Ice Mountain

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 7/12/2025, By: sehessler92
Info: All snow avoidable. The scramble up to the saddle actually makes you appreciate the willows A LOT. Two other groups were hiking spICEy, both of which yelled “rock” that we could hear from North Apostle so check and double check those handholds. The gully crux wasn’t as difficult as it looks (probably a very difficult class 3 due to exposure and rock quality) just take your time and test your hand and footholds. I was able to butt scoot/crab walk down the crux gully without much difficulty(my pants on the other hand took a beating..). Most of the rock seems pretty solid in the crux but there are a couple rocks that didn’t get that memo. Also saw a thiccccccc porcupine this morning around 4-4:30 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 7/8/2025, By: jcgeissler
Info: Summer conditions as has been said before. The bushwhack was frustrating there and especially back when tired. Beautiful day. Wonder if the bushwhack could be avoided if you stayed west of the stream and scrambling the boulder debris field and met up with the trail. Scree fields heading up to the gates was sucky. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 7/6/2025, By: Sbenfield
Info: Took the standard route along with North Apostle. Summer conditions, no need for any microspikes or axe. Ice summit scramble very fun and enjoyable. Met a great group of other hikers as well. Attached a photo of refrigerator. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 6/30/2025, By: understaffedpackraft
Info: Clear, some snowfields on the way up you can take or avoid. Dry on the upper mountain and in the Staircase! Superb conditions. 

Route: Refrigerator
Posted On: 6/28/2025, By: jbealer
Info: Took the fridge up to ice then traversed over to n apostle. Left upper th at 2:30am, base of couloir at 6:30am. Lower sections once you leave trail are wet. Snow was perfect to the top and in the shade till we topped out. Rock was clear to the summit and over to apostle. Any snow was avoidable. Just used crampons and 2 axes up the couloir. Go get it! 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 6/9/2025, By: jfm3
Info: I attempted the Ice/North combo on June 8 but only got North Apostle. The snow conditions in the upper basin, above the treeline, are dangerous for those traveling only by foot. The snow is mostly bottomless slush, occasionally covered by a thin layer of breakable crust. It is also DEEP- easily 4-5 feet in some places. I intended to climb the Fridge to the top of Ice, but I elected not to because I wasn't sure about the snow conditions in the upper couloir. Even with a freeze overnight above the treeline the snow was already soft and unsupportive by 7 AM. I used crampons and 2 ice axes to climb/wallow my way to the saddle. The descent was hideous. I sank in on almost every step. There were some small crevasses in the middle of the lower snowfield and at one point I was in snow up to my chest as I was face-in downclimbing. The snow wasn't as deep on the downhill side, but it was still not a good situation. I saw 2 people skiing down the couloir. The snow needs a significant freeze/thaw cycle to consolidate all the way down to the ground. Skiing is the only safe/enjoyable mode of travel right now. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 6/5/2025, By: truekyle
Info: Taken from Huron 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 9/29/2024, By: andrew85
Info: Full summer conditions up to about 13,500. Lots of lingering snow on the final ascent from any access point from the north, bring traction. Recommend doing North Apostle first to avoid the gully and access from the ridge as this will minimize the amount of snow you have to contend with though some will be inevitable if it doesnt melt out. South side of the ridge and summit is completely melted out. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 9/15/2024, By: hanada
Info: Crux gully has snow in it that we thought is likely to not melt out again this season. We were still able to climb up it with spikes. We did not feel it was safe to go down this way, so we down climbed to the right (looking down) of standard route which was class 4, but mostly dry. One of our group who did not bring spikes also went up that way. I highly recommend what others have said about going one at a time on this section. It is LOOSE with potential to knock some big boulders down. 

Route: Refrigerator couloir plus traverse to N apostle
Posted On: 6/24/2024, By: Trotter
Info: Didn't bring snowshoes, didn't need them. There's about 30 feet of snow you have to cross before hitting the upper basin, was firm in morning and postholy in afternoon. Upper basin completely full of snow, but firm enough for crampons. The couloir is still in good shape, a few rocks sticking through in upper part which probably complicates skiing, but no problem for booting. Traverse to N Apostle is slightly complicated by snow along ridge, had to do a couple class 4 moves to bypass it, but most of route is clear, and N apostle itself is in summer conditions. The traverse is pretty tedious, lots of loose stuff. Skier guys, PM me if you want those couple pics 

Route: The Refrigerator
Posted On: 6/15/2024, By: Veory
Info: Still skiing really well. Climb was a bit soft in spots, and the approach has a lot of small snowfields. Tagged North Apostle too, not skiable. Super fun line, beautiful day! 

Route: Refrigerator
Posted On: 5/30/2024, By: Jcinco
Info: I would absolutely not describe the conditions as spring powder as in the 5/27 update below. More like stiff skiable coldish snow that does not rely on solar warming for softness (not tele-able). Dead on about snow conditions below 13k. Given the number of tracks today, Im guessing the last condition update was not skied yesterday on 5/27, but was closer to one of the recent storms between 5/24-26. Crux of the day was the alpine jungle between 11-11.4K. In retrospect, I recommend following the creek bed. 

Route: Refrigerator Couloir
Posted On: 5/27/2024, By: Hjelmstadlt
Info: The fridge couloir is still in winter condition. Skied off the summit of Ice Mountain and down the couloir in pristine spring powder. Melt freeze crusts make it up as high has about 12,600ft and everything below that is rock solid before the sun gets to it. Snow line is around 11,000ft with patchy melted out drifts below. A brave (or dumb) jeep drove about an extra mile past Winfield today on the road. IMO not worth it yet to go much past Winfield. 

Route: Three Apostles Traverse (N -> Ice -> W)
Posted On: 9/2/2023, By: backcountrybrodes
Info: Sensational day out in one of Colorado's most beautiful valleys. While all of Denver, CO was on Huron for the first Saturday of Labor Day weekend, me and EthanBeltramo took on "Ice Cubed" - also known as the Three Apostles Traverse. Summer conditions, saw maybe 3 different groups the whole day. Views were completely unique on each mountain. We stayed ridge direct going down Ice (for the most part) to avoid the crumbly gullies below and it worked out well for us with no cliff outs! Also summitted the "Ice Cube" along the way for fun and got some great shots. 

Route: Ice Northeast Ridge + North Apostle
Posted On: 8/24/2023, By: PikaSteve
Info: Tedious rock-hopping to 13,500 foot saddle; fun scrambling to summit; trail to Apostle Basin in great condition. Very little remaining snow in the basin, none of which affects the standard route positively or negatively. Willow bashing areas dried out; all creek crossings low; still some flowers. Beautiful hike, but due to bushwhacking and rockhopping, a much bigger effort than an average 3500 foot elevation gain 14er climb.