7/25/04 – Apache Peak & Navajo Peak – East Ledges, West Chimney

9.5 miles, 3400'


During our climb of Mount Audubon, Paiute Peak, and Mount Toll last week, Erin and I were treated to great views of Apache and Navajo Peaks, so we decided a speedy return to the Indian Peaks would be a great choice for a Sunday climb. We invited Kurt to join us, and we met in Broomfield at 4:00. After a coffee stop in Boulder, we were on our way to Brainard Lake. Cloudy pre-dawn skies in town were discouraging, and we drove through fog most of the way. As we approached Ward, however, we could see that we had risen above the clouds. While our neighbors back home were awakening to a gloomy morning, we soon would be reveling in the sunshine. Moments like this make me happy I'm part of such an odd-ball group. The mountains take us to times and places that others, even the hordes of day-hikers who'd arrive in the late-morning and early-afternoon, will never see.

We set out from the Long Lake Trailhead at 6:00. We were immediately greeted by the gorgeous reds of sunrise splashed across the view of our destination peaks. The Isabelle Glacier Trail stays very level for the first few miles, and we made it to Lake Isabelle quickly. The beauty of the South Saint Vrain Creek drainage was making a serious impression on all of us, with lush vegetation, abundant wildflowers, spectacular peaks, cliffs, and spires surrounding us, and water, water everywhere!

Our next fun would come in fauna form. Just shy of the unnamed lake at 11,400' we saw a group of marmots, including some babies. I was excited because I hadn't seen young marmots yet. They lived up to their advance billing. The term cute hardly covers these balls of fur with stubby tails and glistening eyes. Marmots are a love/hate thing for me. Today, they were definitely receiving the love. Erin noticed that two of the youth were engaging in marmot wrestling, tussling and rolling about. They were oblivious to our presence while they played, but their mother stood guard, ever watchful. We couldn't help but gawk and laugh for a good while. Pikas were active here, too. We saw one with a huge mouthful of grass zip by, and after four years, I finally took a picture of a pika in which you can actually discern the little critter! Yeah, the quality's not the greatest, but I'm happy about it anyway.

A couple passed us as we ascended the switchbacks above the lake. They had snow gear, and when I asked, they said they were climbing the Queens Way couloir up Apache. Erin and I were planning on climbing the Queens Way couloir, too, but Kurt hadn't brought an axe or crampons, so we would have to split up if we wanted to stick to our plan. We stopped at a reasonable place to traverse to Apache's East Ledges route, the other easy way up the peak, and thought about our options. Erin and I don't have a lot of experience on snow, and Queens Way was looking rather intimidating. While we were mulling it over, a solo climber arrived, and he asked us to take his picture in front of the Queens Way before he went on his way. A couple of guys were already climbing the couloir, so I scoped them out with binoculars. I saw what I believed was them postholing, and that settled it for me. We'd find out later that I had been mistaken – that the snow in the couloir had softened, but not to the point that I thought I witnessed. But regardless, it was fun to stay with Kurt for the day. Excepting our trip to the Grenadiers earlier in the month, we hadn't climbed with him since the first week in March. We'll cut our teeth on a real snow climb some other time.

We hiked across a level snowfield and through some rocks past the base of Apache Couloir. Kurt suggested that we climb slabs directly adjacent to the couloir, cutting off the beginning of the East Ledges route that climbs up scree and talus between these slabs and slabs under Navajo Snowfield. We had to cross the diminishing tail of Apache Couloir to gain these slabs. Kurt led the way, kicking steps into the slush, revealing slick, icy snow beneath. I was about halfway across when I lost my footing and slid down the slope. Down I went about 50' before I arrested my slide with fingers, knees, and boots. Even if I hadn't been able to stop, the runout wasn't bad at the base, but I was glad to not have to climb back up the whole way. Erin made it across on Kurt's steps without incident, while I climbed to reach the slabs. These slabs would immediately prove tougher than they had looked. While we didn't save time by avoiding the longer way around, we did have more fun. A few interesting moves on slabby faces, through cracks, and up steep grass got us onto the standard route.

By contrast, the third-class ledges seemed like child's play, and I remarked at how similar the area looked to Audubon's Southeast Ridge once you're past that route's defining notch. Looking around, we noticed the stunning view of Navajo's summit cone. That peak is a beauty, and we couldn't wait to see what the hidden west chimney would be like. Soon, we were on talus making our way to Apache's summit ridge. Erin and I could see all three of our peaks from last week while we negotiated these sometimes loose upper slopes. Here's a view looking back down the valley, the only photo I took in which you can sort of see the clouds that were still covering the plains.

After arriving on the gentle ridge, we were on the summit in moments. The two climbers we had seen in the couloir were there. One of them was Dan Wheeler of FourteenerWorld. We talked with Dan and his friend for a bit while the other three climbers we had seen arrived from the Queens Way. The solo climber, as it turns out, was Ferenc Jacso. Quite the FourteenerWorld party we had up there! I liked the views off to the west side of Apache. Kurt mentioned that the spires that run down the length of Apache's north ridge are an awesome sight from Lone Eagle Peak. We managed to pick out Lone Eagle, which is nowhere near as impressive from Apache as it is on the cover of Roach's Indian Peaks book. North Arapaho Peak, our goal for next week, dominated the view south.

We started to make our way toward Navajo, and we were pleased that Ferenc decided to join us. He told us about how he had just returned to the States from Hungary a month ago after spending 10 months across the Atlantic. As we were ascending the 13,400' subpeak of Apache, Ferenc decided he didn't have enough time to bag Navajo and not worry his family, so we parted ways. We skirted the first summit of this subpeak on its west side, but cliffs prevented us from skirting the second. If I were to go back, I'd just stay on the ridge crest the whole way. After making the engaging third-class climb down the south ridge to the saddle between Apache and Navajo, we arrived at the base of the "comic pinnacle" Dickers Peck.

From there, we followed Roach's directions for Navajo's west chimney route. We followed an obvious third-class ramp that starts at the notch between Navajo and Dickers Peck. After turning a corner, we were facing the chimney. I hung back and took pictures of Kurt and Erin making the climb of this 100' chimney. Except for one interesting fourth-class move, the whole climb is just steep and exhilarating third-class. After they cleared the chimney, I made my way up. The left-hand wall of the chimney is actually topped by this interesting fin, which could be a useful landmark if you were aiming to downclimb the west chimney. From there, a small traverse over to the right led us to the summit ridge that people use when climbing Navajo from Airplane Gully. After some fun scrambling up and over a few boulders, we were on Navajo's tiny summit.

I would have liked more time up here, but we were on a deadline. The lunch buffet at Kathmandu closes at 3:00, and it's only sensible to eat Indian food after climbing in the Indian Peaks, right? It was 12:00 when we summitted, so we had our work cut out for us! We hurried down Airplane Gully, so named because of an airplane that crashed there in 1948. The loose gully, which we were glad we didn't ascend, remains littered with debris all the way to its base. After we exited the gully we started hauling butt. Erin led the way at a clip so fast that Kurt and I had to start running periodically to stay up with her. I think she was hungry! We made it... just barely. We actually saw Ferenc there with his family. His four little ones were enjoying the fact that Kathmandu, now that it's moved, provides ample room to run around! We piled our plates high, and sat down to a satisfying meal. We all agreed that Apache and Navajo exceeded our expectations, and we can't recommend the traverse between the two enough.