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Peak(s):  Mt. of the Holy Cross  -  14,007 feet
Date Posted:  07/05/2006
Modified:  07/10/2006
Date Climbed:   07/01/2006
Author:  elliojos
 Holy Cross Couloir   

Started hiking about 4:15 am from the junction of East Cross Creek and the main trail and made it to the Bowl of Tears Lake by 5:45. Once you leave the main trail and head up East Cross Creek, stay high on the west side of the creek to find the trail. Once you leave the woods, it's pretty much boulder scrambling up to the NW corner of Bowl of Tears lake. From here you scramble pretty much straight up for 800 feet, angling slightly to your right to get around the cliff that looms above you. If you do this, you can't help but find the obvious entry point to the couloir. Strapped on the crampons and pulled out the axe to enter the coulour at 6:50. The snow was a little soft; enough to slow things down but not enough to turn it into an epic. I exited the top of the couloir at 8:20 just after someone looked down it, surprised to see me. You must be in decent shape to do this climb. The physical demands are greater than the elevation gain would suggest. Fabulous adventure on a beautiful mountain and worth doing. I didn't see anyone until I reached the summit. For pictures, visit .


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