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Page Type:
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Route |
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Route Type:
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Mountaineering |
Season:
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Spring |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Difficulty:
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CLASS 3 |
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Getting There
Take US 285 to Jefferson CO. Turn onto CR 35 which turns into dirt after a couple miles. Soon after that turn right at CR 54 ( Geneva Pass Road). A couple miles up at around 11,000 feet ( after crossing Johnson Creek and shortly before crossing Michigan Creek) you will see a small "parking area" to the left. Geneva Pass Road ( CR 54) seems to get rougher by the year but is doable by any sedan if you take it slow
Route Description
From the "parking area" follow an old abandoned mining road uphill. Higher uphill it may be harder to follow depending on the snow, just hike in the direction of Mount Guyot and you will eventually stand in the glacial basin right below the summit. Mouse Trap Couloir is the obvious canyonlike couloir to the East of Plan B & C.
The couloir has two sections. The lower portion is in full view from the glacial basin. The climb up steepens considerably until you reach the crux of the couloir.
The couloir narrows to maybe 10 feet width. In early season this section may be (almost) completely covered by snow and climbing over it may not be any issue. Later in spring this part is the very first to melt out and you face a short rock face of maybe 10 ft height. Meltwater is gushing over the rocks and they maybe completely iced over in the morning, making it an extremely hazardous ( or impossible) climb if you take it head on. The waterfall can be bypassed on the left (West) of the waterfall with several Class 3 + moves. Be as quick as possible - if any rockfall comes down this narrow you will have zero protection and no space to evade it.
Past the waterfall the couloir continues to climb pretty steeply until right underneath the ridge to the West of the summit. In early season you may be able to climb on snow all the way to the summit ridge. Otherwise you have to climb up to the rock ridge to the right of you, which gets you up to the summit ridge.
Alternatively you can climb up a narrow gully ( Class 3 + , left hand of the couloir) to the summit ridge. This one also melts out very early and turns into a fun rock scramble
From the ridge its a simple & short walk to the summit
Couloir is prone to rockfall and earlier in the season the ridge above is loaded with cornices. From the glacial basin you cannot see into the upper portion of the couloir and after you climbed over the crux you may have a hard time getting back down if you don't like what you see...so you are right in the mouse trap
Essential Gear
Helmet, ice axe, crampons