7/14/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 7/16/2019, By: Randy1983 Info: Route is snow free with a nearly 500' glissade. I found a water bottle just after the willows on the west face around 12,500' below the start to the mellow ridge less than an hours hike from the TH. See picture. |
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7/4/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 7/5/2019, By: IHikeLikeAGirl Info: Down low the road was not muddy at all, a few (small) patches of muck near the willows, but not bad. Avoidable snow up high. Had an ice axe, used it for ~15 steps. Snow is wet and will somewhat support weight, but you will also post hole. Tried to follow the North Spur route, but that involved lots of loose scree and talus (doable, just annoying). I ascended on tundra (yellow) and descended on the loose mess (red line). Others whom had come up the loose scree and talus, said it sucked, opted to head down on the tundra, and made faster progress than I did. Highly recommend ascending/descending the grassy tundra (anything near my yellow line or to the right of it). Photo 1 - Ascent/Descent routes - Can save time and mileage by using a modified approach from Hoosier Pass, I was trying to follow the actual route. Photo 2 - Quandary and surrounding peaks I have more photos of surrounding peaks, if interested. |
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7/4/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 7/7/2019, By: nyker Info: We ascended the north spur route- Snow free on actual route. Took the long semi circular roundabout way around the basin under the power lines on the ridge and then went directly up from that to the north spur to climbers left of the snow still present. Pretty doable direct line and straightforward though reclimbing that lost elevation on that route is a killer at the end as you make your way back to the junction along Hoosier Ridge. Saw most others take the line to the west up the more gradual slope which works too, though its longer and you'll need to either drop down sooner to pick that approach up or climb up the north spur side and then crossover the snow at some point. |
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6/29/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 6/29/2019, By: madmattd Info: Almost entirely snow free near/along the described route. Just a couple small snowfields to cross, and they are melting fast. Brought but had no need for spikes, boots were fine. Plenty of snow still in the gulleys, ridges are pretty clear in the area. |
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6/8/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 6/8/2019, By: hellmanm Info: Snow in the trees, then otherwise mostly clear. Any snow above treeline is either avoidable or about 5 feet across. Start early! The snow in the trees goes for 1/4-1/2mile, and even at 11AM you'll be postholing (ask me how I know...). If you do end up with a late start, avoid willows like the plague on the way down. They're like posthole markers right now. Oh, and there are still a few cornices to avoid. You'll have lots of space, so it won't be an issue if you're paying attention. |
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5/31/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 5/31/2019, By: BillMiddlebrook Info: Attention SKIERS! The north side of Silverheels is in from the summit. Pick a line and go to town. Our crew skied two different lines and they were both stuffed. |
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5/26/2019 Route: West Ridge Posted On: 5/28/2019, By: 9patrickmurphy Info: Snow wasn't too thick, was climbing over rocks and snow the whole way up the ridge. Never put on snowshoes or even spikes, my mountaineering boots were plenty on the not-too-soft snow. Ice axe was super helpful, especially on the glissade I ended up taking. Not sure why the west ridge isn't a more popular route, especially in winter. A fair bit shorter than the north spur, and the terrain wasn't aything crazy. |
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3/16/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 3/16/2019, By: dwoodward13 Info: Good trench below treeline, but I'd still bring flotation. I almost made the mistake of heading off to the left toward the radio towers so be alert around treeline. No need for flotation past treeline. Above treeline the route is 90% windblown. I went basically to the summit of PT 12,953 instead of cutting the corner before heading on the ridgeline as there was quite a bit of wind loading. Easy tundra stroll to the base of the final ascent pitch. From the power lines to the base of the ascent pitch there is a massive cornice, so give it plenty of room. For the most part on the final pitch you can stay on rock/grass but there are a few small sections with 6-8" of snow that you will have to cross. I wasn't concerned about avalanches on the final pitch, but conditions change. Stellar nearly windless day! |
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3/10/2019 Route: South Ridge from Beaver Creek Posted On: 3/10/2019, By: hett Info: Standard winter closure adds 4 miles RT to put total mileage around 13. Good ski/snowshoe/snowmobile track up the road to standard TH for quick mileage, snowshoes not needed for this portion. Past this point snowshoes are needed for the next 1-2 miles through deep, highly reactive snow that was whumpfing every 50-100 yds, as well as several noticeable collapses under our tracks. Interesting to see and learn from when on flat to 10 degree slopes! Once out of the trees snowshoes can be ditched for the remainder of the long ridge as it is windscoured. |
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2/26/2019 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 2/27/2019, By: Bombay2Boulder Info: Snowshoes absolutely necessary below treeline. |
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12/14/2018 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 12/14/2018, By: WildWanderer Info: Broke trail this morning to treeline and made a pretty good trench. I agree with the previous conditions report: make sure you go straight from the gate and don't parallel the road (there are tons of tracks going that way, so it's an easy mistake). Above treeline traction was nice but the snow was consolidated so not needed much. My tracks above treeline were blown away in the wind by the time I came back down. Stay high to avoid cornices on bumps. Be careful on the trek just after the power lines at 12,400': I saw a few cornices collapse here today. Make sure you stay on dirt when possible. Snowshoes needed below treeline, and were nice to have above (but microspikes would have been fine). Ice axe not needed. The wind was brutal. |
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12/10/2018 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 12/11/2018, By: amkempf Info: Good day out and relatively straightforward winter climb (5hrs flat car to car RT). As previously pointed out, make sure to cut right from the road as soon as it starts heading northerly towards the radio towers and gain hoosier ridge. There are quite a few snow shoe tracks taking you up to the ridge (at least presently). Once on the ridge, you do not require snowshoes all the way to the summit (especially with these current cold conditions). |
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9/1/2018 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 9/3/2018, By: supranihilest Info: From the trailhead to treeline pay attention! You do not follow the road all the way to the radio towers, instead hopping off the road at a curve. Once above treeline the ascent route is obvious. However, you will probably notice that the rib to the west/climber's right is less steep than the one in the route description. You can take this rib down but do NOT hike out on the road! Go back to the saddle with the power lines on it and go back up to Hoosier Ridge! Taking the road will lead you very far away from Hoosier Pass, and it's an ugly, annoying bushwhack to get back to Hoosier Ridge from anywhere but the way you came down in the first place. |
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7/21/2018 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 7/21/2018, By: mtn_nut Info: Route is in great shape, no snow on route, a few small snowbanks still lingering off route. |
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5/25/2018 Route: North Spur from Hoosier Pass Posted On: 5/25/2018, By: LetsGoMets Info: Minimal snow on the route (mostly in the trees) and melting fast. No need for flotation or spikes. Zero wind on summit today. |
