Halo Ridge

[nikonumber14]

Does anyone have a good video or very good pictures of Notch mountain and the Notch? Thanks

[MtnHub]

What exactly are you looking for? Notch MT, the Notch, or Halo Ridge? And are you wanting current conditions or typical summer shots?

[TallGrass]

See my TRs. Halo with Notch Mtn is a good loop.

[illusion7il]

Yesterday 6-23-15

It is a great time to get this route right now. There are a few unavoidable patches of snow and Gaiters are all you really need. Microspikes could be helpful if the snow is firm enough.

This trip report worked well, but make sure you read the description after Notch Mtn. I wasted about 30 mins trying to find a faster route to regain the ridge after notch but everything was 5 point too difficult.

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepor ... ki=Include" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There is also a standard Halo ridge route without notch Mtn. and is probably faster.

http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?rout ... Holy+Cross" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TallGrass]

I'd recommend packing 4 liters of water for the route. If you go via Notch Mountain-Notch-shelter, your last water supply point is at the trail head. If you go via the Fall Creek trail to the shelter, the last supply point is a tiny streamlet partway up the switchbacks. No more water until East Cross Creek after you summit and descend Holy Cross unless you're able to find, melt, and filter some snow. If it's hot and or you're moving slow, add another liter.

This trip report worked well, but make sure you read the description after Notch Mtn. I wasted about 30 mins trying to find a faster route to regain the ridge after notch but everything was 5 point too difficult.

You can save time by NOT dropping into the bowl-side from Notch Mountain to get to the base of the notch. When I did it back in 2012 I just stayed to the left (east) side and got down to the base of the notch easily. From there I kept traversing IN the bowl until I found a decent class 4 chimney to get up, which turns out is e-x-a-c-t-l-y where a large cairn is above, apparently the turn off marker for those going from the shelter to the notch. If you can't cut that, you could potentially keep traversing and then hike up the grassy upper bowl. Either way, once you get back on the ridge after the notch, it's all straight forward and pretty easy, just a lot of talus hopping.

There is also a standard Halo ridge route without notch Mtn. and is probably faster.

Did that route earlier in 2012, but the Notch Mountain route is more direct, faster.

I ended up doing Halo in the dark as I left the shelter about 9pm with partial moonlight for part of the hike. Ended up bivouacing atop Holy Cross Ridge when I couldn't be certain how it linked to Holy Cross (could spot the route once the sun started coming up).

[cougar]

I did this last year on July 4 and agree with the other posts - route finding around the Notch can be a bit tricky. I wasted up to an hour trying different lines and cairns and trying to avoid losing too much elevation and what looked like scree gullies. There are cairns leading up trickier exposed class 4/5 slab on the right side, but farther past that around just the next rock rib is easier low class 3. You drop a bit but it's not that bad. The direct route from Half Moon Pass to Notch Mtn is shorter and there's a trail once you gain the ridge. Total elevation gain for the whole loop (coming back the HC north ridge standard route) was ~ 6000 ft.

Also there should still be snow available at the top of couloirs, especially on HC's summit and just below it, early July. But you'd have to melt it. I'd definitely carry plenty of water - the route is a long time above 13000 ft. But well worth it.

Left side looked like a big vertical wall so I didn't see anything there.

[gzrrnnr]

The Halo Ridge is fun, but if you want to avoid the mob on Mount of the Holy Cross, after getting up Holy Cross Ridge, drop off to the south into the beautiful canyon containing the incredible Tuhare Lakes. Some of the time, there is a path (not a maintained trail) and some of the time, it is across the rocks, talus, and through the bushes. The rock spires, canyon, lakes and the waterfalls are one of the most beautiful areas I have seen in Colorado. And I was fortunate, I met no one in the area until I got down to Lake Constantine. The trip is a very scenic loop with few other hikers/climbers. For most climbers, it will be a very long day. Highly recommended!

[illusion7il]

I'd recommend packing 4 liters of water for the route. If you go via Notch Mountain-Notch-shelter, your last water supply point is at the trail head. If you go via the Fall Creek trail to the shelter, the last supply point is a tiny streamlet partway up the switchbacks. No more water until East Cross Creek after you summit and descend Holy Cross unless you're able to find, melt, and filter some snow. If it's hot and or you're moving slow, add another liter.

This trip report worked well, but make sure you read the description after Notch Mtn. I wasted about 30 mins trying to find a faster route to regain the ridge after notch but everything was 5 point too difficult.

You can save time by NOT dropping into the bowl-side from Notch Mountain to get to the base of the notch. When I did it back in 2012 I just stayed to the left (east) side and got down to the base of the notch easily. From there I kept traversing IN the bowl until I found a decent class 4 chimney to get up, which turns out is e-x-a-c-t-l-y where a large cairn is above, apparently the turn off marker for those going from the shelter to the notch. If you can't cut that, you could potentially keep traversing and then hike up the grassy upper bowl. Either way, once you get back on the ridge after the notch, it's all straight forward and pretty easy, just a lot of talus hopping.

There is also a standard Halo ridge route without notch Mtn. and is probably faster.

Did that route earlier in 2012, but the Notch Mountain route is more direct, faster.

I ended up doing Halo in the dark as I left the shelter about 9pm with partial moonlight for part of the hike. Ended up bivouacing atop Holy Cross Ridge when I couldn't be certain how it linked to Holy Cross (could spot the route once the sun started coming up).

I think you may have misunderstood what I said as I never said anything about dropping all the way down into a bowl. I put a link to a trip report written by another member that contains this picture of the route after Notch mtn. that does an excellent job explaining this area.

I guess it really depends on the hiker when it comes to speed, but I would still say that the standard route that goes around notch mtn. on class 1 trail would be faster than dealing with talus hopping and route finding after the notch even though its a longer.

[TallGrass]

You can save time by NOT dropping into the bowl-side from Notch Mountain to get to the base of the notch. When I did it back in 2012 I just stayed to the left (east) side and got down to the base of the notch easily.

I think you may have misunderstood what I said as I never said anything about dropping all the way down into a bowl. I put a link to a trip report written by another member that contains this picture of the route after Notch mtn. that does an excellent job explaining this area.

Don't know where you're getting "down into a bowl" from as I only wrote about which side of the ridge to divert to when you can't stick to it. The TR you refer to is ok, but there are various bits it leaves out as far as routes and route finding on the Notch Mountain side (pretty easy to follow compared to Fall Creek from Homestake). For those trying to keep the difficulty down heading to the shelter, divert left (opposite the ECC bowl) around the ridge obstructions. Summitpost has a good photo showing the direct-assault option for ascending the south part of the notch which is faster but gets into Class 5.

From a 2012 TR showing the cairn atop the chimney you ascend on the shelter side of the notch.


From SummitPost on Direct Assault option
Click here or go to the above link for a bigger photo.

[nikonumber14]

Hey sorry I've been unresponsive but thank you for all the advice and insight, it is much appreciated.

[TallGrass]

Does anyone have a good video or very good pictures of Notch mountain and the Notch? Thanks

Just added a TR that covers that route for any trying to find their way up or down it.

[myfeetrock]

Hope you don't mind illusion, but I hijacked your photo. The yellow line is the route I took.