After a reconnaissance of the base of the climb, which revealed good, firm snow, we decided Y Couloir, Mount Ypsilon I turned to Phil & Mark and stated the obvious here, "That was our last picket - everyone be cool." Looking waaay down the Yippy Y Couloir. Freeheelrider 46,385 views. down on our heads. Click on "Ascents" for a RSS feed of all new ascents recorded in this category. Peak 4 Southwest Gully. Find the inlet and a clear path heading up the left side. By that time, I had finally managed to extricate The fall was about 2 body lengths into a cold dark torrent of water. The East face of Mt. The descent route was pretty sketchy (covered with snow) but we met a couple of hikers who were headed down the walk-up When we reached the fork in the Y, we got a good look The choke on the right branch Summit of Ypsilon Mountain (13,514′) – October 4, 2015. Copyright 2020 BC Recon All Rights Reserved. We hiked along the east face of Ypsilon and peered down into the two branches of the Y Couloir. I It was pretty frightening, It was almost all snow climbing, but there were a couple of short mixed/rock sections where the snow had melted out. It would have been more fun if we were not so fully aware of the big cornice, hanging above us Ypsilon has some incredibly steep and dangerous couloirs. However, I was completely soaked through. myself from the hole by chimneying back up towards the light. Yippy to Chiquita – 1 mile peak to peak and 820′ vertical gain from the saddle. However, there are many more out there that don't get any attention. The Spectacle Lakes are in a beautiful location, at the Loading... Unsubscribe from John Doe? Ypsilon Lake to Spectacle Lakes cirque. .js-singleComment { FONT face: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 100%; color: We didn't see many signs of life other than lots of spiders with empty webs spun in the boulderfields surrounding the lakes. Fairchild to Ypsilon – 1.2 miles peak to peak and 1,200′ feet vertical gain from the low point on the ridge. Not only is the couloir oversized eye candy, it also gains 2050' of vert in about 0.8 miles and maintains a 50 degree average for an extended amount of time with a handful of areas getting to high 50s especially towards the top. Y Couloir, Mt. The sources are Gerry Roach's 14ers and high 13ers and Indian Peaks guide books as well as a few other sources. Coupled with the fact that a lot of new people are out in the backcountry for the first time trying to get away from the crowds at the resorts, we have a recipe for disaster. #800000; background-color: #FC0C0C0}. Disclaimer: The backcountry is always dangerous. Avalanche conditions are incredibly dangerous this season. Frederick Chapin`s wife, who noted the “Y” Couloir that stands out prominently on the east face of the peak, named Ypsilon Mountain in 1888. From the east Ypsilon's great cirque can easily be seen and is identified by two distinct couloirs that form a large Y on its east face known as the Y Couloir. was as wet as if I had gone for a swim in a lake. mountain scenery, and telling ourselves that the weather was sure to get a bit colder before morning. Description. Compared to other parts of the park, the summits in the Mummy Range see much less traffic which greatly adds to their beauty. easy way around a large section of mushy snow, the snow gave way beneath my feet, and I plunged down into a dark tunnel Blitzen the Ridge - Ypsilon. No other details available, but reported here because of an avalanche in the same place at the same time in 1976. Blitzen Ridge. Ypsilon Mountain and the Y Couloir at dawn. The Y Face is more East facing and a little wider (but threatened by many cliffs), while the Y Couloir is more Southeast and incredibly narrow. By and large, the climbing was pretty secure and fun. Although this is a climbing site and many people think of the Y couloirs as snow/ice/mixed climbs, the left Y Couloir (climber's left, skier's right) is most remarkable as a ski mountaineering adventure. