[TR] Colfax Peak - East Ridge 01/18/2025

[geosean]

Trip: Colfax Peak - East Ridge

Trip Date: 01/18/2025

Trip Report:

Me, @Albuquerque Fred, and Mike (the 3 amigos) climbed Colfax Peak on Saturday the 18th. We camped at the trailhead and woke up early enough to be able to get beers and dinner at Graham's in Glacier that afternoon (this alleviating thys of the need to eat and food on route). Which was good since it was so cold none of us really ate or drank anything all day.

We were able to drive to maybe .5 miles from the summer TH before we stopped at the snow park berm. Others chose to drive past this but I believe it is bad form, the snowmobilers are our friends, let's play well together. All users of the outdoors share more than they differ.

The Grouse Creek approach worked well, booting for a short time through the forest before switching to skinning. 

The skin to Colfax Saddle was easy on firm wind packed snow; some areas required ski crampons so we just wore them most of the time. The wind at the saddle was brutal, making the already cold air almost unbearable. We left skis at the saddle and cramponed over the false summit to the true summit of Colfax. We spent 30 seconds, then returned to the skis in the lee of a rock at the saddle. The sun and shelter were amazing, but we had to descend some time, so back into the maelstrom we went.

The ski was actually excellent... If you are a connoseur of ski mountaineering skiing, not laps. Firm wind pack, but smooth, with patches of re-worked powder, and, lower, dust on crust.

The exit was amazing, 3 hours total from Colfax to the car with a nice long break in the lee.

We called it the best skiing on a mid-winter ski mountaineering trip. So in short, excellent***.

 

 

Cosley-Houston is out, Polish looked ok, but I'm not good enough to knowuch about it. The upper ice ribbon was continuous but narrow:

 

Baker from Colfax:

 

Gear Notes:
Skis, ski crampons, crampons, axe, helmet, glacier gear.

Approach Notes:
Grouse Creek in ski boots.