wow, I had Elbert entirely to myself until down to treeline. This summit was the beginning of my summer 2005 cross Colorado peakbagging backpacking general dirtball crusade. Made it to Silverton two months later with approximately 40 climbs and all on foot!
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert Trail Date Climbed: September 27th, 2004
I climbed the entire route without stopping. Although the false peaks almost stopped me. A great climb and a lot of fun. Signed the registry and headed back down.
Route Climbed: via Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: August 11th, 2003
I actually got there the day before and was pumped after already killing two peaks that day, but based on my estimations and good advise provided by some hikers, my 2pm ascent was not the wisest move. Thus I packed my bags and headed for the treeline to setup camp. I had a hard time locating any flat spots for a site, but managed a couple of feet near the end of the treeline. Got an awesome early start the next morning and had 2 miles heads up on the next party. Reached the summit by 7am, 1st one there and had it all to myself for the half an hour and the closest party was not for another hour behind me. Beautiful morning on the summit.
Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: September 14, 2005
I started late after 11 am, because I have just arrived to Leadville that day. It was nice not difficult hike. Unfortunately, I could not enjoy a view from the summit because of the snow storm. Nevertheless, I was able to take some pictures of the other ridge partially hidden by the clouds.
Route Climbed: Regular route Date Climbed: Aug 1995
My first real Mountain. Hitch Hiked there from Texas on my way back to Canada. I had no idea what I was doing. I just heard it was the highest Mountain in Colorado. Climbed to 12,000 or so with my suitcase and bivied under a home made stick tent. Couldn't figure out why I couldn't start a fire. When I finally got one going it burnt like crap. I then got kind of dizzy and lied down under my home made tent. Sometime during the night I started hallucinating and I am pretty sure squirrels were running all over me. Woke up in the morning, filled up the milk jug I had found with water, and hiked to the top. My first 14'er and I was not acclimatized. It was hard....
My 13th Mountain, My first time over 2550 meters, summited on Friday the 13th. Day hike from the massive-elbert trailhead, which included postholeing up to my knees-waist at times WITH my snowshoes
Route Climbed: South Mt. Elbert Trail Date Climbed: October 2, 2003
I hiked up Mt. Elbert fairly late in the year. I left the Mt. Elbert lodge around 5:45 in the morning, so that I could start climbing from the South Mt. Elbert trailhead at 6am. Snow chains on my shoes helped with the snow near the top, but I had to turn back as the weather got worse and my cold finally got the best of me. Still took a lot of great pictures with my digital camera. Got back to the trailhead around 2:30pm, so this was a good day.
Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: October 7, 2005
A beautiful clear day. Lots of snow above treeline but sunny and warm. Got a nice sunburn as we left the coats along the trail and went on in shirt-sleeves. Great views and not too crowded. We camped in the small pines near the trailhead the night before and had temps fall well into the 20's (F) but warmed quickly as we began the hike.
Route Climbed: South Elbert Trail Date Climbed: 10-09-05
Made the summit and was enveloped in a large snow storm that dumped 15 inches while I was on the mountain. Not a fun day.
This was nothing like first attempt earlier in the year (that failed). I would love to go back some day on a clear day to get a view. I hear that it is great.
Route Climbed: Standard Mt. Elbert Trail from the end of the 4wd road Date Climbed: July 16, 2005
It's a rough drive up the 4wd road. I have a Pathfinder and it was still a tough drive. The hike was fairly easy with the steepest section at the bottom through the trees. 3:30 up, 2 hours down.
Route Climbed: Mount Elbert Date Climbed: August 21, 2005
Learned later from the locals in Leadville that early afternoon thunder and lightning storms are the norm on Elbert during the summer months and to be expected. Trip report posted.
Route Climbed: southeast ridge via black cloud trailhead Date Climbed: september 5, 2005
excellent sunny day. this trail gets steep before it hits the summit ridge. We descended the saddle between elbert and "south elbert." pretty steep loose scree; i don't really reccomend it, but the drainage you hike out is beautiful this way, and you can avoid any crowds (the black cloud trailhead doesn't appear to get much traffic anyway, though).
Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: July 18, 2004
I started about an hour before dawn not to beat weather-- I hit the summit in less than 3 hrs.-- but to beat crowds; I counted over 90 people heading up as I went down. It was great to be atop the Rockies-- windy and bitterly cold, too. The perfect complement to this is a stop afterward at Wild Bill's in Leadville-- best burgers in Colorado.
I was staying at a cabin at Elbert' s base. I never had climbed a mountain before. I grabbed one of the kid's backpack and tried it. I made it solo in 3.5 hours. I am
colint - Dec 30, 2005 11:26 pm
Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: June 2005wow, I had Elbert entirely to myself until down to treeline. This summit was the beginning of my summer 2005 cross Colorado peakbagging backpacking general dirtball crusade. Made it to Silverton two months later with approximately 40 climbs and all on foot!
Drifter - Dec 29, 2005 9:55 pm
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert Trail Date Climbed: September 27th, 2004I climbed the entire route without stopping. Although the false peaks almost stopped me. A great climb and a lot of fun. Signed the registry and headed back down.
Livelife4Summits - Dec 29, 2005 2:29 am
Route Climbed: via Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: August 11th, 2003I actually got there the day before and was pumped after already killing two peaks that day, but based on my estimations and good advise provided by some hikers, my 2pm ascent was not the wisest move. Thus I packed my bags and headed for the treeline to setup camp. I had a hard time locating any flat spots for a site, but managed a couple of feet near the end of the treeline. Got an awesome early start the next morning and had 2 miles heads up on the next party. Reached the summit by 7am, 1st one there and had it all to myself for the half an hour and the closest party was not for another hour behind me. Beautiful morning on the summit.