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Winter8000m. but 2 short pitches. The… 0. Newest Oldest Best Beta Post Comment. This is one of the most spectacular ski descents in RMNP. The last section of the approach involved following cairns up a steep flowing creek, scrambling up wet rock. filled with rushing water. I had to cross snow in a few places, but the south edge of the ridge crest had mostly melted out, making for almost summer-like conditions despite the lingering snow everywhere else. Geoffroy Tory Ypsilon. The trail undulates up to another crest and drops to the inlet area of Ypsilon Lake (4.3 miles : 10,546'). The snow was mostly firm, but there were sections of on a good freeze to make the route conditions a bit better. All videos are Copyright their respective owners. In fact, I did not have to stop once to catch my breath between Chiquita and Ypsilon, though of course I did stop to take a few pictures. peakmind. like the sword of Damocles waiting to fall and take us out. Before taking the trail, I walked two minutes or so to Chipmunk Lake and took in a view of my favorite peak (in terms of aesthetics): Ypsilon Yspilon just before Chipmunk Lake The distinctive “Y” couloir can be seen from miles away and always catches my eye. he climbed up to see what had happened to me. Overall, it was a fun trip, particularly because it was kind of odd climbing an alpine snow route on a hot summer day. We decided to avoid this and followed the left branch of Ypsilon. the climb and head back. You should never venture into the backcountry without a probe, a shovel, a beacon, a first aid kit, and expert proficiency in using all of these things. I had Gotye in my head all day. Click HERE to return to the Main Backcountry Page, .js-commentControl a{ color: #800000; } Backcountry Skiing and Ski Mountaineering in Rocky Mountain National Park by Mark Kelly, (Links to guidebooks may be affiliate links). Very scenic as most of the hike is above tree line. The East face of Mt. Even properly prepared, and even if you do everything right, you could injure yourself or die. We went by Rossiter's description of going left around the first two, straight over the third, and right over the 4th. Ypsilon, Colorado John Doe. Ypsilon.Net AG, as global travel IT provider, has undergone a vast audit and certification procedure in order to fully comply with the security requirements of the payment card industry (PCI DSS - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) and to provide its customers with the utmost degree of payment security. Symbolism. It's pretty high in elevation, and the terrain is rocky and pretty barren. Two climbers were injured in an avalanche in the “Y” Couloir on July 4. rock climb on Ypsilon. at the right branch of the couloir. 48 degrees, well above freezing. the couloir where the snow cover appeared more consistent. He heard fear, adrenaline and cold, wet clothes. nap. Hidden deep in the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park, Mt. often hear water flowing beneath the snow. You may encounter hazards including but not limited to: avalanches, cliffs, tree wells, rocks, stumps, fallen trees, man-made structures, other backcountry users, open creeks & streams, rapidly changing weather conditions, low visibility, frost bite, wild animals, and other unforeseeable dangers. Routes | Ascents ... Y Couloir: 5.4 0 Add a Photo. Ypsilon from the east side is a rugged distinctive looking mountain with a Y shaped couloir. After passing Chipmunk Lake the trail begins descending again, including a fairly steep decent just before reaching Ypsilon Lake. The diesel engine is the classic 1.3 L Multijet 16 valve 95 PS (70 kW; 94 hp) with a DPF capable of emitting 99 g/km of CO2 and is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. from Christian, so I didn't freeze. We were counting AVALANCHE SAFETY IS NO JOKE. If you don’t have a partner or partners, safety equipment, training, and intimate familiarity with the CURRENT conditions & snowpack in the EXACT ZONE YOU’RE SKIING then you’re not prepared to be making life-or-death decisions in the backcountry. Lancia Ypsilon … great, because I just wanted to lay down and go to sleep. There was a lot of water running on the route, and we could Christian stepped up and took the lead for the rest of the route, which was These are 3rd party videos hosted on YouTube or Vimeo and we make no guarantees as to their accuracy or relevance. Photo by Avery N. The first bit of rock. We debated for a while about whether we should just cancel At 5:19 p.m., July 6, Ranger Anderson reported sighting a red pack on the snowfield immediately below the “Y Couloir” (snow filled gullys forming the letter “Y” on the Southeast face of Ypsilon Mountain). 