| Peak: | Mt. Columbia |
| Route: | West Slopes |
| Range: | Sawatch |
| Posted By: | Squirrellysquirrel |
| Date of Info: | 12/7/2020 |
| Date Posted: | 12/8/2020 |
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Started out in spikes for an icy, yet well-established trail from N Cottonwood TH to junction point where West Slope for Columbia branches off, and then it's a bit chunky monkey/moderate post holing to the tree line; brought my snowshoes, chose not to use the entire trek due to laziness, probably would expedite and flatten this portion of the trail considerably. Talus field and bottom 2/3rds of shoulder trail is a mix of windblown and sugar snow, upper 1/3 of the new trail has a few snow fields that consisted of persistent hard and then soft slab (afternoon) on top of unconsolidated snow, ranging from a few inches to knee deep in spots. I didn't trust the snow fields at the top at all and made a B-line to the West Corridor route and ascended climber's right along the boulder cluster (see photo 4). Rock hopped to summit and, on the way back, decided to use parts of the 'old West Slope to avoid the suspect snow fields back to the lower 2/3rds of the new CFI trail, which looks excellently constructed btw. Boots and poles from summit back to TH. Multiple bighorn sheep and mountain goat sightings, too! Used spikes, gaiters, poles, and ice axe for safety up top. Recon: West Corridor route looks super dry from treeline to nearly the top where it flattens out for remainder of 1/2 mile to summit, nobody has attempted this route from the main trail to date. French glen looks windblown and doable. Combination route to Harvard looks clear and windblown with some snow patches, looks good if you want to do a multi snow day trip or in a single day to test your endurance.      
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