Descent Options From New UN13656 (Previously UN13660)?

[coopergould]

Likely will take the shortcut off California to tie into the approach trail, but may descend full N ridge to the Raspberry trail depending on how things are looking.

I've taken a shortcut off California too - off that east ridge a little south of the summit until you get cliffed out, then down the slope towards the little lake. Garbage rating of 3/5. (lake was nice).

Be careful as the choss is real.

Thanks Justiner, I should clarify the shortcut we are considering taking is the north ridge/east slopes shortcut Bill provides in his route for California. I think this might be a different one than you are talking since we will take the N ridge for about 0.5 miles before dropping East instead of dropping east/south right off the summit

Hey OP,

A friend and I are giving these peaks a go tomorrow. Plan is to head up to Lily Lake, up the scree slope to 13577, out and back 13660, then head over to california. Likely will take the shortcut off California to tie into the approach trail, but may descend full N ridge to the Raspberry trail depending on how things are looking.

Maybe see you up there and lmk if you want beta if you are going later in the weekend!

Don't forget that 13,660 is not actually the ranked point on that ridge. The pin here on 14ers is still incorrect. The correct and true summit is farther southeast along the ridge, marked as 13,618 on topo maps. Coordinates are 37.59397°N, 105.49762°W.

Thanks Supranihilest, we are definitely targeting the bicent and I did not check LOJ to see the updated pin location. Really appreciate you mentioning that!! Was looking back at pics from a climb of Ellingwood N Ridge and can totally see how those two points on the ridge are within a few feet of each other

[Chicago Transplant]

Not to completely change your plans (I know you are looking at the Lily Lake side), however, the west (Zapata Lake) side works well as a loop with California. I went up the NW Ridge of 13656 (class 3) and out and back from the old highpoint and then over 13577. I dropped to North Fork Zapata Creek from there, but you could go up California and descend its west ridge (class 2). Or start with California, go over 13577 and do the out and back to 13656 and drop to North Fork Zapata Creek. There is a trail down there, its hard to find at first and not always easy to follow in a few vegetated areas near treeline. It's on the north side of the creek below the high tarn (interesting plane wreckage in the area) but worth finding to make the talus easier. It worked well for me last fall and connects back to the access trail for California's west ridge before meeting the main Zapata trail.

[Skimo95]

Not to completely change your plans (I know you are looking at the Lily Lake side), however, the west (Zapata Lake) side works well as a loop with California. I went up the NW Ridge of 13656 (class 3) and out and back from the old highpoint and then over 13577. I dropped to North Fork Zapata Creek from there, but you could go up California and descend its west ridge (class 2). Or start with California, go over 13577 and do the out and back to 13656 and drop to North Fork Zapata Creek. There is a trail down there, its hard to find at first and not always easy to follow in a few vegetated areas near treeline. It's on the north side of the creek below the high tarn (interesting plane wreckage in the area) but worth finding to make the talus easier. It worked well for me last fall and connects back to the access trail for California's west ridge before meeting the main Zapata trail.

Am I reading this wrong or is 13656 class 2 from California? Trying to see if it’s going to be a dog friendly climb or not. I try to keep the chonk off of class 3 for the most part. Thanks for everything you do in the community CT! If the dog doesn’t join, I’m very keen to try the ridge from Ellingwood over.

[justiner]

Class 2 from California.

[Chicago Transplant]

I'd say its 2+, there were a couple of short rough spots that you need to drop a little to the west side to avoid class 3. I had some early fall snow, but this was probably the roughest spot (looking in the direction of the old summit, so west is your left):

13656ridge.jpg (245.23 KiB) Viewed 674 times

[justiner]

If you have time to snap some photos and post a condition report, I'd be forever grateful.

[supranihilest]

So it turns out I have quite a few photos of these peaks from May of this year and May of 2021, when I went to the old summit of 13,656 (technically unmarked on maps, but the elbow of the ridge between 13,577 and 13,618 (which is now the new summit, known as 13,656)). Not sure what order it makes most sense to post these, but what the heck, with the new summit there might be some interest in these peaks.

Here's one from California's looking at the whole area, with peaks and landmarks.

20210515_082355_labeled.jpg (342.35 KiB) Viewed 629 times

Here's an unmarked copy for the sake of showing the landscape better.

20210515_082355.jpg (335.55 KiB) Viewed 629 times

The reason that descending directly from 13,656 is so problematic should be apparent already, but in case it's not, here's one from 13,577 (the summit of which is on the right).

20210515_091212.jpg (317.47 KiB) Viewed 629 times

You could maybe go down the couloir, but almost every other option is an obvious no-go.

[supranihilest]

Here's one looking directly from 13,577 to the old summit, showing that you might be able to get down on steep junk just south (looker's left) of the old summit, but it doesn't look so great either.

20210515_091218.jpg (283.81 KiB) Viewed 629 times

The reason people go down from 13,577 instead is apparent in the next two photos, the first taken from the old summit showing the south slopes off 13,577 (shown left, as well as the more direct route off 13,656 on the right), the second showing those same slopes (right in this photo) from south of 13,656 when I did it from Zapata a month ago.

20210515_094551.jpg (283.37 KiB) Viewed 629 times

20230505_093125.jpg (211.27 KiB) Viewed 629 times

You can see the obvious talus slope which, while it would probably suck, isn't going to kill you.