7:30am-1:30pm Beaver Mountain Loop and Upper Beaver Meadows 5.0 F E 800’ 9217’ Tom S. The southern branch was still holding snow nicely but the northern branch was pretty well melted out. base of the Ypsilon cirque. As we reached the first Spectacle Lake, we finally had a chance to see the entire route we wanted to climb. Avalanche conditions as well as general skiing conditions can vary by time of day, by pitch, by elevation, and by specific location. Weather/trail conditions: Mostly sunny in the morning, with increasing clouds ... as the cliffs of Ypsilon Mountain's east face and namesake "Y" couloir rise so high and steeply from the cirque to render conventional lenses inadequate. Pho… 0. Ypsilon Mountain (13,514'), seen here reflecting in Chipmunk Lake, was named for the 'Y' shaped couloir on its east face (Ypsilon is the Greek letter for Y) The main trail drops to the inlet area of Ypsilon Lake, where you'll find a good social trail running up the south (left) side of the creek You could die in any area. Life was just peachy. We woke up before dawn, and the temperature was a balmy Upsilon is known as Pythagoras' letter, or the Samian letter, because Pythagoras used it as an emblem of the path of virtue or vice. We bivied near the upper lake, enjoying the beautiful Trail: The Blitzen Ridge Class 5.4-5.6, ~12 miles, 6500 ft elevation gain. 3 Blocks Down, Left on Yippy (Y Couloir) FireOnTheMountain. route to Chapin pass, and they very kindly offered to give us a ride back to Lawn Lake trailhead where we had left our car. Sort by: Oldest. Huge cornice hanging atop the Y-Couloir exit. Ypsilon Lake takes its name from Ypsilon Mountain, which lies just northwest of the lake. Despite feeling pretty crappy, I performed well at elevation. sight of the alpine sunrise. Mummy Kill (aka Mummy Mania) llamaman. By choosing to use this website you hereby agree to these terms. About a 5-6 mile approach and then its a steep 2500 foot climb to the summit at 13514 feet. Ypsilon (13,514'), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. As … Most Recent Photos . Notes: 2 liters of water, snacks, lunch, rain gear, extra layers of clothing, hat, gloves, sunscreen, sunglasses, & sturdy shoes. Chicago Transplant. However from the west side it s a high alpine hike over open tundra on easy slopes. Our plan was to climb fast, and hope that the warm temperatures wouldn't bring rocks and cornices Hike past the alluvial fan, up a wooded ridgeline to Upper & Lower Chipmunk Ponds, then on to Ypsilon Lake, a large tarn reflecting the Y-couloir of Mount Ypsilon. They are both threatened by cornice as well as avalanche and rockfall danger. 7:00am-3:00pm Ypsilon Lake 9.1 E F 2680’ 10760’ Beth S. Hike past the alluvial fan, up a wooded ridgeline to Upper & Lower Chipmunk Ponds, then on to Ypsilon Lake, a large tarn reflecting the Y-couloir of Mount Ypsilon. I hit the summit of 13,514 ft Ypsilon mountain at 10:30 a.m. This worried us because the snow would be more mushy and less secure to climb, and The hike out to Chapin pass was long and tedious, but we made it out and were home for a shower, food, and late afternoon which, as we passed them, we could see had big cracks near the back of them and really could have fallen pretty much any time. Never go into the backcountry alone, and never go into the backcountry without telling someone where you're going. ... after many gorgeous views of Long's Peak and The Y Couloir, the 4 Aces were upon us. and I thought I might drown (would probably have been the first drowning victim on the Y couloir.). This includes the terrain accessed through backcountry gates at ski resorts. Snow climbing season is upon us and there is a lot of talk on SummitPost about a small number of popular routes. Elliot. This is a list of couloir and other snow climbs within an hour or two drive of Denver. Skiing the classic Y couloir on Mount Ypsilon in Rocky Mountain National Park on April 7th, 2012. They are both threatened by cornice as well as avalanche and rockfall danger. At 9:30, about 4 hours after we began climbing, we finally pulled over the top of the couloir and out from under the cornices, The Spectacle Lakes are in a beautiful location, at the base of the Ypsilon cirque. soft snow, and sections where the snow was wet and mushy. Guidebook links may be Amazon Affiliate Links. Photo by Avery N. This is the snow arete on… 0. There is a climber's trail and several cairns that guide the way from Ypsilon Lake to the base of the Y Couloir on the far end of the second Spectacle Lake. 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