Dicker's Peck via Dicking Around (5.5)
Navajo Peak via Navajo Glacier/North Face (Mod. Snow/5.2)
July 4, 2014
Partners: Brian, Jason
Partners: Brian, Jason
Navajo Peak is a lovely pyramidal mountain that sits on the Continental Divide in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. It's summit and surrounding cliffs forms a nasty break in a long, and otherwise easy stretch of the divide. Its rugged ridgeline of jagged rock springs southward leading to the largest peak in the IPW, North Arapaho. The Boulder Watershed borders Navajo and provides a wild and untouched feel to the mountain.
I had wanted to do the North Face on Navajo Peak for quite some time but had never really pulled myself together to do it. Thankfully, I stirred up some interest from Brian and Jason on 14ers.com and they jumped on board to come along on the climb. After the usual pre-climb sleepless night, we met in Boulder at 4am. The drive up Left Hand Canyon was groggy but uneventful and we were happily surprised to arrive at an empty parking lot at the trailhead. Fourth of July and the area entirely to ourselves was more than we could have asked for! Patches of snow lingered on the trail and we had to carefully walk around large puddles filling the middle of the trail. Right before Lake Isabelle, the trail turned into snow and we did our best to use the snow to avoid the talus and scree that lead into the upper basin. This plan proved to work very well, and we soon were sitting at the base of the Navajo Glacier.
The weather had been interesting on the approach, but it thankfully cleared right as we put our crampons on. I started up knowing that I would be slow going and quickly discovered to snow to be very soft and wet. Wishing for firmer snow conditions, I slowly kicked steps of the lower-angled left side of the slopes. It is interesting that this is still called a glacier although it's just a lingering snow field, but supposedly crevasses can form late in the season. Brian and Jason quickly caught up, and I happily passed on the lead to them. The saddle always seemed so close and yet so far away, but thankfully the climb went smoothly and we soon were standing at the base of Dicker's Peck.
I had been to this place before, but the route had looked challenging from below and a fierce wind blew away my desire to climb. This time the wind was relatively calm and it was time to climb. Not wanting to waste time with the days forecast calling for 70% chance of storms, we quickly roped up and Jason threw me on belay. The initial moves were steep and slightly less positive than I had expected, but a crafty rightward traverse led to easier terrain and a nice ledge that I walked over to the crux crack. The crux was over quicker than it began, and after a few moments figuring out where to go I cut out to the exposed south face and eased onto the summit. From the top, there were great views down into Wheeler Basin and up the snappy ridge toward Apache. Brian and Jason joined me on the summit and we only paused for a moment before rappelling back down. Within minutes we launched up the North Face of Navajo, and two pitches of easy climbing put us on easy terrain at the top of the West Chimney. The scramble to the summit went smoothly and we took in the great views.
I had figured that there would at least be one other party coming up Navajo on the Fourth of July, and was really surprised to have the entire area to ourselves. The descent went smoothly and we were thankful to have Airplane Gully in dry conditions. It is eerie hiking by the airplane wreckage and I wished that I knew the details of the crash. The scree slopes down finally ended and we cruised down to Lake Isabelle courtesy of a few good glissading spots. As we skirted the lake, the weather finally came down and we enjoyed a light rain as we made for the car.
This had been a great climb and was an enjoyable way to climb Navajo. Gerry Roach calls the route "the best mixed climb in the Indian Peaks" and I concur that it was a worthy outing. The addition of Dicker's Peck really added to the experience and was a nice change of pace after the snow climbing below. I was thankful to have two good partners to join me on this and will recommend this to anybody looking for an easy alpine experience.
I had wanted to do the North Face on Navajo Peak for quite some time but had never really pulled myself together to do it. Thankfully, I stirred up some interest from Brian and Jason on 14ers.com and they jumped on board to come along on the climb. After the usual pre-climb sleepless night, we met in Boulder at 4am. The drive up Left Hand Canyon was groggy but uneventful and we were happily surprised to arrive at an empty parking lot at the trailhead. Fourth of July and the area entirely to ourselves was more than we could have asked for! Patches of snow lingered on the trail and we had to carefully walk around large puddles filling the middle of the trail. Right before Lake Isabelle, the trail turned into snow and we did our best to use the snow to avoid the talus and scree that lead into the upper basin. This plan proved to work very well, and we soon were sitting at the base of the Navajo Glacier.
