Best Route to Golden Bear?

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tjf242424
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Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by tjf242424 »

I'm hoping to do Golden Bear and Hagar on Tuesday, but I can't decide which is the better way to approach:

1) From Dry Gulch, east of the tunnel
2) From the west side of the tunnel, likely taking in Coon Hill along the way

Any thoughts from people who've done this one? I've looked at trip reports, but I can't tell which is the better way. Thanks for any advice.
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sunny1
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by sunny1 »

If you're planning to climb both Hagar and Golden Bear, would approach via Dry Gulch. Nice duo!
The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana.
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RWinters
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by RWinters »

I did that combo from the west side of the tunnel a couple of years ago. I really enjoyed it and it made for a nice outing.
"It's just right there"
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Trotter
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by Trotter »

tjf242424 wrote:I'm hoping to do Golden Bear and Hagar on Tuesday, but I can't decide which is the better way to approach:

1) From Dry Gulch, east of the tunnel
2) From the west side of the tunnel, likely taking in Coon Hill along the way

Any thoughts from people who've done this one? I've looked at trip reports, but I can't tell which is the better way. Thanks for any advice.
I'd consider the wind direction. If its a strong west wind all day, do it from the east side
After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. -Nelson Mandela
Whenever I climb I am followed by a dog called Ego. -Nietzsche
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susanjoypaul
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by susanjoypaul »

I did Golden Bear from the Loveland Ski Area (~4 miles roundtrip) and then hiked that nice long ridge out to Coon Hill - and turned around. The loose rock on the northeast side of the peak didn't look very stable, and probably doesn't get much traffic. I didn't have a helmet and was on my own, and I did not want to drop all the way down into the basin south of the ridge to take advantage of the grassy slopes on Coon's east side.

I came back the next weekend and did Coon Hill from the west side of the tunnel (~3 miles roundtrip). Both trips were pretty easy and a lot of fun, but connecting them means going through that crappy loose section. I know people take that route occasionally but it just didn't look safe to me that day.
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davebobk47
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by davebobk47 »

Ive done both Golden Bear and Hagar from the West side of the tunnel. Nice trail to the ridge and great views. I agree with Susan, that side of Coon Hill isn't really something you want to climb. The west side of Coon Hill is much more pleasant. Very easy to add Hagar if doing Golden Bear as well. Definitely a great outing.
"Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve. They are the cathedrals where I practice my religion." -Anatoli Boukreev
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Presto
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by Presto »

We did it from Loveland Pass strolling along the ridge (just to add another option) ... a bit of up and down and up and down, but fun nonetheless. Happy trails! :-D
As if none of us have ever come back with a cool, quasi-epic story instead of being victim to tragic rockfall, a fatal stumble, a heart attack, an embolism, a lightning strike, a bear attack, collapsing cornice, some psycho with an axe, a falling tree, carbon monoxide, even falling asleep at the wheel getting to a mountain. If you can't accept the fact that sometimes "s**t happens", then you live with the illusion that your epic genius and profound wilderness intelligence has put you in total and complete control of yourself, your partners, and the mountain. How mystified you'll be when "s**t happens" to you! - FM
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Doug Shaw
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by Doug Shaw »

Presto wrote:We did it from Loveland Pass strolling along the ridge (just to add another option) ... a bit of up and down and up and down, but fun nonetheless. Happy trails! :-D
I just did this a couple weekends ago, actually.

If you're going as far as Hagar, you might as well tag Citadel too.

And if you're going to tag Citadel anyway, why not continue on to Pettingell?

And if you're going to continue on to Pettingell, why not descend the east ridge and catch the CDT and follow it on to Jones Pass?

You know, make a day out of it... :mrgreen:
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BB732
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by BB732 »

Hey Doug, I bet that would take about 14.5 hours!
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rijaca
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by rijaca »

Ride lift 9 to the Divide. Catch the Ridge Kitty further along the Divide. Then it's only a 15 minute walk.

And you get to ski down!

You can thank me later.
"A couple more shots of whiskey,
the women 'round here start looking good"
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timf
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by timf »

If I were a regular black skier, I'd ski down it while my son is in a lesson. Solid blue skier with an occasional black, but it's been a few years.
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12ersRule
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Re: Best Route to Golden Bear?

Post by 12ersRule »

rijaca wrote:Ride lift 9 to the Divide. Catch the Ridge Kitty further along the Divide. Then it's only a 15 minute walk.

And you get to ski down!

You can thank me later.
Agreed. Although the runs don't look open this season yet.
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