4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

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.
Post Reply
User avatar
Steve Gio
Posts: 491
Joined: 5/29/2009
14ers: 19 
13ers: 8
Trip Reports (1)
 

4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by Steve Gio »

Curios if anyone has been in either of these areas lately. I am thinking of Mt. Sopris since it is lower elevation. We xc ski near it this past winter and it is a spectacular mountain. So I'm thinking it may not be too snowed in by the 4th of July.

Venable Peak is one I have done some years back as a back pack loop and getting Venable and Comanche peaks. It was also a heavy snow year and was clear by 4th of July that year.

Any info on these 2 areas would be very helpful in planning. Thanks.

Steve
User avatar
Scott P
Posts: 9438
Joined: 5/4/2005
14ers: 58  16 
13ers: 50 13
Trip Reports (16)
 
Contact:

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by Scott P »

The kids and I will be attempting Sopris on June 28, so we can let you know of conditions then.

Since the last part of the route is on a ridge, I'm assuming snow won't be that much of a problem by then.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
User avatar
Steve Gio
Posts: 491
Joined: 5/29/2009
14ers: 19 
13ers: 8
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by Steve Gio »

Thanks Scott. Will have to make a decision before then but I am assuming that the snow will be scarce by he 4th as well.
User avatar
cheeseburglar
Posts: 2434
Joined: 8/7/2006
14ers: 58  2 
13ers: 79 2 1
Trip Reports (8)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by cheeseburglar »

The standard route up Sopris will be clear by then, but there should be some snow slopes that you can cross if you enjoy climbing on snow.
The marmot said “Nobody is perfect and you are not nobody.”

Random FoTH Quotes
User avatar
jdorje
Posts: 1388
Joined: 6/16/2010
14ers: 12 
13ers: 27
Trip Reports (16)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by jdorje »

Venable is 100% snow clear now. Great peak but that will be mosquito season.
Attachments
Venable 6/16
Venable 6/16
20140616_123726 - Copy.jpg (102.42 KiB) Viewed 831 times
"I don't think about the past, and the future is a mystery. Only the present matters."
User avatar
bonehead
Posts: 747
Joined: 11/13/2009
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by bonehead »

The east side still holds quite a bit of snow.
User avatar
jdorje
Posts: 1388
Joined: 6/16/2010
14ers: 12 
13ers: 27
Trip Reports (16)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by jdorje »

Yeah, I bet phantom terrace is covered, at least for a little longer. The easiest route from the west is via Comanche pass and this should be completely clear.
"I don't think about the past, and the future is a mystery. Only the present matters."
User avatar
bonehead
Posts: 747
Joined: 11/13/2009
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by bonehead »

Agree.
We hiked Commanche yesterday.
I may give the terraces a visit tomorrow.
If so, I will post info.
From years past I remember a deteriorating spot in the trail
just below the pass.
Anyone know more?
User avatar
tundratif
Posts: 34
Joined: 7/22/2010
14ers: 38 
13ers: 24
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by tundratif »

I went up and did Dry Lakes on Sat. June 14th from the Westcliffe side, which a couple of valleys parallel to the south. The trail was pretty dry and clear until about 11,200 in the trees and then there were significant snow drifts 2-4' deep. Some postholing ensued, but you could route around portions of it. The last headwall up to the lake at about 11,600 was a solid snow field for a couple hundred feet up. We didn't have traction but was able to kick steps in and plunge step down on a low angle section. The flat area around the lake was fairly snow free. Considering that the trails are aligned similarly, I would expect the trail up to Venable would be comparable.
"You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. But you can decide how you're going to live now." - Joan Baez
User avatar
myfeetrock
Posts: 659
Joined: 7/14/2009
14ers: 37  1 
13ers: 12
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by myfeetrock »

Here are some pictures from a friend who went up on the 16th. She said they did lots of post holing but made it to the top. When snow free its an easy 3 to 4 hour hike to the summit.
Attachments
sopris8.jpg
sopris8.jpg (110.66 KiB) Viewed 705 times
sopris7.jpg
sopris7.jpg (101.35 KiB) Viewed 705 times
sopris6.jpg
sopris6.jpg (97.78 KiB) Viewed 705 times
User avatar
TakeMeToYourSummit
Posts: 355
Joined: 9/9/2012
14ers: 58  2 
13ers: 287 25 2
Trip Reports (8)
 

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by TakeMeToYourSummit »

Great spot to snap a shot, eh? Crazy how much of the high snow is sticking in the Elks. Here's a shot from May 18, 2014 (for comparison):
GEDV0074 (530x298).jpg
GEDV0074 (530x298).jpg (348.12 KiB) Viewed 682 times
I'm horrible with names...
But will never forget a mountain's face!
User avatar
Scott P
Posts: 9438
Joined: 5/4/2005
14ers: 58  16 
13ers: 50 13
Trip Reports (16)
 
Contact:

Re: 4th of July - Mt. Sopris or Venable Peak

Post by Scott P »

Kessler and I climbed Sopris this weekend. There were a few snowbanks to cross, but all were short. Lots of people in running shoes. There isn't much snow left at all on the standard route and way less than in the photos above.

Incidentally, we also glissaded the north face/basin that is between the two summits. We should have done it when there was more snow as crossing the rock glaciers and boulders on the way back was a pain.

In other words, don't bother bring an ice axe to Sopris as there are currently no conditions (even off the standard route) that are worth bringing an ice axe for.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
Post Reply