The weather had been interesting on the approach, but it thankfully cleared right as we put our crampons on. I started up knowing that I would be slow going and quickly discovered to snow to be very soft and wet. Wishing for firmer snow conditions, I slowly kicked steps of the lower-angled left side of the slopes. It is interesting that this is still called a glacier although it's just a lingering snow field, but supposedly crevasses can form late in the season. Brian and Jason quickly caught up, and I happily passed on the lead to them. The saddle always seemed so close and yet so far away, but thankfully the climb went smoothly and we soon were standing at the base of Dicker's Peck.
I had been to this place before, but the route had looked challenging from below and a fierce wind blew away my desire to climb. This time the wind was relatively calm and it was time to climb. Not wanting to waste time with the days forecast calling for 70% chance of storms, we quickly roped up and Jason threw me on belay. The initial moves were steep and slightly less positive than I had expected, but a crafty rightward traverse led to easier terrain and a nice ledge that I walked over to the crux crack. The crux was over quicker than it began, and after a few moments figuring out where to go I cut out to the exposed south face and eased onto the summit. From the top, there were great views down into Wheeler Basin and up the snappy ridge toward Apache. Brian and Jason joined me on the summit and we only paused for a moment before rappelling back down. Within minutes we launched up the North Face of Navajo, and two pitches of easy climbing put us on easy terrain at the top of the West Chimney. The scramble to the summit went smoothly and we took in the great views.
I had figured that there would at least be one other party coming up Navajo on the Fourth of July, and was really surprised to have the entire area to ourselves. The descent went smoothly and we were thankful to have Airplane Gully in dry conditions. It is eerie hiking by the airplane wreckage and I wished that I knew the details of the crash. The scree slopes down finally ended and we cruised down to Lake Isabelle courtesy of a few good glissading spots. As we skirted the lake, the weather finally came down and we enjoyed a light rain as we made for the car.
This had been a great climb and was an enjoyable way to climb Navajo. Gerry Roach calls the route "the best mixed climb in the Indian Peaks" and I concur that it was a worthy outing. The addition of Dicker's Peck really added to the experience and was a nice change of pace after the snow climbing below. I was thankful to have two good partners to join me on this and will recommend this to anybody looking for an easy alpine experience.
**All photos with a time-stamp were taken by Jason.**
Route - Dicker's Peck:
P1 - 5.5 - Starting at the base on the north side, follow steep, yet easy terrain upward until harder terrain blocks upward progress. Make an easy traverse to the right, then follow slightly fragile rock up again to reach a small ledge. Traverse the ledge to the right to arrive at the base of a small crack. Ascend this crack for about 10 feet to another ledge, then make an exposed move out right onto the south face using a small foothold. Ascend easy terrain up the south face 10 feet to the summit. Rappel back north from a mess of webbing. 80'
Route - Navajo's North Face
P1 - 5.0 - Starting at the base of the north face, ascend easy terrain following the path of least resistance. Belay on a nice ledge with lots of loose rock laying around. 120'
P2 - 5.2 - Ascend straight upward on more easy terrain to arrive on yet another ledge. Scramble up to the far right end of the ledge and climb back left up a steep, broken corner (crux). Walk easier terrain straight toward the summit and belay in a notch at the top of the West Chimney. 190'
P3+ - 3rd Class - Scramble up to the south up a ramp system that will bring to the south of the summit. Work back north to the top. This is the same as the finish to the West Chimney route.
Gear:
C4s: 0.4 - 4
Single set stoppers
Single set tricams
Slings
P1 - 5.5 - Starting at the base on the north side, follow steep, yet easy terrain upward until harder terrain blocks upward progress. Make an easy traverse to the right, then follow slightly fragile rock up again to reach a small ledge. Traverse the ledge to the right to arrive at the base of a small crack. Ascend this crack for about 10 feet to another ledge, then make an exposed move out right onto the south face using a small foothold. Ascend easy terrain up the south face 10 feet to the summit. Rappel back north from a mess of webbing. 80'
Route - Navajo's North Face
P1 - 5.0 - Starting at the base of the north face, ascend easy terrain following the path of least resistance. Belay on a nice ledge with lots of loose rock laying around. 120'
P2 - 5.2 - Ascend straight upward on more easy terrain to arrive on yet another ledge. Scramble up to the far right end of the ledge and climb back left up a steep, broken corner (crux). Walk easier terrain straight toward the summit and belay in a notch at the top of the West Chimney. 190'
P3+ - 3rd Class - Scramble up to the south up a ramp system that will bring to the south of the summit. Work back north to the top. This is the same as the finish to the West Chimney route.
Gear:
C4s: 0.4 - 4
Single set stoppers
Single set tricams
Slings
