Aspen 14er accessibility

FAQ and threads for those just starting to hike the Colorado 14ers.
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Timmymc51
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Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by Timmymc51 »

I’ll be in Aspen in early June 2019, looking for my peak options.
Was thinking Elbert for a midweek climb...southeast or northeast route?
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Scott P
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by Scott P »

Timmymc51 wrote:I’ll be in Aspen in early June 2019, looking for my peak options.
Was thinking Elbert for a midweek climb...southeast or northeast route?
Both routes on Elbert should be accessible, but expect snow on the routes.
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JChitwood
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by JChitwood »

Decent snow year Indy might not be open in early June.
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Scott P
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by Scott P »

JChitwood wrote:Decent snow year Indy might not be open in early June.
The above is true. Elbert is a long drive from Aspen if Independence Pass isn't open.
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nunns
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by nunns »

Scott P wrote:
JChitwood wrote:Decent snow year Indy might not be open in early June.
The above is true. Elbert is a long drive from Aspen if Independence Pass isn't open.
That's crazy; early June and the pass is still closed?
Does it take that long to get the whole pass plowed, or would this be due to avalanche dangers?

Sean Nunn
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Scott P
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by Scott P »

nunns wrote:
Scott P wrote:
JChitwood wrote:Decent snow year Indy might not be open in early June.
The above is true. Elbert is a long drive from Aspen if Independence Pass isn't open.
That's crazy; early June and the pass is still closed?
Does it take that long to get the whole pass plowed, or would this be due to avalanche dangers?

Sean Nunn
They don't even try to plow it until at least May.
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Chicago Transplant
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by Chicago Transplant »

They try to get it open by Memorial Day, but that doesn't happen every year. A heavier snow year like this one, I wound't be surprised to see that pushed back a couple of weeks. Its pretty loaded up there in May in general.

This is a view of Indy Pass from PT 13198, aka "Mountain Boy Peak" I took on May 11, 2008. From what I could find, they opened June 7 that year:

Image

Edit- oops, had the wrong year at first... That's 2008.
Last edited by Chicago Transplant on Fri Mar 08, 2019 10:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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AnnaG22
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by AnnaG22 »

nunns wrote:
Scott P wrote:
JChitwood wrote:Decent snow year Indy might not be open in early June.
The above is true. Elbert is a long drive from Aspen if Independence Pass isn't open.
That's crazy; early June and the pass is still closed?
Does it take that long to get the whole pass plowed, or would this be due to avalanche dangers?

Sean Nunn
Not crazy at all, totally reasonable for a decent snow year.

Even when it opens early (mid-May) or on time (Memorial day, as others have mentioned) there are often partial day closures on a daily basis for weeks due to the dozens of avalanche chutes the road passes through. That's one of the things that makes the road maintenance challenging, and why large sections of the pass have no guard rails.

Even during poor snow years, like last year, people can find good ski lines accessible from the winter closures on either side of the pass into late June.
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herdbull
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by herdbull »

Chicago Transplant wrote:They try to get it open by Memorial Day, but that doesn't happen every year. A heavier snow year like this one, I wound't be surprised to see that pushed back a couple of weeks. Its pretty loaded up there in May in general.

This is a view of Indy Pass from PT 13198, aka "Mountain Boy Peak" I took on May 11, 2018. From what I could find, they opened June 7 that year:

Image
lmao..... where's the pass? :-D
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peter303
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by peter303 »

La Plata and Castle are class 2s near Aspen.
La Plata is on the opposite side of Independence Pass like Elbert.
Castle is 5 or 13 miles depending on the quality of your vehicle.
Both will have lots of snow in June.
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Monte Meals
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by Monte Meals »

"La Plata and Castle are class 2s near Aspen"

Strongly consider crampons (instead of micro spikes) and an ice axe for Castle
in June.

The top few inches of snow pack soften quickly creating a "greasy" surface
over solid ice.
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shsdawg58
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Re: Aspen 14er accessibility

Post by shsdawg58 »

Be very careful if you take the "shortcut" from the Castle/Conundrum saddle. Make sure you have a good ice axe and know how to self arrest. I "launched" myself down the shortcut last July after a low snow year. I used my trekking poles as a brake, but it was a bad idea and I nearly took a swim in the lake ](*,)
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