8/29/2023 Route: Triangle->Hunter loop via Conundrum Hot Springs Posted On: 8/31/2023, By: JasonKline Info: From the Conundrum Hot Springs campsites, we did the Triangle Pass->Triangle->13216->13537->Hilliard->Keefe->Hunter loop. Still summer conditions. That was a long day (over 15 hours, something like 18 miles, plenty of vert, and a lot of slow, tedious ridgework) for a mere mortal like me. It's a long way from Keefe to Hunter, so I can definitely understand why many people do Hunter separately and I would probably do the same if I were to do it again. Also, when you descend the east ridge of Hunter, you receive a particularly nasty willow bushwhack as your reward before you reach the gorgeous trail back to the Conundrum Hot Springs. |
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7/16/2023 Route: East Gully Posted On: 7/18/2023, By: supranihilest Info: There's an obvious gully splitting 13,537's east face consisting of yellow dirt and rock. This gully is awful but it works. Scramble up it directly or along the north side. Everything is very loose and you will send rocks cascading down. The dirt right now is super dry and has been baked into hardpan; we were very glad to have microspikes for traction, otherwise it's nearly tractionless. The summit ridge is Class 2+/easy Class 3 and the only semi-enjoyable part of the peak. We went back down the gully then towards Triangle Pass despite this being the opposite direction of Conundrum trailhead so we could get on the trail as high as possible and avoid willows. Going directly down to the trail would be a ton of steep willow bashing. |
