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 Peak:  Mt. of the Holy Cross
 Route:  North Ridge
 Range:  Sawatch
 Posted By:  ekviatnie
 Date of Info:  6/22/2015
 Date Posted:  6/22/2015
Details

Climbed the North Ridge in t-shirt, shorts, and running shoes (no need for flotation, I did not use traction but I imagine some people might be more comfortable with microspikes). Left the Half Moon Pass TH at 0818. Summit at 1002. Random, easily by-passable sections of snow up to Half Moon Pass. Descending to East Cross creek still has snow that has slid down from Notch ridge. Mobs of mosquito's around East Cross creek until above tree-line. Between 11,000 and 11,800 the trail was nearly entirely snow covered- I made a track that approximates the summer trail. Between 11,800 and 13,000 there is intermittent snow. Above 13,000 to the summit is almost continuous snow, but by-passable by walking off trail. The summit is entirely snow covered. You could easily ski Holy Cross Couloir off the summit. In fact, I saw a lone skier boot-packing up the couloir. The central runnel is about one metre deep. I left the summit at 1100 and the couloir was still frozen. I imagine it would not have corned-up until at least noon.


Comments or Questions
jmc5040
User
Cross Couloir
6/22/2015 4:38pm
Very good description of the North Ridge. The day prior we were late skiing the couloir at 9am. It seemed perfect up top, and was, but turned to mush 100–ft down. Yeah, that runnel is massive and runs the entire length! Not what I would consider a fun ski descent...



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