Lots of elevation gain. Had fun (albeit a lot of work) trekking up the snow to the saddle and glissading down some sections. View was awesome. Twisted ankle at Red lake so slow going back to car. Several sections of trail were as maintained as the drive in. Had to back track a few times but nothing major.
Drove in in my VW bus. Horrible drive with a lot of sickening scrapes and bumps under the vehicle. I knew there was no way I'd ever drive out that way unassisted (tow truck, I gue$$). I decided to climb the mountain and force myself not to worry until I was back at the TH.
After I'd set up my camp at Red Lake, I was joined by a small group of people. By some strange twist of good fortune, one of them was friends with, or was related to the people who own and operate the ranch that blocks easy access to the Red Mountain Creek TH. They had the keys to the gates and permission to drive through the ranch! They very kindly offered to let me follow them through upon our return to our vehicles. An incredible stroke of good luck!
With my mind freed from burden, I totally enjoyed the rest of the climb to the summit and the fine view found on top of this great peak.
sespegorilla - Jun 29, 2010 8:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2010
Split Mountain
Davi Rivas and David Stillman via St. Jeans coulior from Red Lake. Descended St. Jeans with 1200ft glissade(friggin scary).
Approach trail sucks.
pratyush - Jun 9, 2010 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2008
summitted
... with Bill Kells, Hamik Mukelyan, Julian Jamison and Michael, on 07-08 June' 2008, via the North Slope from the East (class 2)
autoblock - Apr 28, 2010 11:07 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2009
North Slope slog
Camping at Red Lake was beautiful, and the whole route was empty of people. I had the whole mountain to myself on summit day.
Other than that, a peak to bag and leave alone. Difficult trailhead (great directions + Google Earth made it a snap in the 4WD rental), then a steep, deep and loose slog to the summit. One stretch, just before plateauing out, of a few hundred feet of decent rock.
This is one to make on the first try! You'll never catch me here again.
After hiking up Mather Pass(which was no picnic) decided to hike Split Mtn as well because...it was there. Hell of a day almost 6,0000 ft. of ele. gain and 16 miles most with pack on. Sooo worth it though. I thought the view from Glen pass was sweet. It paled in comparison to Split though. Vaughn and Andy you missed out! Thanks also to the guy who gave me a granola bar and the women who provided the cheese and crackers. Life savers!
Shawn - Sep 3, 2009 11:22 am Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2009
Great experience...
The access was the biggest story for us. There's lots of good information out there about both the drive to the trailhead and the trail itself, but we didn't pay enough attention.
So, we took 2 wrong turns that cost us a lot of time on the approach. Once we finally got to the Red Lake TH, we hurried onto the 'trail', only that it wasn't. We spent 2 hours blazing a path on steep, loose, sandy and nasty Class 2/3 terrain until I had enough and said there must be a trail and we need to find it. Found it and the going was much easier but half the party bailed back to the HD and the others went to Red Lake. Party at Red Lake got there just in time for the rain and spent an OK night there and woke up to swirling clouds obscuring the summit and terrain above and decided to head down. Still a beautiful area and fun was had, but the mistakes and the weather meant no summit and the access/approach means we won't be too eager for attempt #2 for some time... :-)
The hardest part of this climb is getting to the trailhead. I scratched the shit out of the sides of my truck (Black Chevy Silverado), but once you get to Red Lake, this is a pretty cool climb. A little loose in the steeper chutes, but not too bad.
seano - Aug 7, 2009 8:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2009
Red Lake, NW slope
An overnight trip from 3 miles below the Red Lake trailhead (the "no trespassing" shortcut helped, but not enough for our poor car). Red Lake is an awesome place to camp.
thholder - Aug 2, 2009 11:11 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2009
Gave up on the original goal of St. Jean Gully when we saw the debris field of rocks that had shot out of it. Changed plans to the North Slope and we weren't disappointed. Climbed a 35-40 degree snow hill for about 750' to gain the north slope, little more than a class 2 like the route description states, but had an axe and crampons so it was no problem. Great view on top, thunder storms had us running off the ridge in the early afternoon.
96avs01 - Mar 30, 2009 4:36 pm Date Climbed: Mar 28, 2009
Humbling turns
Ascended the N. slope route via the Red Lake approach. Took some very humbling turns on my splitboard in highly variable snow conditions below the Split-Prater saddle...glad I had the (dis)pleasure of hauling it all the way to 13K.
farrisgl - Mar 3, 2009 7:59 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2006
Day Summit off the JMT
Reached the summit on our "layover" day while camped at the lake below Mather Pass. Lots of scree but a beautiful summit view on a perfectly clear and windless day.
cdewhurst - Jul 12, 2010 12:18 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2010
Overnight at Red LakeLots of elevation gain. Had fun (albeit a lot of work) trekking up the snow to the saddle and glissading down some sections. View was awesome. Twisted ankle at Red lake so slow going back to car. Several sections of trail were as maintained as the drive in. Had to back track a few times but nothing major.
BCL - Jul 7, 2010 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2010
North SlopeFrom Red Lake.
boyblue - Jul 5, 2010 6:38 pm Date Climbed: Jul 4, 1981
From Red LakeDrove in in my VW bus. Horrible drive with a lot of sickening scrapes and bumps under the vehicle. I knew there was no way I'd ever drive out that way unassisted (tow truck, I gue$$). I decided to climb the mountain and force myself not to worry until I was back at the TH.
