Sweet! I was looking to start at 4 am at the lower trailhead of the east ridge unless you have a car that can reach the upper trailhead. I'm looking to get a room in town to be closer to the mountain. If none of this is a problem shoot me a message and we'll swap numbers and what not. The reason I posted this publicly is in case anyone else ends up being interested.
Mt. Elbert in December
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.
-
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 12/10/2021
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Mt. Elbert in December
- dan0rama
- Posts: 104
- Joined: 1/12/2022
- 14ers: 26 5
- 13ers: 5
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Mt. Elbert in December
sounds good, I'll confirm early next week.
I have never seen a street legal vehicle at the upper TH in the winter. I wonder if anyone ever drives up here in the winter. There's sort of a sinkhole with water crossing that stops most vehicles.
I have never seen a street legal vehicle at the upper TH in the winter. I wonder if anyone ever drives up here in the winter. There's sort of a sinkhole with water crossing that stops most vehicles.
Re: Mt. Elbert in December
Personally I wouldn't try it unless it happens to be pretty dry then, though I have seen some people make it that time of year. Even if you make it and it doesn't snow while you are there, there is still the risk of the wind creating a drift over the road making it hard to get out. That's what happened to us near the North Elbert Trailhead. The road wasn't too bad with a 4wd and since it was a good weather forecast, we drove the road more than we should have. When we got back, the winds had caused a bunch of big drifts on the road and we got stuck trying to get out. Although that was the North Trailhead, the same thing can happen on the south. Use caution.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
Re: Mt. Elbert in December
Those trees are pretty tight to be able to go at it with speed. But the good thing about all the trees is that they make excellent winching options if you have a winch and get stuck. If you get stuck there, you might as well forget you own that vehicle until snow melts in spring, or have someone with a winch to come get you. A tow truck will not attempt leaving that paved road near the 2WD trailhead.
Re: Mt. Elbert in December
The small stream crossing tends to turn into an ice flow with 2-3’~ drops on both sides. I’ve been up it late season in a rubicon w/ 37s. Personally that road takes no time, especially on skis and would just walk it. Depending on snowpack, there’s some camping options .2-.5mi up the road on the left.
-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: 11/30/2022
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Mt. Elbert in December
The southeast one? Is that the same as the south one?
-
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 12/10/2021
- Trip Reports (0)