Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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40.48500°N / 105.893°W |
Route Type:
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Scramble |
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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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Approach
From the American Lakes Trailhead in Colorado Forest hike up American Lakes Trail to American Lakes (roughly five miles). Skirt around American Lakes and climb up the steep slope to Snow Lake. I found it easiest to stay to the left of the waterfall (south). Be sure to keep an eye out for wildflowers while you climb up to Snow Lake. They can be spectacular!
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Route Description
Once you get to Snow Lake, navigate around the south end of the Lake to the base of the saddle. The first third of the climb is up a miserable slope of loose scree and dirt. There is no avoiding this.
After you reach slightly more solid rock there are two options. Number one is to climb the snow filled couloir to the south. This leads to the south end of the saddle just below the summit block of Static Peak. This is probably the fastest, easiest option if you’re comfortable with the snow climb.
The other option is to climb straight up the slope to the middle of the saddle. This is pretty steep and requires a great deal of down climbing on the return trip. Unfortunately, the rock is miserable. It is falling apart and the route is littered with small chunks. Dislodging and kicking down rock is a constant worry and is almost unavoidable in many situations. With every step you have to be very careful that your hand and footholds will not pull away.
After obtaining the saddle, it is a long arduous class three scramble to the north to achieve the first of the spires. Once you achieve the first spire, it appears to be possible to climb in and amongst them and it’s probably possible to climb some of the others, though that may be much more difficult than a class 3 scramble. I wouldn’t know since I turned around after achieving the saddle.
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Essential Gear
Take standard gear for hiking in the mountains. A helmet would also be a nice addition if you're going to be climbing in a group. If you plan to climb up to the saddle via the coulior, standard gear for a snow climb would be needed.
If you wanted to climb the actual spires that make up Nokhu Crags, technical gear might be necessary. Since I didn't make it to the actual spires and I'm not a technical climber I don't know what that would entail.
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.