South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
    For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
User avatar
justiner
Posts: 4389
Joined: 8/28/2010
14ers: 58  8 
13ers: 138
Trip Reports (39)
 
Contact:

South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by justiner »

I've always found the view towards Eldorado Canyon from South Boulder Peak quite remarkable, and couldn't help noticing quite the sustained craggy ridge that goes it seems, all the way to the base of the canyon.

Does this ridge lend itself well to be followed from the base, to the summit of Sobo? Seems you can start the ridge line by taking an easy way to Shirttail Peak, and then just go from there - ala something like a dis:

http://www.summitpost.org/north-ridge-f ... ead/400880" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://images.summitpost.org/original/688379.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd love to do a project that attempts to follow the ridgeline, more or less from Eldorado to Sobo, then down to Bear, Nebel Horn, (Dinosaur), and off to Green.
Last edited by justiner on Sun Dec 22, 2013 7:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
High_On_Thin_Air
Posts: 98
Joined: 9/6/2013
14ers: 58  2 
13ers: 16
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by High_On_Thin_Air »

I talked to a guy the other day on the way up Bear Peak who said he had done a traverse starting at Eldo and following the ridge (as much as possible) made the summits of South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mtn, and ended on Mt Sanitas. The validity of his claims, I'm unsure but he seemed to be in incredible shape with the pace he was keeping up the peak. I would like to try it sometime myself! Seems pretty fun
User avatar
Jeff Valliere
Posts: 537
Joined: 2/19/2007
14ers: 58  1  15 
13ers: 9
Trip Reports (8)
 
Contact:

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by Jeff Valliere »

Homie and I attempted this ridge in 2008. We started in Eldo, worked our way up through a gully along side a bunch of popular Eldo climbing routes (don't know Eldo well enough to provide specific names). I remember a 5th class move to get out of the top of the gully, then a lot of exposed 4th/3rd class slab traversing/climbing on the East side to make Shirttail. After that, it seemed unlikely to stay on the ridge continuously (for me at least without ropes) and required a good bit of dropping on either side of the ridge to find a possible way to go through, which involved some backtracking and a good bit of bushwhacking. After about 3 hours, we had maybe made it half way and ran out of time, so we dropped West to the Eldo Trail which got us out of there quickly. Would like to try again someday.
Last edited by Jeff Valliere on Mon Dec 23, 2013 8:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
justiner
Posts: 4389
Joined: 8/28/2010
14ers: 58  8 
13ers: 138
Trip Reports (39)
 
Contact:

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by justiner »

Hmm - I may have to check it out - seems like bailing when on the ridge from Eldo to Sobo can be down quite, "easily" from the East - just get back down on to Mesa or Shadow Canyon trails.

My hope is that the ridge line of Sobo is similar to the ridge line between Sobo and Bear, which is much more accessible and features just a ton of fins of rock to go up or around, and some spicy exposure if you really want it - easy to preview too from the summit of Bear Peak - just look South!

I've found a lot of the rock on the West side of these ridges, from Sobo to Nebel Horn (when it's not overhanging!) is pretty crummy, unfortunately (and surprisingly). Maybe start with being as close to on top of the ridge as possible/comfortable, and cheating when it gets a little uncomfortable. Could be a great test piece when tackling more alpine-feeling routes.
User avatar
Jeff Valliere
Posts: 537
Joined: 2/19/2007
14ers: 58  1  15 
13ers: 9
Trip Reports (8)
 
Contact:

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by Jeff Valliere »

justiner wrote:Hmm - I may have to check it out - seems like bailing when on the ridge from Eldo to Sobo can be down quite, "easily" from the East - just get back down on to Mesa or Shadow Canyon trails.
This would work too, but dropping to Shadow on the East side of the ridge involves more vertical, potentially rockier terrain and is more bushwhacky. Dropping West (if still paralleling Eldo Trail), it is less steep, less bushy, less rocky and less vertical before you reach the trail. The distance is a bit more, but is much easier and will most likely save you time.
justiner wrote:My hope is that the ridge line of Sobo is similar to the ridge line between Sobo and Bear, which is much more accessible and features just a ton of fins of rock to go up or around, and some spicy exposure if you really want it - easy to preview too from the summit of Bear Peak - just look South!
We have been on this ridgeline as well after scrambling the Keel and then S. Wing. It was easier to make quick progress and less complicated than the S. Ridge of SoBo IMHO.
User avatar
ezabielski
Posts: 738
Joined: 7/13/2012
14ers: 43  1 
13ers: 8
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by ezabielski »

