Quandary Peak

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/7/2025, By: Smurgu
Info: We summited at 9.15. Winds were strong but ok for a few pics. I absolutely needed spikes up and snowshoes were very useful for me on the way down. 

Route: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
Posted On: 6/9/2025, By: CDubFTW
Info: Started at 4am at TH, reached base of couloir around 5. Snow was nice and crusted until the sun came over the ridge. Around 8, we started postholing a little bit towards the top of Cristo. Around 9:30 coming back down, the snow was unbearably saturated and soft. My partner was able to ski down fine, but I sank to my hips multiple times without flotation. I would not recommend any descent of this route past 8 am. I chose to hop down the talus slope to the west of Cristo and returned to the car by 2 pm. Save yourself the pain and just take the standard route! 

Route: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
Posted On: 6/7/2025, By: ekalina
Info: We got to the Blue Lakes Trailhead around 5 am with clear skies and temperature in the upper 20s. Found very firm snow through the lower two thirds of the couloir (crampons and axe needed), then more variable conditions in the upper where the sun hits first (mixture of firm snow, kickable steps, and a few isolated postholes). The talus band is becoming exposed in the upper couloir, and there is a short band of talus below the summit, otherwise great coverage still. Reached the summit a bit before 9 and descended the east ridge, where microspikes were helpful. There are still some decent snowfields on the upper ridge, but did not carry or want snowshoes despite the occasional posthole. Postholing would certainly be worse in the afternoon though. No significant snow near/below treeline, and the trail is mostly dry there. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/7/2025, By: ny30mil
Info: Blue bird day, no parking reservations until June 14th. Started at 445am, temps in 30s and 40s all the way to the top, summited at 710am with crazy winds on final ridge walk, and back at trailhead at 9am. Did the whole route just with trail sneakers and poles. Brought spikes but never needed them cause snow was crunchy. Snow level was consistent at 12.5k and snow stayed firm entire route. Lots of big posthole marks in snow, but I was able to beat the morning heating. If you are going to do a summit push, definitely recommend starting before 5am to make snow hike pleasant. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/6/2025, By: Jerousek
Info: I brought snowshoes and was glad to have them. I saw some parties post holing and getting it done w/ out, but at what energy cost. Bring the shoes. 

Route: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
Posted On: 6/3/2025, By: RyanB06
Info: Yikes. Snow was mostly solid but when we postholed it was waist deep on more than one occasion (mostly knee deep though ) and very difficult to get around. There are some patches of drifted snow but no more than an inch or two, this is where we found we potholed the worst. Overcast skies helped keep the snow cold enough and we were on the summit by 9 and skiing by 9:40. I wouldn’t push many more winter climbs unless the weather gets colder, but it was an amazing day. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/3/2025, By: flagstaffjohn
Info: Still very doable with a positive attitude!! Are the conditions the best? No. Are they the worst? No. Morning was overcast which helped keep the snow firm. Very minimal postholing on the way up. We hung out on the summit for a while and by the time we got down to the lower snow field (the first long section of snow once you get to the top of the ridge line and see the wooden sign) we were postholing DEEP. Both my dad and I actually got stuck and needed the other person to use their pole to help dig out their leg. I actually couldn't pull it out on my own. I'm sure with time, I would have gotten it out but it sucked. I used crampons because I love anything with any kind of winter conditions, but people were doing it in boots/trailrunners. You can go over rocks for probably 80% of the ridge. I just stuck to the snow for most of it. We hit treeline right as a storm hit, so I would definitely try to get off the mountain by noon. The whole trek took me and my dad a lot longer than we both expected. We have done a bunch of 14ers before and the postholing/snow travel definitely added a lot of time. I had a blast. The views are absolutely stunning right now. 

Route: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
Posted On: 6/1/2025, By: Seanahearn33
Info: Started 6:30, snow was pretty solid until about 8. Starting temp at the trail head was 35. Made it to the summit at 10. Descended the ridge on the right side (facing down) of the gully which was snow free. Steap ridge but mostly large boulders so pretty stable scramble down. Finished at 12:30. While the snow is mostly continuous from near the summit to the lake it is getting shallow/melting out in a few spots, probably not many weeks left this year. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/1/2025, By: BigJeff
Info: Started at 5:30 and not sure starting earlier would have helped much for our group (of which I'm the weakest link). 4 hours up using a variety of gear (snowshoes, yak trax, and Hokas). 3 hours down using the same. My snowshoes tapped out when the summit ridge got too steep but fortunately there were long spots where the actual trail was exposed so I got a lot of practice taking on and off snowshoes. Lots of mountain goats and a healthy amount of people on the summit that came up a couple of different routes. It won't be long until the snow is gone and the going gets a little easier (and it gets a lot more crowded...and the parking is no longer free). :-) 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 5/31/2025, By: carmitz001
Info: Dry until 12,300 feet, then continuous snow to the summit. Started at 6 am, would have had a better time starting at 4:30. Spikes were helpful in the early-morning firm snow. Clear skies and warm temps caused the snow to start softening quickly around 7 am. The upper slopes were a postholing mess by 10 am. I even postholed twice at 7:30. The final 900 feet of the ascent around 8-9 am was not fun. No postholes, but lots of slipping in steep slush even with spikes. I wanted to glissade the upper slopes, but I could only slide 10 seconds on a ~20 degree slope before the slush stopped me. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 5/31/2025, By: DVD1330
Info: Started at 5 am during a light snow storm but the trail below treeline and above treeline up until you are on the ridge was mostly free of snow. Once we got to the ridge we put on snowshoes, which helped a lot, although most people we passed just had on spikes. Some sort of extra traction is pretty necessary right now. There was white out conditions on the ridge, so there is new snow up there as of 5/29. Got back to parking lot around 10 and it was less than halfway full. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 5/28/2025, By: Kontra01
Info: Trail is in good condition. Used crampons for the last half mile. 

Route: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
Posted On: 5/25/2025, By: durkan
Info: Solid purchase all day on the couloir, great plunge stepping down the standard. Started at main TH at ~3:45am, summit ~8am, down East Ridge to car by ~10am. Didn't hike around Upper Blue Lake enough to see the consistent snow all the way up, so booped around in crampons on the grass til the actual couloir. So don't commit to the first snow you see unless you wanna do the same. Slide debris around 13k maybe? Just steered left to lower angle shtuff and avoided it. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 5/25/2025, By: Pelinal
Info: Started around 4 am and was back to the car by 9. Most of the route was clear, except the last mile. Snowshoes weren't necessary, but traction was especially helpful the last quarter mile. You might be able to get away with just poles, but traction helps. 

Route: South Gully aka Cristo Couloir
Posted On: 5/25/2025, By: Kevin Baker
Info: Isothermic conditions even with a late start at 6:45am from Lower Blue Lakes TH. Road is still gated. Firm snow from bottom to top with no recent signs of wet slides. I wouldn't go any later than 7am as the whole face gets early sun.