Alex Hiker - Dec 21, 2005 5:34 pm
Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: September 14, 2005I started late after 11 am, because I have just arrived to Leadville that day. It was nice not difficult hike. Unfortunately, I could not enjoy a view from the summit because of the snow storm. Nevertheless, I was able to take some pictures of the other ridge partially hidden by the clouds.
Rileywyna - Dec 19, 2005 6:36 am
Route Climbed: Regular route Date Climbed: Aug 1995My first real Mountain. Hitch Hiked there from Texas on my way back to Canada. I had no idea what I was doing. I just heard it was the highest Mountain in Colorado. Climbed to 12,000 or so with my suitcase and bivied under a home made stick tent. Couldn't figure out why I couldn't start a fire. When I finally got one going it burnt like crap. I then got kind of dizzy and lied down under my home made tent. Sometime during the night I started hallucinating and I am pretty sure squirrels were running all over me. Woke up in the morning, filled up the milk jug I had found with water, and hiked to the top. My first 14'er and I was not acclimatized. It was hard....
Will Davis - Dec 11, 2005 11:19 pm
Route Climbed: N. Elbert Date Climbed: July 1, 2005First 14er. Piece of cake, mostly.
chris615 - Dec 9, 2005 5:40 pm
Date Climbed: Friday may the 13thMy 13th Mountain, My first time over 2550 meters, summited on Friday the 13th. Day hike from the massive-elbert trailhead, which included postholeing up to my knees-waist at times WITH my snowshoes
hitec100 - Nov 9, 2005 10:27 pm
Route Climbed: South Mt. Elbert Trail Date Climbed: October 2, 2003I hiked up Mt. Elbert fairly late in the year. I left the Mt. Elbert lodge around 5:45 in the morning, so that I could start climbing from the South Mt. Elbert trailhead at 6am. Snow chains on my shoes helped with the snow near the top, but I had to turn back as the weather got worse and my cold finally got the best of me. Still took a lot of great pictures with my digital camera. Got back to the trailhead around 2:30pm, so this was a good day.
dyscti - Oct 29, 2005 3:53 pm
Route Climbed: North Trail Date Climbed: August 29th, 2005Camped at the trailhead to get an early start the next day. Passed many, many people on the way down which surprised me as it was a Monday.
kpiljay - Oct 27, 2005 11:08 am
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: August 19, 2005The first 14er I climbed and one of the easiest mountains too. Pleasant trail and not steep at the top.
chmoore577 - Oct 21, 2005 2:47 pm
Route Climbed: Northeast Ridge Date Climbed: October 7, 2005A beautiful clear day. Lots of snow above treeline but sunny and warm. Got a nice sunburn as we left the coats along the trail and went on in shirt-sleeves. Great views and not too crowded. We camped in the small pines near the trailhead the night before and had temps fall well into the 20's (F) but warmed quickly as we began the hike.
Tbacon251 - Oct 14, 2005 3:17 am
Route Climbed: South Elbert Trail Date Climbed: 10-09-05Made the summit and was enveloped in a large snow storm that dumped 15 inches while I was on the mountain. Not a fun day.
This was nothing like first attempt earlier in the year (that failed). I would love to go back some day on a clear day to get a view. I hear that it is great.
El_Capitan - Oct 12, 2005 2:26 pm
Route Climbed: Standard Mt. Elbert Trail from the end of the 4wd road Date Climbed: July 16, 2005It's a rough drive up the 4wd road. I have a Pathfinder and it was still a tough drive. The hike was fairly easy with the steepest section at the bottom through the trees. 3:30 up, 2 hours down.
DHedrick - Oct 5, 2005 12:13 pm
Route Climbed: Mount Elbert Date Climbed: August 21, 2005Learned later from the locals in Leadville that early afternoon thunder and lightning storms are the norm on Elbert during the summer months and to be expected. Trip report posted.
14erguy - Oct 3, 2005 12:23 pm
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert Trail Date Climbed: 06-2001Long Trail
crzyjt - Oct 2, 2005 1:16 pm
Route Climbed: southeast ridge via black cloud trailhead Date Climbed: september 5, 2005excellent sunny day. this trail gets steep before it hits the summit ridge. We descended the saddle between elbert and "south elbert." pretty steep loose scree; i don't really reccomend it, but the drainage you hike out is beautiful this way, and you can avoid any crowds (the black cloud trailhead doesn't appear to get much traffic anyway, though).
Bob Sihler - Sep 30, 2005 10:17 pm
Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: July 18, 2004I started about an hour before dawn not to beat weather-- I hit the summit in less than 3 hrs.-- but to beat crowds; I counted over 90 people heading up as I went down. It was great to be atop the Rockies-- windy and bitterly cold, too. The perfect complement to this is a stop afterward at Wild Bill's in Leadville-- best burgers in Colorado.
omahiker - Sep 26, 2005 8:09 pm
Route Climbed: Main Trail Date Climbed: June 2001I was staying at a cabin at Elbert' s base. I never had climbed a mountain before. I grabbed one of the kid's backpack and tried it. I made it solo in 3.5 hours. I am
now seriously hooked.
Buz Groshong - Sep 15, 2005 9:35 pm
Route Climbed: Mt. Elbert Trail from near Twin Lakes Date Climbed: 24 September 1998This was my second Colorado 14er and it was a great hike. When you live at sea level, it's hard to get used to the lack of O's.
samajax - Sep 12, 2005 1:22 pm
Route Climbed: Mount Elbert Trail Date Climbed: 9Sept05This seemed easy for a flatlander. About 3 hours up. Not to many people, but it was September.