One of many
trip reports under the
SilGro home page for Alan Silverstein and Cathie
Grow.
Email me at
ajs@frii.com.
Last update: January 10, 2025
(Previous trip report: 1993_0121-26_DeathValley.htm)
One Saturday I did a 3550' total gain trip to Mount Neva (12849') in the south end of Indian Peaks Wilderness, about 18 miles south of Longs Peak, out of the Fourth of July trailhead. [2024: From memory, I think I joined a Colorado Mountain Club trip.]
There was a tremendous amount of snow there, including 3-6" new stuff from the previous Friday. We started crossing drifts at about 10500' and were on almost complete snow up from Arapaho Pass at 11900' or so. Lots of fun, steep snow climbing with ice axes, up to 45 degree slopes, no crampons required -- it was too soft by 10 am. (In retrospect we took a mild risk of avalanche on the last section up Mount Neva, but were aware of the hazard and watching for signs of trouble. We climbed single-file up a steeply packed track.)
Coming down at around 1330 we cleared a glissade route off the southeast ridge into the snow bowl southeast of Jasper Peak by throwing snowballs to start small point avalanches below us! These removed the top 6" or so of new, unstable slush. Descending the bowl we saw and heard numerous small slides all around us -- very beautiful, and not hazardous given the size of the bowl. Several times we watched snow cascade over bare rock cliffs. I'd never been in conditions quite like those.
Upper Diamond Lake (11800'?) was completely frozen over except for green fringes.
Even down to Diamond Lake at around 11000', there was a huge amount of snow, nearly solid ground cover. It was more like early May than late June.
(Next trip report: 1993_0806-07_CopelandMountain.htm)