Massive is GINORMOUS
Peaks: (in order of appearance)
- Point 12,381
- South South Massive - 13,630
- South Massive - 14,132
- Mount Massive - 14,421
- Massive Green - 14,300
- North Massive - 14,340
- Point 14,169
Date: June 30, 2012
Route: Ascent - SE Ridge from Massive TH, Descent - West Slopes
Participants: solo mission
Distance: ~ 14 miles
Elevation Gain: ~ 5,500 ft.
First, I would like to say congrats to RJansen77 and BenfromtheEast for completing the Leadeville Marathon on this day. I climb mountains with these people... what am I thinking? Well done guys.
So I woke up and left Denver a little before 4 AM and was on the trail about 6:30. The plan... Mount Massive via the seldom (more like never) used Southeast ridge, hitting 7 of the 9 points, 5 of which are above 14K. The other 2, Point 13,020 and 13,140, are on the North Ridge after descending North Massive. This was a loop hike so they would not be in the cards today. (Thanks Fletch and gregory_fischer for the info on the descent.)
 Mount Massive & Co.
My route in red.
 Mount Massive TH - Elevation 10,050
I left the East slopes standard route about a mile up the Colorado trail and headed for the Southeast ridge. After you leave the standard route, there is no trail. Just go up...
 Almost out of the trees.
Mount Elbert as seen from the Summit of Point 12,381 (about 1.7 miles from where I left the standard route). Once you hit this summit you can get your bearings down.
Looking up at South South Massive - Elevation 13,631. This was the hardest part of the day. After descending 200 ft. from Point 12,381, you climb 1,451 ft in .8 miles to the summit of South South Massive.
A look back at Point 12,381 on the way up South South Massive.
 Almost to the summit of South South Massive, you get a good look at the task at hand. The ridge line and S. Massive and Mount Massive in the distance.
Mount Massive is the far summit in the distance with the small snowfield beneath it.
Summit of South South Massive - Elevation 13,631
 En route to South Massive... In the distance are David? & Michele? on the summit of South Massive.
David & Michelle are in pre-evac of their home in the Monument area. They decided to pack up their things, load the camper and get the hell out of dodge. They picked a good spot. I hope everything works out!
Summit of South Massive - Elevation 14,132 - Thanks for the picture David & Michelle.
In the middle of the saddle between S. Massive and Massive, I rejoined the standard route from the east slopes.
Not soon after, I hit the intersection with the N. Halfmoon Trail which will take you down (or up) the Southwest slopes.
Summit of Mount Massive - Elevation 14,421
 Summit of Mount Massive - Elevation 14,421
 Summit of Mount Massive - Elevation 14,421
 Summit of Mount Massive - Elevation 14,421
En route to Massive Green (left) and North Massive (right).
A look back at Massive from Massive Green - If you look close enough you can see all of the stick figures on the summit of Massive.
 Summit of Massive Green - Elevation 14,300 - The trek over to this point is an easy walk, but the clouds are getting darker!
Some of the Class 3 section on the way to North Massive. You get to do a little scrambling to the summit of this one.
 The block on the summit of North Massive.
Summit of North Massive - Elevation 14,340
 The block on the summit of North Massive as seen from the west summit of North Massive - I believe this side is higher.
At this point, the clouds were getting pretty dark and rolling in fast over the real summit of Massive. This didn't seem to phase most of the stick figures I could see over there, but it freaked me out. I knew the scree route down was going to be tough, so I quickly descended North Massive to the west, ran across the talus, tagged a rock on Point 14,169 (which is really just a pile of rocks), and picked a spot to descend the scree back to the West Slopes route. There is no real trail down the west slopes.
If the SW descent of Columbia is the true definition of scree hell, then this is almost scree hell.
This is my lunch buddy. When you are one on one with them, they will try to eat you. I sat on a rock for what seemed like an hour in the basin after the scree. I think I like scree almost as much as glissading and marmots...
 intersection with the N Halfmoon Creek trail
Only one problem, my jeep isn't here...
Road walking with my head phones on I passed this. I like the set up. By the way 3 or 4 vehicles drove past me. I would have taken a ride! bastards... I was pretty dirty though.
 alas
 Rob Jansen with his gold medal!
THE END
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