Holy Cross Ridge (13,831 feet) by Brian Schultz Monday July 25, 2005
Jason and his dog "Bo" and I met at the Halfmoon trailhead for the South Slopes route. Friends Art and Mark were also climbing Holy Cross Ridge but doing the Halo Ridge route so they could see the views from the Notch Mountain shelter. They started considerably earlier in the morning to allow for their long route and hoped to meet us on the summit of Holy Cross Ridge. If all went well they would join us on our return route. Skies were ominous when Jason and I began at 6:00. We set a pace on the excellent trail which put us at the Notch Mountain cut-off trail at 7:00 and made radio contact with Art and Mark, who were nearing the shelter already and expressed concerns about the threatening weather.
After a short break we continued on, passing by Lake Constantine at 8:00, and through scenic surroundings up to Lower Tuhare Lake. For a few short minutes the sun came out. We arrived at Lower Tuhare Lake at 8:50, took a twenty minute breakfast break, and contemplated the remaining route. Tim Briese warned about the talus scrambling around Upper Tuhare Lake but I wasn't prepared for how miserable it turned out to be. The terrain between the two lakes wasn't bad but it was horrible above Upper Tuhare Lake, some of the worse I can ever remember being on. Jason was concerned about Bo's paws on the rough rock, especially after his backpack out of Willow Lake two days ago when the dog wouldn't budge and Jason had to carry him out.
The unrelenting boulder hopping finally ended with the route turning north (right) up to a basin at 13,000 feet. More rock hopping ensued and Jason decided he wasn't taking a chance with the dog any further and turned around- too many miles to carry the dog if he quit again. Jason didn't mind me continuing on so I headed up while he and Bo headed down. The remaining slope to the ridge was steep and I aimed straight ahead, hoping the high point slightly left on the ridge was the summit. It was and I topped out on the summit at 11:35. The weather improved, if you call persistent fog an improvement, but not enough to see fourteener Mount of the Holy Cross fully. I stayed 40 minutes on the fog enshrouded summit eating a bit of lunch and trying to contact Art and Mark, who must've turned around because they never answered the radio. I signed the water logged register carefully as the pages wanted to rip when I turned them.
I began my descent at 12:15 and braced for the time-consuming slog around the lakes. Dark clouds settled in again and upon reaching Lake Constantine at 3:15, it started hailing violently, a precursor to a thunderstorm that soon blasted the area. Lightning was flashing way too close as I sought protection under some trees but I wasn't quite below timberline yet and the position felt too vulnerable. I ran through the open spaces after each lightning flash to the next group of trees, waited for the inevitable next flash, and ran again. Each ear-splitting crack of thunder made my skin jump, reminding me of the storm Tim and I got caught in on Mt Meeker two years ago, but the worst of it passed shortly. However, the rain continued as a downpour and I had to slosh through ankle deep water all the way back to the trailhead- I was totally soaked upon reaching the car at 4:40.
When I met up with Art and Mark in Leadville they informed me that they indeed turned around at the Notch Mountain shelter because of the weather. Jason and Bo also returned before the weather hit, the dog on his own power. Start early on this peak and expect a long day- the route is over 14 miles roundtrip.
Trailhead to summit- 5 hours 35 minutes
Summit to trailhead- 4 hours 25 minutes
Start to finish- 10 hours 40 minutes