Holy Cross Couloir, July 2-4, 2005

On Saturday, July 2, after some friends' wedding, we drove to Mindturn and slept in the woods next to the Tigowan road. On Sunday morning we met Ralphie in Vail, got some food, and headed out to the trailhead. We organized our packs and started hiking around 1:30 pm. We hiked up about 1400 feet to the top of Half Moon Pass, then dropped 900 feet to the base of the valley between Notch Mountain and Mt. of the Holy Cross. We stopped for a snack but most of the snacking was the mosquitoes snacking on us. We quickly picked up our gear and continued down the trail.

We soon turned left at the trail to Paradise Lake. We had to climb 700 really steep feet (non technical) to reach the lake. The trail split into many trails and finding the main trail was impossible. Soon we gave up on the 'right' trail and just hiked up the valley in the right direction toward Paradise Lake, but didn't see it - we were too far to the right, or west. Finally we just threw down camp and made some dinner. It was all fine. It rained softly for a few hours then stopped around dusk.

The next morning, however, was beautiful. We struck out for the Holy Cross Couloir. Here are some pictures:

Jon had been waiting for us for 45 minutes at this point

Half Moon Pass

This is the mountain. It was much better signed than the trails were.

They always walk like that.

Can you see Rhonda and Ralphie?

Inside our borrowed tent

A yogurt accident

Ralphie trying to catch a Marmot. Be vewy vewy qwiet!

Here's the base of the Holy Cross Couloir. In this picture you can see the cliff everybody warns you about. We traversed a quarter mile to the left (south), climbed up a grassy slope, then entered the couloir at 12,800'. We did not start climbing here. Make sure you go all the way to Bowl of Tears lake before you start climbing. There's not a ton of snow in this picture, but the upper couloir was in fantastic shape.
Strangely, we never saw the entire cross. The only way to see the cross is from Notch mountain, behind the photographer in this picture.

This is around 12,700 - 12,800 where you drop into the couloir. Pretty simple. The couloir starts around 35 degrees at this point, then increases to 40 and 45 degrees. There were probably spots over 45 degrees but not many and the the snow was soft. Very nice.

Rhonda getting out her crampons for the climb. That's Bowl of Tears lake in the background

Ralphie

Jon, wondering whether he'd rather be climbing this mountain, bagging 14ers, or taking a dump. Oh well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

dropping into the couloir

a heavenly being in our couloir.

Rhonda and Jon below. They say don't slip in this couloir because you'll go over the cliff at the bottom.

This wide snow part is the cross member of the cross. It's so large it doesn't look like a cross to a climber. We needed to be over on Notch mountain to see the cross. As a matter of fact, we never saw the cross on the entire trip.

Rhonda topping out. Rhonda, Jon, and I did the couloir in 1 hour. Ralphie did it in about 40-45 minutes -- and it took that long because he waited for us for about 20 minutes.

Notch mountain.

The elusive Paradise Lake

Mark Neal, a guy on the summit. We are supposed to send him our pictures of him

Jon, Ralphie, Rhonda, and I

We really did make it -- there's the marker!

Descending the Angelica couloir

Ralphie

Rhonda

Jon

Glissading

Cold Hands

Descending

This trail was impossible to follow. We got cliffed out and had to use a rope. In hindsight and after looking a the map, we should have been further west where the descent was more gentle

A waterfall at the base of our 'cliff out'

Rhonda

Jon

Ralphie
The End!

	Jon had been waiting for us for 45 minutes at this point
	Half Moon Pass

	This is the mountain. It was much better signed than the trails were.
	They always walk like that.
	Can you see Rhonda and Ralphie?
	Inside our borrowed tent
	A yogurt accident
	Ralphie trying to catch a Marmot. Be vewy vewy qwiet!
	Here's the base of the Holy Cross Couloir. In this picture you can see the cliff everybody warns you about. We traversed a quarter mile to the left (south), climbed up a grassy slope, then entered the couloir at 12,800'. We did not start climbing here. Make sure you go all the way to Bowl of Tears lake before you start climbing. There's not a ton of snow in this picture, but the upper couloir was in fantastic shape. Strangely, we never saw the entire cross. The only way to see the cross is from Notch mountain, behind the photographer in this picture.
	This is around 12,700 - 12,800 where you drop into the couloir. Pretty simple. The couloir starts around 35 degrees at this point, then increases to 40 and 45 degrees. There were probably spots over 45 degrees but not many and the the snow was soft. Very nice.
	Rhonda getting out her crampons for the climb. That's Bowl of Tears lake in the background
	Ralphie
	Jon, wondering whether he'd rather be climbing this mountain, bagging 14ers, or taking a dump. Oh well, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.
	dropping into the couloir
	a heavenly being in our couloir.
	Rhonda and Jon below. They say don't slip in this couloir because you'll go over the cliff at the bottom.
	This wide snow part is the cross member of the cross. It's so large it doesn't look like a cross to a climber. We needed to be over on Notch mountain to see the cross. As a matter of fact, we never saw the cross on the entire trip.
	Rhonda topping out. Rhonda, Jon, and I did the couloir in 1 hour. Ralphie did it in about 40-45 minutes -- and it took that long because he waited for us for about 20 minutes.
	Notch mountain.
	The elusive Paradise Lake
	Mark Neal, a guy on the summit. We are supposed to send him our pictures of him
	Jon, Ralphie, Rhonda, and I
	We really did make it -- there's the marker!
	Descending the Angelica couloir
	Ralphie
	Rhonda
	Jon
	Glissading
	Cold Hands
	Descending
	This trail was impossible to follow. We got cliffed out and had to use a rope. In hindsight and after looking a the map, we should have been further west where the descent was more gentle
	A waterfall at the base of our 'cliff out'
	Rhonda
	Jon
	Ralphie The End!