Please help us decide!

[bif]

Pardon me, I mistook your level of skill . Perhaps Maroon Bells would be a good fit, please post a report , it is one of the most photographed mountains in the world.

bif

[GerryRigged]

No need to get all up tight about advice you get on this forum. Remember you were the one who asked for help.
Any way I think what the posters have been trying to tell you is don't undersetimate these mountains based on a few successful climbs. It only takes one missjudgement, one bad move, bad weather timing, one missing piece of equipment, one missuse of equipment etc and things can turn sour in a heartbeat. Remember that mother nature cares not who you are or how experienced you are. If you make a mistake you could die. There are hundreds of dead expert mountaineers laying all ove Everest to prove it and an error on one of the 14ers is just as deadly as a one on Everest.

Like others have said March can be a dangerous time of year to climb cols here in Colorado. The snow hasn't had the freeze thaw needed to stabilize steep slopes. Be very careful in your choice of route. You might be better off doing a ridge climb with some class three and four stuff even if you don't need snow climbing tools. There are plenty of people on this forum that cloud suggest some of these although I would not be one of them.

Be safe and enjoy yourself.

Gerry

[shaunster_co]

Well, I suppose either we will read a trip report, or less desirable, an SAR report. I would do yourself a favour and check the attitude at the door though - especially attempting these particular peaks with the amount of experience you have. I suppose if you are lucky, you will have a close call and the mountain will send you down with your tail between your legs. Rarely do they hand out second chances though, and will eat you alive with arrogance (i.e. a good day on Elbert is not a gauge of your abilities, any more than camping a few nights at altitude is a measure for what your body can take). You asked for advice, you've gotten it.. From quite a few seasoned mountaineers at that. I would ponder that, it's good advice.

[sgladbach]

** The peaks you mentioned represent the confluence of all the intrinsic hazards of winter climbing : Avy danger, exposure, loose rock, a difficult winter route and significant distance from help. There are challenging peaks that each eliminate some magnitude of one or more of those dangers.

Though not my personal first choice, I like the Blanca idea. My lack of enthusiasm is probably related to over-familiarity. This is my end of the state. Some other favorites I might suggest that meet your requirements (but are a bit safer than Bells/Wilsons) are : Uncompahgre, Wetterhorn, or Snowmass. Of these, Uncompahgre is appropriate under most avy conditions; the others (and Blanca) require more stable condtions. But, you are coming at a good time of the year. There are some March/April trip reports of all these peaks on these on this site.

A large group of us camped and climbed on Umconpahgre three weeks ago.http://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28031 We had such a good time, I'm planning on a similar trip into Horn Fork Basin for Harvard and/or Columbia near the time frame you'll be here (Later March or early April.) No date yet set, but I'm planning to try to catch them March 19-20 before the equinox. Join us if you can. (I'll post some final dates after I've fit in my one big trip for this winter. Once I fulfill that goal, the rest of the winter is all negotiable.)


Steve

Hacksaw: What trip did you have in mind that is appropriate for skiers, but not for snowshoers? I've not encountered such a route.

[Shawnee Bob]

I'll second a lot of that. I live just south of you, in OK. We have places down here where you can get Class 3-5 climbs, but they're much different than they are in CO because of scale. I don't know the mountains in the UK of which you speak, though I know there's some big-time climbs there. But altitude does matter because of how it affects the body, and fighting through snow plus the cold will sap your body even more. Temps, even in March, in the Rockies can be downright nice (30s and 40s) or totally bitter (well below 0).

And they're not kidding about how much the snow dump can be in March. March is a "wet" winter month, and the loads on those slopes can go up pretty quick. Do you have avy training? If you don't, get some beforehand. I don't, so I plan my snow routes in the late spring, like June, when the snow is more consolidated and the danger less.

Lastly, the mountains you put up there are some of the toughest 14ers in CO, even in the best weather conditions. I haven't worked myself up to that level yet, but if I do, I'll be trying them in summer/early fall first. Something to consider.

I like the Missouri suggestion, and if Shavano gets decent snow at that time, I'd try that. Your avy risk is lower, but you still get a chance to use your snow tools on the Angel and on the southern summit slopes. The views are awesome. Shavano is a good place to get your feet wet, practice technique, etc.

[Scott P]

how about cairngorms in scotland or Snowdons very own knifes edge! and other scrambler ridges and such?

why do you rate these class 3's harder than them?

They are very different. Those climbs you list are prone to icy conditions and very bad weather in winter (much wetter than CO and perhaps overall worse weather), but they don't usually have the same powder/slab avalanche conditions typical to Colorado. The difficulties/dangers are different and the skills needed to safely climb each are different.

