| North Ridge of Pettingell Peak Trip Report |
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| North Ridge of Pettingell Peak   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 39.72900°N / 105.904°W Date Climbed/Hiked: Oct 26, 2003 | Page By: Aaron Johnson Created/Edited: Oct 27, 2003 / Mar 12, 2006 Object ID: 169137 Hits: 548 Loading... Page Score: 0% - 0 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Executed October 26, 2003
Climbing in Colorado’s Rockies the weekend before Halloween is just unheard of for me. Being an aging fair weather climber, dealing with the cold, wind and spotty snow of early winter no longer appeals to me. So it was with some trepidation that I decided to attempt Pettingell’s north ridge so late in the year. Me and my favorite climbing partner, Ellen, went on this rewarding climb.
Knowing it was going to be very cold, we brought some winter gear and set out for what was sure to be an interesting day. We had no idea just how interesting it would be. The drive over Jones Pass was without incident. The jeep road that starts on the west side of the Divide was interesting, as it appeared to be used much less than other roads in the area. It was not difficult, but it was very narrow and pull outs were rare. (I had spotted this road on a hike earlier in the season on the Continental Divide).
We encountered a stream that had covered the road in a thick sheet of ice several inches thick in a shallow draw. Rather than risk the Pathfinder in a crossing that could send it and me rolling down the draw, we decided to park on the road and start from there. We figured it was not likely anyone would be on this scant road so late in the season. We encountered more ice along the road, which assured us our decision to go no further in the vehicle was a good one.
At the end of the road, it was evident that ATV enthusiasts had continued to drive their versatile little vehicles out across the tundra. This was dismaying to see, but we followed the tracks to see just how far these clowns had dared to go. They had penetrated the basin substantially, but did not go all the way to the tarns.
The dry and deep October grass crackled beneath our feet as we traversed the vast, flat basin beneath the convoluted northeast face of Pettingell. This basin is no doubt soggy in spring and summer. I was glad to be here so late in the year. Circumventing what would normally be soggy kept our distance at a minimum.
We crossed a stream between the two largest tarns. As we ascended a knoll toward the base of Pettingell’s north ridge, I was shocked to see wheel ruts IN the highest tarn, encased beneath the ice. Probably made during last year’s prolonged drought, I was further dismayed at what ATV users were getting away with in this area.
The ascent of the ridge was fun and easy and quite entertaining. The initial steep slope up tundra is quite a pull. Litterings of boulders tend to be loose, simply resting on this steep slope. We navigated these spots safely and managed to stay on tundra most of the way up the ridge. The Class 2 scrambling was fun and somewhat exposed as expected. The Class 3 section was a real kick, and the exposure increased dramatically. It was no Capitol Peak, but for less experienced folks, it was cause for pause. This is a good route in preparation for others such as Kelso Ridge, the Sneffels South Ridge or Wetterhorn south ridge routes.
Beyond, a fun scramble through wedges of granite on the ridge crest attested to centuries of ice working on the mountain. The view of the immediate area was breathtaking. We had a real sense of solitude here, as everything below was terrain rarely visited by humans. To the southwest beyond Pettingell, dynamic Hagar Mountain watched as we ascended the north ridge. The day was overcast, so the distant mountains were obscured by stratified clouds.
We stayed on top for only a short time. We had put on our winter gear during the ascent of the ridge. An intermittent breeze was very cold. The chill factor was no doubt considerable and it was likely the temperature was not above 20 degrees. We saw two climbers approaching the final pitch of Pettingell’s south slopes directly below us. They had come up the Herman Gulch route and were wisely wearing orange reflective gear (I had an orange stocking cap-it’s hunting a season). We would have hung around to talk with these climbers, but we were ready to get off the summit and out of the cold. Given our precautions, we saw no one else on this day until much later while driving the jeep road.
Our descent went smooth and quick and without incident. We had climbed the mountain in 2.5 hours, and returned in just under that. Total mileage was just under 5 miles.
But the real interesting challenge was still waiting for us. Upon our return to the vehicle, it was time to put my four-wheeling skills to work and test the abilities of the Pathfinder. We had hoped the ice patches would melt enough in our absence to facilitate an easy though ungainly turn-around of the Pathfinder on the narrow road. Upon our return, we saw that the ice had not been affected at all by the day’s intermittent sun. With a rock and stick, we broke up the first ice patch for increased traction, which I would drive through to get to the spot where I could turn around. This spot bordered the second ice patch that could not be safely traversed, nor could it be broken up. This ice covered a stream and was at least several inches thick.
I put the vehicle in first gear (low range), charged through the standing water and ice, channeling my right tire (near the edge of the road) into a rut. I then turned left and had the Pathfinder impressively climbing up the side of the mountain at a steep pitch-an unexpected surprise. I had Ellen spotting me as I backed down the slope to the edge of the road. Doing so, I turned the vehicle, coming to within two feet from the road’s edge. The back bumper almost scraped the road on each backing descent. Three pulls up the slope were necessary to get the vehicle pointed in the right direction. Two more backing maneuvers got the Pathfinder poised to drive the road. At one point, the Pathfinder teetered on two opposite wheels, as the right front was upslope and the left rear was on the road.
Thankfully, no discernable damage to the tundra was evident from this little exercise (I did not spin the tires), but I nonetheless felt a bit bad about having to do it, since I had essentially driven us into this predicament. Such are the perils of exploring a new 4WD road. At least we could see others before us had done the same thing, but that didn’t make it any better for me. A jeep would have caused less impact and would have handled the incident effortlessly, but I must say I was impressed with how the Pathfinder performed in this very tight situation.
On our way out, we ran into two guys in a Jeep Cherokee. While I was certain their vehicle could do the same thing the Pathfinder did, I stopped and encouraged them to turn around. The driver appeared to be sufficiently stoned, sort of laughed and nodded, saying thanks. I laughed and nodded too and wished them luck!
The real clincher was that we encountered yet another vehicle behind them. This guy and his female partner were out hunting, as evidenced by all the orange gear in the back of the vehicle. I’m assuming he had been in the area before, because he was somewhat perturbed that I was kind enough to find a spot to back off the road (under Ellen’s spotting) and make the effort to warn him of the ice. Since he seemed a bit arrogant, I did not tell him there was another vehicle ahead, which on this road was a serious complication. Oh well, they’ll manage! By that time, all Ellen and I wanted was to get off of the road, so we were on our way.
Because of the situation I got us in to, I suppose I’m just as guilty as the clowns that went driving off across the basin on their ATVs. But perhaps it depends on how you look at it. My impact on the landscape was minimized and unintentional. These guys had just blazed all over creation with their fancy macho toys. It was ignorant and disrespectful of the land we all share for many purposes.
The Arapaho National Forest has charge of the area, which is unprotected and open to all uses, so I suppose it is meant to be. Some areas must be sacrificed in this manner to meet all uses, but obviously such degree of sacrifice is not necessary. Oh well, who cares, right? This is America! Damn those silly environmentalists and full speed ahead across that tundra, boys!
Despite these drawbacks, the north ridge option for Pettingell is a great one. It is fun, quick and easy, and very instructional for the less experienced. Once you’re off the road, you’ll likely have the place to yourself, and the climbing is just a blast in a very dramatic setting. You will no doubt surprise anyone who might be on the summit with your arrival. They will want to know where in blazes you came from!
AJ-October 27, 2003 Images
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Front Range (CO)
