There's some snow on the ridge between 13,460 and, 13,300 F, and you may want traction depending on how frozen it is. I found it soft near mid-day and did not need traction. The scramble around a tower near the middle as shown in a few trip reports is optional, I just stayed right on the ridge crest at Class 2+. I then went to Point 12,601 which had a huge, steep snowfield en route - I did wear traction for this section, then booted up 12,601. I returned to the saddle and descended the west slopes which were absolutely awful. Steep, loose, insane (beyond insane) amounts of deadfall, a few small cliffs to navigate around, variable quality snow with ice underneath, you name it. There's a road across the creek when you finally get to the flats but I saw no good way to cross and just bushwhacked north on game trails until I hit the La Plata Trail, which felt like it would never come. Don't get sucked down to the creek if you go this way, as it gets very very steep - you should generally be on flattish terrain. Honestly you'd be better off finding a different way down because this sucked.
|
