Snow Climb – Apache Peak

Snow climb of Apache peak, via the Queens Way couloir (west of lake Isabelle and the Isabelle snowfield). The overall gain for the trip will be 3400', of that we expect 2000' on snow. With an early start and good speed, we can also tag neighboring Navajo peak. I plan to use the CMC Brainard cabin as a staging site for the trip. That is: we will meet up in Boulder, drive to Brainard lakes trailhead, hike 2.5 miles to Brainard cabin (minimal elevation gain), stay overnight at the cabin, wake early for an alpine start, ascend the couloir to the summit, descend (Navajo snowfield, Apache couloir, or East Ledges route), return to the cabin for remaining gear, and return to Boulder. I would nominally plan to wake at 3:00 am to leave the cabin at 4:00 for the 4 mile approach from the cabin. The top of the couloir should offer great morning views of Lone Eagle peak and the Front Range area. 

Some description of the routes on Apache peak may be found at: https://www.frontrangeskimo.com/apache

This trip is a good snow refresher, with typical mileage and elevation gain. The snow climb itself is exploratory (I have not visited the couloirs of Apache peak before). The trip is intended for those with previous snow experience – CMC Alpine Climbing School (ACS snow courses) or the former Basic Mountaineering School (BMS) is a pre-requisite. If you are inquiring to join the trip, please describe: (a) similar ‘snow climbing’ or 'big peak' experiences you have done recently, and (b) when you took ACS, BMS, or equivalent (and the date of).

There is a $20 fee per CMC member to stay at Brainard cabin. I have pre-reserved the cabin, so i am requiring for you to arrange payment in order to you sign up for the trip. To keep things simple, the fee will be nonrefundable with any proceeds donated towards the CMC-Boulder cabins.

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Trip report: 

CMC trip to Queen's Way couloir on Apache peak, using Brainard cabin as a basecamp.

Most met up at the Boulder courthouse at 1 pm on Saturday 2025/5/17. Matt and Katie joined at the Brainard Winter parking lot. Other skiers at the lot described skiing down from Pawnee Pass, whereas a text from Pryce's CMC group said they did not couloir climb on Saturday. We got ready and got going at 2:38, to arrive at the cabin at 3:45. The road to Brainard lake was melted out, so we met additional groups of skiers biking out the road. Jennifer was not feeling 100% for Sunday, so she returned to the lot not long after we got to the cabin. The community popcorn at the cabin was an unexpected treat. The afternoon clouds cleared out as we were eating dinner, allowing for an overnight freeze at and above the cabin.

I woke at 3 am on Sunday to have breakfast and hydrate before heading out. We left at ideally 4 am (4:17 actual start time), to have passed beyond Long lake within an hour. I put on snowshoes at the Long lake trailhead, and found lots of open space at- and beyond-Long lake (i.e., the shoes did not slow me down). We reached Isabelle lake by 5:42, and put on crampons at the couloir base (crampons) at N40.06132° W105.63873° at 11477' to get going by 7:05 am. We left the couloir base (proper) at N40.06168° W105.64579° at 12319' by 8:13 to arrive at the hillock at the top of couloir at 0.05982° W105.64747° at 12941'at 9:12 am. We stopped on the ridge to Apache peak at N40.05952° W105.64991° at 13400' at 10 am. The ridge was not as readily connected to the summit as we expected. Rather than an exposed scramble on large rocks and snow that would have likely taken at least an hour to traverse and return, we descended from the stopping point. We plunge-stepped down to the hillock, to remove crampons and be ready to glissade. Most (including myself) plunge-stepped about 1/2 way down the couloir to glissade the bottom half, then glissade again the lower angle slope to where we cached our snowshoes at 10:55. After putting on snowshoes and departing before 11:30, the group returned at a steady rate, passing lake Isabelle, then Long lake to remove snowshoes at the Long lake trailhead and return to the cabin by 1:30 pm.

As we were cleaning up packing to leave, Jerry's group of 2 arrived for overnight use. At his request and for their overnight use, we did not complete the usual checklist (we left the window shutters open so they could see, we left the gas on so they could cook, etc). We did clean up after ourselves (dishes, pack out trash, etc). I had gloves in my 1st Aid kit, so I removed a dead mouse from one of the traps - it had clearly been there for more than days. There was at least an hour overlap with Jerry's group before Emily and me left at 3:30 pm. All other participants left before us. Emily and me reached the Brainard lot at 3:51 to unpack and drive off at 4:08.

We found the snow in good shape - hard when starting from the cabin. There was minor post holing on the approach from Long lake trailhead to lake Isabelle. Snow from the small snow events through the preceding days had crusted over on the surface by Sunday morning, with typically a few inches of soft underneath through the couloir. There was observable rock surface to let us know this east facing side of Indian peaks did not get heavy snow through the week. There were several skis tracks (from yesterday) including the snowfield containing Queen's Way. The snow softened enough to pin wheel with steps on the way down, but was relatively intact with no notable wet slides observed. The late morning and afternoon temperature was limited by clouds, no wet slides were observed on the return to the cabin either.

Angles:
36.3 degrees (lower portion of Queen's Way)
47.6 degrees (upper, steepest portion of Queen's Way)
41.7 degrees (steepest portion of hillock to stopping point)

The weather was unusual as it developed over the foothills and plains, e.g., the cabin was not greatly affected. It was scenic to see fog above town and weather develop above Long's peak. The forecast on Saturday am showed that weather would develop west of the divide after noon; that did not pass over the mountains until after 3 pm. There were a few flurries on the way back to the cabin, but i had good confidence from the forecast we would be safe until the afternoon. Half way back to the lot from the cabin , there was significant lightning nearby and east of us and Emily got a reverse call cell phone tornado warning that was likely intended for Bennet, CO.

We like there have been recent improvements to the cabin, like the new stove and counter top. These aren't in the original style of the cabin, but it helps to make improvements. It remains to route the cables for the PV system through conduit (to meet the National Electric Code). The boat cushions for the benches are worn - that is aesthetic in nature though.

Album of photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/19047247@N04/albums/72177720326313923

Posted 2025/5/22.

In Boulder, in the afternoon. We will stay overnight at Brainard Cabin for an am alpine start, inquire with registration.