[Wuldier]

i agree with just about most of what you guys are saying.

what you guys dont get is, i understand the fact that any kind of mistake can and probably will kill ANYONE!.. i knew this many years before even discovering this forum.. what im saying is!! weather it be in CO or the UK or Everest! the same mistake will have the SAME! outcome!

and i will post pictures, weather or not its a time where we turnaround or actually make the summit and back.. ill post pics of all the places we are going to hit up, starting with scotts suggestion of Sawtooth ridge, and maybe CO Natives suggestion too. we are going to be out there for probably 2 weeks.

i know the weather is bad in march, its largely why i choose it.. stupid? maybe.. but its a personal preference..

also you are right Scott.. but avalanches are indeed pretty common in cairngorms. its truly a fun and rewarding place to go.



And Please as a side note!: Dont in anyway shape or form assume im some punk kid that is just sitting here and saying "Screw" you guys and your advice im going to do this anyway.. its not like that! not even a little bit, i know that at these altitudes, im fine physically and mentally, i really dont think these climbs are out of my reach except for one factor.. that being avalanches, if i get a bad feeling about any area im in, im gone! but as for the actual weather and what it is doing to me, i love that! and the Alt.. so i get what you are saying about Avalanche danger, but everything else is fine, (assuming no accidents) but that is a risk everyone of us takes any time we step one foot on a mountain.. so what do i do? not go!? thats not gonna happen lol.

[eagrnnr]

No need to get all up tight about advice you get on this forum. Remember you were the one who asked for help.
Any way I think what the posters have been trying to tell you is don't undersetimate these mountains based on a few successful climbs. It only takes one missjudgement, one bad move, bad weather timing, one missing piece of equipment, one missuse of equipment etc and things can turn sour in a heartbeat. Remember that mother nature cares not who you are or how experienced you are. If you make a mistake you could die. There are hundreds of dead expert mountaineers laying all ove Everest to prove it and an error on one of the 14ers is just as deadly as a one on Everest.

Like others have said March can be a dangerous time of year to climb cols here in Colorado. The snow hasn't had the freeze thaw needed to stabilize steep slopes. Be very careful in your choice of route. You might be better off doing a ridge climb with some class three and four stuff even if you don't need snow climbing tools. There are plenty of people on this forum that cloud suggest some of these although I would not be one of them.

Be safe and enjoy yourself.

Gerry

One only needs to look at what happened to Talus Monkey to see what happens when you make one bad move.

[Shawnee Bob]

I guess it does boil down to personal choices. Consider this, though: If you and your friends get in trouble, could you all be putting each other at risk? Or SAR personnel who may have to help you if you get in over your heads?

I've had to ask myself that question once when I hit a mountain when my health was not quite right. Big mistake. Thankfully, I'm the only one who paid for it. But it could have easily involved a potential rescue where people would have had to come get me high off the mountain.

Lots of variables in March in places like the Bells or the Wilsons. Just a little food for thought. Walk before you run.

[Wuldier]

No need to get all up tight about advice you get on this forum. Remember you were the one who asked for help.
Any way I think what the posters have been trying to tell you is don't undersetimate these mountains based on a few successful climbs. It only takes one missjudgement, one bad move, bad weather timing, one missing piece of equipment, one missuse of equipment etc and things can turn sour in a heartbeat. Remember that mother nature cares not who you are or how experienced you are. If you make a mistake you could die. There are hundreds of dead expert mountaineers laying all ove Everest to prove it and an error on one of the 14ers is just as deadly as a one on Everest.

Like others have said March can be a dangerous time of year to climb cols here in Colorado. The snow hasn't had the freeze thaw needed to stabilize steep slopes. Be very careful in your choice of route. You might be better off doing a ridge climb with some class three and four stuff even if you don't need snow climbing tools. There are plenty of people on this forum that cloud suggest some of these although I would not be one of them.

Be safe and enjoy yourself.

Gerry

One only needs to look at what happened to Talus Monkey to see what happens when you make one bad move.

yes i agree, i remember him from here.. i also have a family member die on a mountain, i know things can and do go wrong. but as i said before, does that mean i should just stay at home? in that case, everyone should. =/

[bif]

steve. I'm planning on a similar trip into Horn Fork Basin for Harvard and/or Columbia near the time frame you'll be here (Later March or early April.) No date yet set, but I'm planning to try to catch them March 19-20 before the equinox. Join us if you can.

I could not make your last snow camping training, but would love to. I need as much advance notice as possible, I have to, get time off work, fly in etc,. But that sound great.
bif.

[ClimbStewart]

Folks have given you a lot of great advice on here and tried to steer you toward doing something commensurate with your ability. But you seem arrogant and cocksure. Why don't you just go and do your damn peak and stop whining and defending your sparse resume. I mean seriously, if you're such a bad-ass you wouldn't be on here soliciting advice. You would be like all the great climbers I know--you would just go do your peaks!