June 28, 2010 I attempted to climb Navajo Peak via Airplane Gully. I didn't succeed, but still had a great if exhausting day. I got to the trailhead by 5:45 after a drive of less than an hour from Boulder. Brainard Lake has a $9 fee but I found I could use my National Parks Pass, so that was great. Just like for Mount Neva, there were only two cars in the lot when I arrived and it was full when I came down.
Signs warned that the trails would be muddy, but I was wearing my mountaineering boots so I was fine. I expected some snow on the route, although I was shocked just how much there still was. Apparently this year there was a lot of snow in the Spring, so perhaps it's taking longer to melt than usual. I brought gaiters just in case (didn't use them, although I postholed up to my knees several times and my thighs once) and trekking poles, but no ice ax or crampons. This was supposed to be a scramble route rather than an snow climb. Supposed to be!
There was a lot of snow even fairly low down (the trailhead is at 10,500 feet) which would cause problems as it covered and hid the trail. Here you can still see the trail, which was very nice and fairly flat for the first 2+ miles, so I was able to start off at a decent 3mph pace.
An interesting bridge which consisted of a couple flat logs and a handrailing on only one side, which I didn't need to use.
The peaks come into view. The left one is Navajo Peak, my intended destination, and to the right is Apache Peak. Navajo Peak is 13,409 feet, and would have been my first 13er in Colorado and I think second ever (after Mount Dana, the second highest mountain in Yosemite). I've climbed many 14ers in both states (plus Rainier), however.
A closeup. The final stretch to the summit follows the west ridge of Navajo Peak, which is on the far left. And I was disappointed to find it covered with snow! I wasn't prepared for that, so already that meant I would almost certainly not summit. But I figured I'd just go as high as I could.
Niwot Ridge to the south.
A closer look at Navajo Peak and the west ridge. Note that the summit is class 3 and looks very interesting.
The cirque reflected in Lake Isabelle.
I started to have trouble around Lake Isabelle, when I lost the trail in the snow. I found out on the way back that it dropped down to the level of the lake, but I thought it went higher and so wasted a lot of time scrambling on loose rocks trying to find it. I did eventually get back to the trail, but would soon lose it again.
To the right of Navajo Peak you can make out something called Dicker's Peck. It's a 5.5 climb.
Eventually I gave up on the trail, which got completely buried by snow. I knew I had to start off cross country at some point, and was supposed to stay to the left. Unfortunately I went too far left and made life very hard for myself, as I would find out later.
There were lots of snowfields and rock bands to cross. As I didn't have an ice ax or crampons, and the snow was a little hard in the early morning, I tried to avoid the snow fields especially when they seemed too steep. However the rock was very slow and painful to get through. Also transitioning from one to the other was tough since usually the snow right next to rock was very soft and you'd sink right in.
I really should have been down near this unnamed, melting lake instead of where I was. Note that high up above the lake is the Isabelle Glacier.
Shoshoni Peak.
I continued on the left, staying mostly on rocks, and going extremely slowly. I can't stand 2nd class scrambling on loose rock, and although perhaps it's good I got practice, since you need to do it often when mountain climbing, I still hated it.
I headed toward the band of rock between the snow fields here.
The joys of loose talus.
Looking down at the talus field.
It seemed endless. There are several "benches" or flat areas that you reach as you climb, and at each one I tried to get an idea of what to do next, but nothing looked good.
You can now start to see Airplane Gully, which is the second gully to left of the peak. I knew it was left which was why I was headed that way, but it turns out it would have been much easier to stay right longer.
I wasn't having any fun and would have just turned back earlier, but I promised my son I'd take some pictures of the airplane wreckage. Airplane Gully is so-named because a plane crashed into it in 1948, and the wreckage is still there, strewn down the gully. Here's the first piece I found, probably part of a wing.
Close up.
Looking up at the peak. Airplane Gully is further left and out of the picture.
Airplane Gully. It was very steep and loose, but there was a use trail of sorts which made it less painful than the earlier scrambling I'd done.
Another plane piece, right on the use trail.
One of my guidebooks said the gully melts out in early May, but apparently not this year! I wasn't expecting this. I was hoping to at least make it to the top of the gully where the fuselage is supposed to be.
Looking down from that point.
Unfortunately the snow was too hard for me to feel comfortable climbing, so I turned back. In honesty, I was so tired by this point that I was happy to have an excuse to go down. I only made it to 12,600 feet, 800 feet shy of the summit.
I took pictures of more parts I found on the way down.
Examining the terrain on the way up, I suspected I had come up a sub-optimal way. So since I had time I decided to try going down the easier looking way, which involved less rock and more snow and tundra. By now the snow was softer and easier to descend.
Looking back and one snowfield I just descended. It was so easy and fun to walk down snow! I was sad I hadn't gone up this way.
Looking down at Lake Isabelle.
Now the unnamed lake comes into view, still considerably lower than I am.
The snow didn't seem too steep so I decided to just head on down to the lake this time.
It was a lot of fun to go down--I could easily plunge-step, and even tried boot-skiing for a while. The snow was soft enough that it was very safe, even with no ice ax. This is the view looking back up. Note that it doesn't look steep at all, but in a later picture from more distance you'll get a better idea of the steepness.
Arriving at the lake. I stayed to the right of it. I'd wanted to get more practice on easy (less than 30 degree) snow, and this was perfect. And what a change from going up! It was much faster and enormously more fun.
At the lake I ran into three guys who wanted to go up Airplane Gully, but didn't know where it was, so I got to be the one giving advice. They'd seen me come down the snow slope (I came down the left side of the background slope) and were impressed.
Still more snow and rocks, and then a swampy inlet to Lake Isabelle to negotiate.
Quite a bit later.... This is the point I finally found the trail.
I'd hopped on these tufts of tundra instead of the rocks at the end.
Well the trail still was covered in snow much of the time, but at least I didn't completely lose it again. Looking down on Lake Isabelle.
Getting closer.
The trail actually went right next to this stream.
Finally at nearly lakeside.
I heard a strange sound and found two marmots fighting. I tried to take their picture but once they realized I was there they stopped fighting and started to check me out.
I only wanted sweets on the way up and so just ate some gummy cherries I'd brought, but on the way down I finally wanted some salt too and ate some chips. This was my longest break, about 8 minutes, while I watched clouds coming up behind Navajo Peak. I wondered if they'd cover the top but they never did. For water I brought 2 liters and also a steripen if I needed to get more, but just drank 1.5 liters.
Finally back to Long Lake and near the end of the hike.
I didn't make the summit but I learned a lot and overall had a great time. I'll try to come back in a month when everything should finally be melted out. For now this was plenty tough. 9.3 miles, 2200 feet climbing, 7:31 total time.
