"NW Pole" (13,660) & Pole Creek Mtn (13,716) by Brian Schultz Wednesday August 24, 2011
Roundtrip mileage: 11.0 miles from Colorado Trail trailhead (at the 4x4 junction of the Rio Grande Reservoir Rd & Beartown Rd)
Elevation gain: 4,000'
Participants: Tim Briese & Brian Schultz
Two years ago Tim and I looked at our topo maps and wondered if these peaks could be climbed as a dayhike from the south. The map's four-wheel drive roads implied it was possible so I asked Teresa Gergen her thoughts on this and she not only confirmed it was possible but that she climbed them this way. Her helpful route information was much appreciated and since then, trip reports by Gary Neben and Derek Wolfe have also described the southern route in detail, accompanied with great photos.
Our finish on Potosi Peak yesterday was early enough to stop in Silverton for a meal before driving over Stony Pass. It was our first time driving the Stony Pass road and we were pleasantly surprised at how good the 4x4 road is to the junction of the Rio Grande Reservoir and Beartown roads. We checked out the Colorado Trail trailhead, to be sure we'd find it in the dark of the morning, then drove back on the Stony Pass road a short distance to a great camp site. We enjoyed a blazing campfire before turning in.
We began at 5:25 AM by headlamp on the excellent Colorado Trail. At 6:30, we departed the trail at 11,200', bushwhacking through the trees on a northeast bearing and staying high above the drainage separating NW Pole and Pole Creek Mtn. Our bearing worked out well as we completely avoided the pinkish cliffs lower in the drainage that Teresa warned about. Less than an hour later we cleared timberline and stopped for a break before hiking up some steep grassy slopes. The cliffs of NW Pole's south ridge directly ahead of us were bypassed to the right and we soon entered the sprawling area between NW Pole and Pole Creek Mtn.
Heading to NW Pole first, we followed its south slopes and south ridge to the talus slopes below the summit. We took another quick break at 8:50 before picking a line through the talus to the northeast side of the summit. When we reached the summit block, Tim went a bit further north to gain a position on a ledge while I climbed straight up to it. We both climbed a class 4 chimney to the top of the block and in short order reached an exposed crack just below the summit. This isn't a difficult move as it only requires one single step to cross it but the exposure is significant. Tim went first while I waited.
Tim claimed the summit, time 9:45, and quickly returned. I went next and really enjoyed scrambling up the small exposed summit. We didn't spend much time on NW Pole because of the long distance over to Pole Creek Mtn so we departed at 10:08 and descended straight down NW Pole's east slopes. In the thirty five minutes it took to reach the saddle, clouds were building quickly and we kept going without stopping until just below the summit. After a break to catch our breath we pushed on and reached the summit at 11:40.
Too bad we couldn't stay more than five minutes on top, but thunder rumbling in the distance and rain falling nearly everywhere around us compelled us to make a speedy descent. We descended scree and grass in the first drainage north of the summit to a narrower drainage below. When we reached a sandy area of the stream, both sides below it were quite overgrown with vegetation so we followed a cattle trail on the left to an open meadow. A bushwhack through the trees looked easier than continuing down the drainage so we entered the woods and, amazingly, emerged from the trees exactly where we left the Colorado Trail in the morning. A fellow from Dolores dayhiking the trail asked about our route and we gave him the basics. He seemed like a friendly guy and we would've talked longer but we really wanted to beat the imminent rain. We hurried down the trail as light showers fell and reached the trailhead at 2:25.
We were pleased with how well this route worked out as a dayhike and look forward to driving the Stony Pass road again for more climbs in the area.
Trailhead to NW Pole- 4 hours 20 minutes
NW Pole to Pole Creek Mtn- 1 hour 30 minutes
Pole Creek Mtn to trailhead- 2 hours 40 minutes
Start to finish- 9 hours