After I'd set up my camp at Red Lake, I was joined by a small group of people. By some strange twist of good fortune, one of them was friends with, or was related to the people who own and operate the ranch that blocks easy access to the Red Mountain Creek TH. They had the keys to the gates and permission to drive through the ranch! They very kindly offered to let me follow them through upon our return to our vehicles. An incredible stroke of good luck!
With my mind freed from burden, I totally enjoyed the rest of the climb to the summit and the fine view found on top of this great peak.
kraymes - Jul 4, 2010 1:29 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 1998
North slpoe from the eastCuz I had no mas to solo the east couloir.
sespegorilla - Jun 29, 2010 8:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2010
Split MountainDavi Rivas and David Stillman via St. Jeans coulior from Red Lake. Descended St. Jeans with 1200ft glissade(friggin scary).
Approach trail sucks.
pratyush - Jun 9, 2010 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2008
summitted... with Bill Kells, Hamik Mukelyan, Julian Jamison and Michael, on 07-08 June' 2008, via the North Slope from the East (class 2)
autoblock - Apr 28, 2010 11:07 am Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2009
North Slope slogCamping at Red Lake was beautiful, and the whole route was empty of people. I had the whole mountain to myself on summit day.
Other than that, a peak to bag and leave alone. Difficult trailhead (great directions + Google Earth made it a snap in the 4WD rental), then a steep, deep and loose slog to the summit. One stretch, just before plateauing out, of a few hundred feet of decent rock.
This is one to make on the first try! You'll never catch me here again.
Princess Buttercup - Nov 30, 2009 11:14 pm Date Climbed: Mar 23, 2008
Easter on HighFirst major spring snow camp/climb. Amazing.
Guilty - Nov 11, 2009 5:20 am Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2009
North SlopeHike up from Red lakes with some friends.
rmick25 - Sep 3, 2009 8:15 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2009
From the Muir TrailAfter hiking up Mather Pass(which was no picnic) decided to hike Split Mtn as well because...it was there. Hell of a day almost 6,0000 ft. of ele. gain and 16 miles most with pack on. Sooo worth it though. I thought the view from Glen pass was sweet. It paled in comparison to Split though. Vaughn and Andy you missed out! Thanks also to the guy who gave me a granola bar and the women who provided the cheese and crackers. Life savers!
Shawn - Sep 3, 2009 11:22 am Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2009
Great experience...The access was the biggest story for us. There's lots of good information out there about both the drive to the trailhead and the trail itself, but we didn't pay enough attention.
So, we took 2 wrong turns that cost us a lot of time on the approach. Once we finally got to the Red Lake TH, we hurried onto the 'trail', only that it wasn't. We spent 2 hours blazing a path on steep, loose, sandy and nasty Class 2/3 terrain until I had enough and said there must be a trail and we need to find it. Found it and the going was much easier but half the party bailed back to the HD and the others went to Red Lake. Party at Red Lake got there just in time for the rain and spent an OK night there and woke up to swirling clouds obscuring the summit and terrain above and decided to head down. Still a beautiful area and fun was had, but the mistakes and the weather meant no summit and the access/approach means we won't be too eager for attempt #2 for some time... :-)
cab - Aug 31, 2009 3:14 pm
Crappy RoadThe hardest part of this climb is getting to the trailhead. I scratched the shit out of the sides of my truck (Black Chevy Silverado), but once you get to Red Lake, this is a pretty cool climb. A little loose in the steeper chutes, but not too bad.
seano - Aug 7, 2009 8:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2009
Red Lake, NW slopeAn overnight trip from 3 miles below the Red Lake trailhead (the "no trespassing" shortcut helped, but not enough for our poor car). Red Lake is an awesome place to camp.
thholder - Aug 2, 2009 11:11 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2009
From the westclear day, spectacular views
SJ - Jul 21, 2009 5:49 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2009
Nice AlternativeGave up on the original goal of St. Jean Gully when we saw the debris field of rocks that had shot out of it. Changed plans to the North Slope and we weren't disappointed. Climbed a 35-40 degree snow hill for about 750' to gain the north slope, little more than a class 2 like the route description states, but had an axe and crampons so it was no problem. Great view on top, thunder storms had us running off the ridge in the early afternoon.
96avs01 - Mar 30, 2009 4:36 pm Date Climbed: Mar 28, 2009
Humbling turnsAscended the N. slope route via the Red Lake approach. Took some very humbling turns on my splitboard in highly variable snow conditions below the Split-Prater saddle...glad I had the (dis)pleasure of hauling it all the way to 13K.
farrisgl - Mar 3, 2009 7:59 pm Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2006
Day Summit off the JMTReached the summit on our "layover" day while camped at the lake below Mather Pass. Lots of scree but a beautiful summit view on a perfectly clear and windless day.
Guilty - Jan 25, 2009 6:21 pm
West FaceI spent a week around the Palisade Lakes and Mather Pass just bagging peaks in the area. This was the easy hike up from the John Muir Trail.
alpinegosse - Nov 24, 2008 11:35 am
DoneUneventful!
mdougherty - Oct 29, 2008 1:14 am Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2008
North SlopeClimbed from Red Lake with an SPS group. It was a tough, but enjoyable hike. I really liked the view.