Help: Ruby Cr GPS?

[lordhelmut]

You are not alone...I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who barreled and bushwacked down that trail trying to catch the Needleton train. Some of the cairns on that trail are just there to torment you. It is a tough route up or down. 2nd time was much easier for me. The crux for us was where the trail goes up on the way down...yet the cairns lead you into oblivion. Think I could do it blindfolded now.

That is EXACTLY where I got lost. There was a junction, cairns led up, but my heart wanted to go down, unfortunately I listened to the cairns. 15 minutes later, I was lost and higher than I was supposed to be. My logic led me to just head straight down, thinking I was in the general vicinity of the N.Pigeon drainage. I couldn't have been any more off and 30 minutes later, was staring straight down a 30-40 foot waterfall.....in the Ruby drainage. My logic was still find a way to the Animas, climb over Watertank Hill and make the train. WRONG! I finally reach N.Pigeon Creek, after climbing up and over numerous wrotten deadfall with a 50 lb pack, steep slopes, hidden boulders, mosquitos, thorn bushes, etc. I think I'm above the stream crossing. WRONG AGAIN! I downclimb the creek, drenched, bleeding, dehydrated, beaten and bruised. Get cliffed out, but can traverse along a narrow, exposed ledge system. I now can see the train depot 1700 feet below.....with 20 minutes to make the 3:30pm train, thinking I'll have to camp out at Needleton with no way to let my boss know I'm not going to make work on monday. I'm hoping the 2:30pm train, that was 15 minutes late, means this one will be late. I drink unfiltered water from the creek and straighline it for where I think the depot is. Through a complete miracle, I land myself right out in the meadow in front of the cut out tree.....with 5 minutes to spare. I hear Papillon's voice but think I'm hallucinating, but then he comes running around the corner and I'm lying down by the bridge minutes later. The train rolls up less than 5 minutes later. I'm seeing double, am too exhausted to enjoy a Gordon's IPA and my stomach is queezy. I vomit over the side of the train the whole way back and need assistance carrying my pack to the car.

Worst. Descent. Ever.

[TomPierce]

I am sooo looking forward to Monday....

[climbing_rob]

I am sooo looking forward to Monday....

It ain't all that bad. Wait.... er.... yes it is! Actually not, just pay attention! What are your climbing goals? If you want to avoid coming DOWN Ruby, its an easy (technically) route over to Chicago basin over Twin Thumbs pass, lots to climb over there too.

[TomPierce]

Rob: Our targets are, in planned order of ascent (1) Little Finger, reportedly 5.7; if time allows on day 1 I'd like to go for Peak 16 (5.2) since it's right next door; day 2 will be The Index, I've read ratings of 5.7-5.9+. Yep, the current plan is to exit over Twin Thumbs Pass, and if that's the actual exit I may try Twin Thumbs on the way out to Chicago Basin.

Of course with the forecast what it is we could end up spending 3 days tentbound in rainstorms reading bad fiction. Should be an adventure regardless. Thanks again for the data, I plan to load it in tonight or tomorrow.
-Tom

[Chicago Transplant]

Just take it slow and leave yourself a lot of time. Pay close attention to where you are going for the route back. If you have a GPS, at least you will have your own track to follow on the exit, so hopefully won't end up bushwhacking too much. Way point P5 is the critical one that is the place you go from North Pigeon to Ruby, especially on the return trip finding this point will be a huge timesaver.

Social trails, game trails, weak trails, deadfall - you have to stop and look around at every one of them and make a decision, if you are hurrying to catch the trail, you might blow right by. I had a couple of backtracks on my descent when after a few steps too far off trail something just didn't "feel" right and I went back to look for another way.

Have a good time back there, sounds like you are going with Steve? I know he was looking for partners next week for those tech summits, good luck!

PS - if you are in a group, stick together. 4 of us on this thread (myself, lordhelmut, Papillon and climbing_rob) were all camped and climbing together, yet somehow in our own haste split up and as you can see from our accounts, have very different experiences!

[TomPierce]

ChicagoT: Yep, going with Steve, we're now planning on going up together so that'll be nice, misery loving company and all that. He's going to have a friend join us later in the trip, but I have to bug out alone Thursday. With a planned relocation of camp anyway Weds afternoon, me going out via Chicago Basin makes sense and should be far less hassle. We're just praying for at least semi-decent weather.
-Tom

[dsunwall]

The ones in Dave Cooper's "Colorado Scrambles" were pretty much spot on.

Ruby Cutoff.jpg

ahh, I was just about to mention that but decided to check earlier posts, you have it covered. I also used Daves coordinates and description and had little trouble with both Ruby and No Name. I think they are in the Jagged route description.

there were a few GPS errors in his first book, typo's that weren't caught, but I would think they were corrected in his second edition.

[Dancesatmoonrise]

Sounds like a great trip, Tom, and a great partner, too.

Hope it goes very smoothly for you guys, and look forward to enjoying your trip report.

[TomPierce]

Thanks for the send off, Jim, but alas I suspect the ascent will be a total suck-a-thon. But I have already assumed in my mind it will be brutal agony; Dante's 8th Circle of Hell?? So anything less than that will be a vacation in paradise. Lookin' forward to it!! Not....

Take care,
-Tom

[Ridge runner]

Tom, I didn't think it was that bad of an approach. I'd take it any day over some of the approaches in the Tenmile/Mosquito/Sawatch Ranges. But then again, my view of these ranges is that a gravel pit threw up.

I thought the trail up to Ruby Basin was very lush and scenic in spots. I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

edited for speling

[climbing_rob]

Rob: Our targets are, in planned order of ascent (1) Little Finger, reportedly 5.7; if time allows on day 1 I'd like to go for Peak 16 (5.2) since it's right next door; day 2 will be The Index, I've read ratings of 5.7-5.9+. Yep, the current plan is to exit over Twin Thumbs Pass, and if that's the actual exit I may try Twin Thumbs on the way out to Chicago Basin.

Sounds like a fantastic itinerary! Maybe dsunwall will chime in here with twin thumbs beta; he climbed them while I escorted my GF up Sunlight & Windom. Seems like it was an easy ramp up to them (Twin Thumbs) from just below the pass (the Twin Lakes side), with a very short 5th class on one of them.

[dsunwall]

I did Twin thumbs after climbing peak 11, but you could go directly to Twin Thumbs from the saddle. Traverse along the south cliffs, I don't remember how far down you would go, but just scramble until you see the south side of Twin thumbs. The north thumb is the highest, you might have a little trouble identifying it, but both towers are worth doing. The south one looks more difficult but I found a route that went 4th class, with a narrow loose rock exposed section at the end. The north summit has a slightly exposed low 5th class move at the crux, sounds like you will have gear and rope so it won't be a problem for you, you may not need it at all if your confident climbing. The route becomes fairly obvious once you are close.

It would be a little tricky getting peak 11 after twin thumbs, go to the saddle, climb up the short wall and get on the north side of the tower, it will look quite difficult but once you are around the corner you will see it goes easy. The first tower you get on is not the high point, but it's not too difficult to scramble over to it.

Getting peak 11 from Chi basin and the traverse to Twin Thumbs is a little more complicated. Take the obvious big ramp along the south slopes of Peak 11, its much wider than it looks from below. Easy scramble to the summit from the end of the ramp. From Peak 11 head south west to a tower, go north as far as you can, follow the ridge taking ledges down the north side, head west to the saddle with Twin Thumbs. Its a fun scramble on fairly good rock, taking this route will avoid most of the big scree slog up to Twin Thumbs.