Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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39.46500°N / 106.48°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
The route description starts from Lake Patricia. To get there start at Half Moon trailhead and climb over Half Moon Pass. Descend the other side until you hit East Cross Creek. Cross over East Cross Creek and then wander south (left off the trail) through the campsites until you hit the stagnate beaver pond. Circle around the beaver pond until you find the outlet (where water is flowing out of the pond). Once you've found that, head south-southeast until you hit a very steep rock face 30 to 40 feet high. Circle around this to the east until the trail becomes evident.
This trail will take you up the path of least resistance to Lake Patricia (though it is still an arduous and very steep journey). If you do not find this trail you are in for a hellish bushwhack involving class three moves up impossible steep slopes (I know from experience dude). Anywho, the trail takes you up to the spot on the map where there are many little tiny ponds west of Lake Patricia. There the trail seems to peter out. No worries, when you get to the little ponds bushwhack downhill to the east and you'll find Lake Patricia. There are several nice places to camp around the west side of the lake.
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Route Description
From Lake Patricia, hike south along East Cross Creek. The creek flows out of a large boulder field so climb up that and continue following the creek. In places there is a mess of willows along the banks of the creek so I tried to stay high along the boulders on the west side (Mount of the Holy Cross side). The closer to Bowl of Tears you get the less you have to deal with the willows. When you pop out at Bowl of Tears, immediately start to gain elevation as you circle around the west side of the lake.
After you climb out of the Bowl of Tears Basin you’ll turn to the west and be faced with the long gully known as Teardrop. The first third of the gully is not very steep and consists of large boulders. The higher you get the smaller/looser the rock will get and the steeper the pitch. The last three hundred feet are quite steep and require scrambling around a large flat rock slab. As you’re looking up the gully, I went around the right side of the slab (north). When you get to the top of the gully I exited the southern most part that I could (left-hand side of the gully). Gerry Roach says that there can sometimes be a cornice guarding the top of the gully. I found this to be true, but Roach says to exit out the north side of the gully to avoid the cornice. It was my experience that the cornice prevented exiting out the north side and that the south side was easiest.
When you exit Teardrop you’ll be standing on the middle of the saddle between Mount of the Holy Cross and Point 13,831. From here it’s a straightforward scramble up to the summit.
NOTE: Gerry Roach says, "Teardrop is only a viable route with good snow conditions." I only descended this route, but I did not find this to be the case. The top part contains some loose rock, but I did not think I would have any trouble coming up it. In my mind it wasn't much different than Angelica Couloir in this respect. Anywho, be warned.
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Essential Gear
When I climbed in August, no special gear was needed. The rock in the upper portion of Teardrop was very loose, so a helmet might be a smart idea.
According to Gerry Roach, Teardrop makes for a great snow route when the conditions are right. However, the snow melts out early so don't wait too long. Obviously, if you're going when there is snow bring the appropriate gear.