 4,167 ft. | Downhill: 4,167 ft.
Climb the North West Ridge to gain the summit, then ski the exciting and steep North Face with many 40 - 50 degree couloirs...[view]Lowpro79: April 12, 2010 Uphill: 5,000 ft. | Downhill: 5,000 ft.
a long hike, but well worth it. Killer views of Huron Peak, the 3 Apostles and Ice Mountain......Springtime is here, but pay attention to wet slides as you climb up and descend the next valley...[view]
Lukelubchenco: March 11, 2010 Uphill: 1,000 ft. | Downhill: 1,500 ft.
Super sweet conditions! Epic powder and even more epic pictures and video. Gladed and super stable conditions led to a super safe and fun day in 2 feet of blower powder! Hiked over the ridge a bit mor...[view]
Lukelubchenco: March 10, 2010 Uphill: 2,000 ft. | Downhill: 2,000 ft.
Fantastic snow! the mountains here have been getting pounded and it's absolutely stunning. With the danger of close to 2 feet of snow hitting Monarch Pass we opted to ski a nicely treed section very e...[view]Gripnrip: January 27, 2010 Uphill: 2,400 ft. | Downhill: 2,400 ft.
More fun on Bald Knob and the area surrounding the McNamara hut....[view]Already have a blog about this area? Link to it here.
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Guide Books
People die skiing in the backcountry every year. Avalanches, crevasses, trees, human error, weather, tree wells, rabid sasquatches, among other things can kill you in an instant. Use this guide at your own risk, we are not responsible for any wanker getting all wanked up in the wankin' backcountry. That being said, even the most experienced backcountry skier can get caught off guard. Take avalanche classes, carry a beacon, probe, shovel and avalung AND KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. Just because you buy them, doesn't mean you get magical powers of invincibility. Many people who own beacons have no clue how to operate them. More importantly than any gear you can buy, you need to know how to safely travel in avalanche terrain, minimize potential hazards, and interpret how weather affects the snowpack. This requires time and experience. Learn from others, be safe and courteous, and when in doubt go home and live to ski another day. The amount of snow needed to be dug up to rescue a buried victim, on average weighs right around an actual ton. In North America 25% of victims die from hitting trees, rocks, and other sharp unforgiving surfaces. It only takes one miscalculation to have the mountains kick your ass. Just because you see tracks or someone else skiing a line, does not mean you should ski it. Remember, individual actions affect all of us. Take care of each other out there, we are all on the same team.