| Herman Gulch/Dry Gulch Route |
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| Herman Gulch/Dry Gulch   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 39.71500°N / 105.91°W Route Type: Scramble and Hiking Time Required: A long day Difficulty: Class 3
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| Page By: Aaron Johnson Created/Edited: Oct 23, 2002 / Jun 16, 2006 Object ID: 157210 Hits: 3624 Loading... Page Score: 87.16% - 4 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
ApproachSee the "Getting There" section on the Citadel main page.
Herman Gulch is an official forest service trailhead. Dry Gulch, accessed from the Loveland Pass exit, is an unmarked access. The Loveland Pass exit is 2 miles west of the Herman Gulch exit.
Route DescriptionHERMAN GULCH APPROACH Class 2, 8 miles round trip, 3,300 ft.
The Herman Gulch trailhead, on the north side of the highway, has its own exit. The exit accesses a dirt road. Make a 180 degree hard right and follow the road back to the large parking area, which has restroom facilities. This trailhead is popular and sees a lot of use by all kinds of outdoor lovers. This trail is popular for families and dog lovers.
After the trailhead register, the wide and well constructed trail heads further east about 200 yards, and then splits. A sign is posted at this junction. The trail continuing eastward goes up the Watrous Gulch drainage, a stunning area worthy of your time on another visit, and accesses Woods, Parnassus and Bard Peaks.
The trail going left is the Herman Gulch trail, which doubles back westward, then angles north and northwest as it climbs up the drainage, contouring along the powerful stream in Herman Gulch. Bypass some waterfalls and the trail levels off in a clearing. This clearing is the base of an avalanche chute to the east. The well-worn trail then winds through another stand of forest and gets soggy in places. The Citadel will gradually make its appearance. The route steepens into some switchbacks as it climbs above timberline to a bench where Herman Lake is located just below Pettingell Peak.
The Citadel's jagged outline is in full view now. Cross the outlet stream just south of Herman Lake and contour slightly upward, making a direct line toward the Citadel. This stretch may be soggy from snowmelt into the fall. Contour west along the south slopes of Point 13, 418 due west, crossing some rock faces either below or above. Stay relatively high on the slope to avoid marshy territory below. Springs run through here and passages may be soggy. Crossing a brief boulder/talus slope, drop down into the basin below the Citadel.
Crossing the basin is usually a dry affair with judicious route finding, and a well worn trail may be evident. To the left of the Citadel is a saddle, and a light use trail will be evident angling down from the saddle left into the basin. Intercept this trail and follow it across soft scree slopes to the saddle. This stretch may have snow on it well into the summer. From Herman lake to the saddle, difficulty does not exceed Class 2. Proceed to CLIMBING THE CITADEL.
DRY CREEK APPROACH Class 2, 6 miles round trip
This is the shortest route to the Citadel and much less traveled, but it is steep. Take the Loveland Pass exit from I-70 and get on the dirt road running back east along the north side of the highway. Drive the road to the gate. Follow the road as it climbs gradually into Dry Gulch. You'll cross a bridge and pass an old storage yard. The road gets sketchy and turns into a trail. The pointed summits of the Citadel will greet you.
Follow the trail, which stays north of Dry Creek. The name of the gulch must have been a joke because this route is normally soggy until just below timberline. The trail will fade away and bushwacking will be necessary. Good route finding will avoid marshy springs as you climb a very steep slope through thinning trees to gain tundra. A stream crossing through willows may be necessary unless you climb steeply once the trail fades. Gain a flat bench of tundra at the top of a draw and make a direct line toward the south ridge of the Citadel, WNW, below point 12,671. This wild, open place is a haven for wildflowers.
Enter the basin beneath the Citadel. Any line will go from here, taking the Citadel's south ridge, attacking the slope directly, or going to the saddle on your right (Class 2). The saddle connects you with the Herman Gulch route. Other routes should ultimately end up at the shoulder south of the Citadel summits just above 13,000 feet. Follow the route description for CLIMBINGTHE CITADEL.
CLIMBING THE CITADEL Class 3
From the saddle between Herman Gulch and Dry Gulch, the climb of the Citadel begins. Follow the mountain's east ridge, staying on the south side of some rock formations (steep Class 2). You will arrive at a level shoulder where you can take a break and contemplate your future as the Citadel stares down upon you (Class 2).
From the shoulder, contour WNW along the base of the cliffs below the eastern summit. A well worn path through the loose talus may be evident (Class 2+). This leads you to a steep, loose gully climbing northward between the Citadel summits. Climb the gully (Class 3), staying right at first, then crossing to the left side. Loose rock abounds in this gully, so proceed cautiously. The gully narrows as it climbs toward a tiny saddle between the summits.
From the saddle, both summits can be climbed. The west summit can be reached by scrambling left up steep rocks and tundra another 100 feet (Class 3). You'll reach the summit abruptly, and exposure is breathtaking and immediate. The summit is actually the fist-sized tip of a large boulder that defies human occupation. From this point, the vast and remote Williams Fork area is in the foreground, and the Gore Range is further west.
The east summit features a brief and slightly exposed crux move above the saddle. A corner of rock will present itself. Access this corner on a narrow ledge above the top of the gully and climb this corner straight up for ten feet on good rock. There are plenty of footholds in this move, particularly in the corner itself. Some folks might rate this move higher, but it is not above Class 3 in difficulty and the exposure is too brief to warrant a Class 4 rating. Above the corner, it's a scramble to the dramatic east summit, where sheer cliffs to the east and north overlook the basin far below. This is a very dramatic summit.
Descend the corner crux move and the loose gully very carefully. Access options into the gully from the west side are very loose propositions that may endanger others below. Descend from the west summit back to the tiny saddle. Other climbers may be below you, so tread lightly. Return the same route unless you are doing the loop/shuttle option.
BE SURE TO VIEW THE PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE. THEY ILLUSTRATE THE TERRAIN YOU WILL ENCOUNTER ON THIS ROUTE!
LOOP/SHUTTLE OPTION 7 miles round trip (does not count mileage from car to car)
The Citadel can be done in a loop trip involving a car shuttle. This loop can be done in a reverse order if time and weather allow.
Drop one vehicle off at the Herman Gulch trailhead parking lot and drive to the beginning of the Dry Creek route. Climb the Citadel via Dry Creek and return via Herman Gulch. This option climbs the Citadel quickly and gets you off the mountain before the afternoon thunderstorms arrive. Doing the loop in reverse means a longer approach to the mountain, but a shorter walk to a vehicle at the end of the day.
Retrieving the vehicle works well in either direction.
Essential GearStandard hiking gear will suffice. Hiking boots with good soles for scrambling and climbing are essential. See the "Who Should Climb" section on the main page.
A winter ascent demands a full compliment of winter gear. See the "When to Climb" section on the main page.
Possibilities for technical ascents abound on this mountain. The hiking distance may be a deterrent for hauling in rope and rack, so an overnight outing is a good idea. Rotten rock is present, but much good rock awaits discovery. Pioneers of new routes (probably 3-6 pitches) would find the Citadel a moderate challenge.
Miscellaneous InfoIf you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.
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Front Range (CO)