High_On_Thin_Air wrote:I talked to a guy the other day on the way up Bear Peak who said he had done a traverse starting at Eldo and following the ridge (as much as possible) made the summits of South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mtn, and ended on Mt Sanitas. The validity of his claims, I'm unsure but he seemed to be in incredible shape with the pace he was keeping up the peak. I would like to try it sometime myself! Seems pretty fun
That's actually a thing in Boulder. The route is called the Grand Slam by Mags: South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mountain, Flagstaff, Anemone, and Sanitas. It's about 18 miles and 8,500' of gain. The Super Slam is that, plus walking back to your car where you started. Somewhere north of 25 miles, 10,500' of gain.

I did the Super Slam last weekend and had a wonderful time.
eskermo
Posts: 216
Joined: 1/1/2012
14ers: 58  2  1 
13ers: 316 30 4
Trip Reports (18)
 

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by eskermo »

High_On_Thin_Air wrote:I talked to a guy the other day on the way up Bear Peak who said he had done a traverse starting at Eldo and following the ridge (as much as possible) made the summits of South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mtn, and ended on Mt Sanitas. The validity of his claims, I'm unsure but he seemed to be in incredible shape with the pace he was keeping up the peak. I would like to try it sometime myself! Seems pretty fun
Let's do this, Nathan. I've done 1st Flatiron to Green Mountain to Bear Peak before and that is one hell of a tiring day - comparable to any 14er. I'd love to try the whole traverse though...
User avatar
Jeff Valliere
Posts: 537
Joined: 2/19/2007
14ers: 58  1  15 
13ers: 9
Trip Reports (8)
 
Contact:

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by Jeff Valliere »

ezabielski wrote:
High_On_Thin_Air wrote:I talked to a guy the other day on the way up Bear Peak who said he had done a traverse starting at Eldo and following the ridge (as much as possible) made the summits of South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mtn, and ended on Mt Sanitas. The validity of his claims, I'm unsure but he seemed to be in incredible shape with the pace he was keeping up the peak. I would like to try it sometime myself! Seems pretty fun
That's actually a thing in Boulder. The route is called the Grand Slam by Mags: South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mountain, Flagstaff, Anemone, and Sanitas. It's about 18 miles and 8,500' of gain. The Super Slam is that, plus walking back to your car where you started. Somewhere north of 25 miles, 10,500' of gain.

I did the Super Slam last weekend and had a wonderful time.
Bill Wright used to do this annually on New Year's Day I think, but his version to the best of my knowledge involves being on trail almost the entire time and also involves Eldorado Mountain (where the upper half is a bushwhack and requires and HCA permit to legally access). I think they started on Sanitas and finished on Eldo (not sure if they included Anemone). Many variations on the Skyline Traverse exist.
pbakwin
Posts: 953
Joined: 6/10/2006
14ers: 56 
13ers: 64
Trip Reports (19)
 

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by pbakwin »

Jeff Valliere wrote:
ezabielski wrote:
High_On_Thin_Air wrote:I talked to a guy the other day on the way up Bear Peak who said he had done a traverse starting at Eldo and following the ridge (as much as possible) made the summits of South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mtn, and ended on Mt Sanitas. The validity of his claims, I'm unsure but he seemed to be in incredible shape with the pace he was keeping up the peak. I would like to try it sometime myself! Seems pretty fun
That's actually a thing in Boulder. The route is called the Grand Slam by Mags: South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak, Green Mountain, Flagstaff, Anemone, and Sanitas. It's about 18 miles and 8,500' of gain. The Super Slam is that, plus walking back to your car where you started. Somewhere north of 25 miles, 10,500' of gain.

