| Southeast Slopes via Dry Gulch Route |
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| Southeast Slopes via Dry Gulch   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: Colorado, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 39.71000°N / 105.92°W Route Type: Hike & Scramble Time Required: Most of a day Difficulty: Class 3
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| Page By: Aaron Johnson Created/Edited: Oct 24, 2002 / Jun 16, 2006 Object ID: 157220 Hits: 1329 Loading... Page Score: 0% - 0 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
ApproachSee the GETTING THERE section on the main page.
Route DescriptionDRY CREEK APPROACH Class 3, 7 miles round trip, 3,100ft.
On this route to Hagar, some bushwacking is required and it is steep. 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, the mountain northeast of Hagar, 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 in spots. The trail will fade away and bushwacking will be necessary. Good route finding will avoid marshy springs as you climb a very steep slope northwest through thinning trees to gain tundra (Class 2). 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.
Skirt the basin beneath the Citadel, aiming for the south end of the Citadel's south ridge. Contour around the ridge buttress, over a boulder field and through a low spot. Climb a small rise over soft dirt and take in the first full view of your quarry. A tarn and marsh wait below. Contour and descend northwest along the slope to cross this draw above any soggy spots. From here, the climb of Hagar begins.
CLIMBING HAGAR MOUNTAIN Class 3
Pick a route up through the tundra. Just about any route will do, but the route described here is a direct ascent of Hagar's southeast face, climbing right up the center of the summit block.
Aim for a gully running down the center of Hagar's southeast slope. Stay right of the gully on steep tundra, which gradually gives way to a mixture of scree and boulders (Class 2). Rock outcroppings just below the summit can be skirted or climbed directly (easy Class 3). Above the outcroppings, the terrain becomes scree and rock as you approach the summit block, a crown of solid rock.
Scramble up the summit block through a band of light gray colored rock, angling left. A brief scramble up a jumble of boulders leads to a fun, brief climb over solid rock (Class 3). Many possibilities for fun scrambling are here, all easy Class 3. Nearby scrambling options might offer brief Class 4 possibilities. The interesting summit is a jagged jumble of boulders, the highest easily accessible. There aren't many comfortable places to sit and relax on this summit, but the views, particularly from the west side, are dramatic.
Descend and return the same route.
Essential GearStandard hiking gear will suffice. No technical gear is required.
See main page for winter outing information.
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)
