​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

Northstar Mountain
13 May 2000

Northstar Peak, south of Breckenridge

We met at 5 AM and were on the road by 5:20; arriving at Hoosier Pass and on the trail by 7:30 AM.  It’s perfect weather for a summit attempt.   We brought both skis and snowshoes but both could have been left in the car as there were lots of bare spots on the way in. 

The area southeast of the sub-peak was snow covered:  The upper portion was hard-packed and I could only snowplow.  The lower was soft enough to allow a few turns. 

The ridge is definitely interesting.  The area near the sub-peak is 5 – 10 feet wide, easily maneuverable.  But, a ways west of the sub-peak, the snow narrows to a point for about 50’ with very steep sides but the snow on top was very soft, not really a confidence builder.  I took a step or two and then retreated.  Tom and Willy went the length of the difficult portion and then retreated.  The consensus:  Under these conditions, it would take more than an hour to reach the peak so we decided to back off.

Analysis:  leave the skis at the car.  Crampons would have been nice and possibly post-holing at the top end of the snow would have worked.  But what I would have liked to have was a picket or something for a second tool (the other being an ice axe).  Then, you would have always had 3 points of contact as you moved along.