I did the Super Slam last weekend and had a wonderful time.
Bill Wright used to do this annually on New Year's Day I think, but his version to the best of my knowledge involves being on trail almost the entire time and also involves Eldorado Mountain (where the upper half is a bushwhack and requires and HCA permit to legally access). I think they started on Sanitas and finished on Eldo (not sure if they included Anemone). Many variations on the Skyline Traverse exist.
Not relevant to the OP, but if you're talking about the mostly-on-trail route for Eldo - S. Boulder - Bear - Green - Flag - Sanitas it is called the Eldoitas, and the reverse route called the Sanitarado. These have been done for many years - decades actually. I've done the whole thing out & back starting at Linden, which works out to about 34 miles with 14,500' of gain (actually, it'll be a little longer now due to the reroute of Green-Bear). Must be good training for something....? I talked to Roach once about a traverse he did from Ralston Butte to Sanitas, picking up many obscure points on the way (things like Nebelhorn, S. Green, etc.) But anyway I think the OP'er was more interested in scrambling.
User avatar
justiner
Posts: 4389
Joined: 8/28/2010
14ers: 58  8 
13ers: 138
Trip Reports (39)
 
Contact:

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by justiner »

Yup, I know about the Eldoitas/Sanitarado - it's pretty easy to bump into Bill Wright's online presence, even without trying!

I freakin' love the Boulder Mountain Park and all the ways up and down, trails or no trails. The more ideas of fun things to try, all the better. I was attempting to run up Bear Peak just the other day, but wasn't really feeling it. The sight of the Slab right in front of me had me in awe and I found myself instead wandering around a bit, getting off-trail to scramble this little boulder, or that little boulder; thinking about other fun things to do. Anyways,


One thing that's gonna shut down any sort of ridgeline traverse will be the Raptor Closure in Feb. Not sure how that will affect an Eldo Canyon -> Sobo Ridge attempt (researching that now...). From the sounds of it, it's gonna be quite difficult to complete at all, and will probably need to be looked at, in bite-sized chunks. Esp. if it's much, much harder than the Ridge line South of Bear Peak.
User avatar
adrobertson
Posts: 12
Joined: 6/20/2008
14ers: 56 
13ers: 203
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by adrobertson »

I did this traverse solo a few years ago - it was pretty fun. I approached Shirttail Peak from the east (from the Old Mesa trail out of Eldorado Springs, probably leaving the trail at about 6100'), went up between some flatirons to the peak, and then headed NNW along the ridge towards South Boulder. Staying truly on the crest of the ridge would make it a 5th class climb. If I recall, I was just west of the crest more than east - mostly due to the orientation of the rock, it's easier to stay closer to the crest on the west side. Escaping the ridge would be a bit more predictable down to the west, and then south to Eldo, but dropping down into Shadow Canyon would probably work as well. Gerry Roach describes this route briefly in his Flaitrons Classics guide (the old little green book - don't know if it's mentioned in his newer edition).
User avatar
BillWright
Posts: 19
Joined: 1/17/2007
14ers: 58  1  29 
13ers: 37
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: South Boulder Peak via South East Ridge

Post by BillWright »

I've also done this traverse in a very similar fashion as described by adrobertson, though I left the Old Mesa Trail almost immediately - just past the houses. I tried staying on the ridge initially, but it is very technical, well into the 5th class range to stay on it and was too time-consuming, tiring, and contrived for me. At least that's what I told myself... In actuality, I was just too slow, too lazy, and not creative enough. To each his own. I did most of the ridge traverse on the west side, just like adrobertson and it is a LONG way to the summit of South Boulder Peak with lots of tiring, tedious going, but it is a unique adventure and I guarantee you will not see a single other person.

Also, about the trail versions of the Eldoitas and Sanitarado. While I did have a tradition of doing these on New Year's Day for a few years, Mark Oveson dreamed it up, at least as far as we knew. And, as is Mark's strength, he named them. I'm almost positive that those names come originally from Mark Oveson, despite how long this traverse has been done. Also, adding on Eldorado Mountain, while it doesn't look that huge, adds about 50% more effort over the rest of it. All the other terrain is on great trails. If you do this in January, Eldorado Mountain is a tremendous amount of work.
Bill
Post Reply