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Potosi Peak/Coffeepot/Teakettle Mountain

Statistics

  • Date - 06/07/2014
  • Elevation - 13,768'/13,568'/13,819'
  • Route - North Couloir/East Chimney/Southeast Ridge
  • Miles - 6.3
  • Elevation Gain - 4,600'
  • ACME Mapper - Link
  • CalTopo - Link
  • Partners - Wayne Herrick, Brian Kooienga, Jeff Kunkle, Kevin Smith

Description

After climbing the Snake Couloir on Mount Sneffels, we decided to try and give the North Couloir on Potosi Peak a try.  We woke up at 4:30 again and were hiking up the side valley of Yankee Boy Basin shortly thereafter.  We ended up putting on crampons fairly early in the day and keeping them on for a majority of the hike.  We climbed the slopes of Coffeepot and then traversed to the saddle between Coffeepot and Potosi Peak.  From here we dropped around 500' on the northeast side of the ridge, and then traversed to the base of the North Couloir.  We climbed to the summit and then retraced our steps back to the saddle.  We decided to regain the elevation back to the saddle rather than try and mess with the standard descent route.  From the saddle we traversed the ridge to Coffeepot where we took turns climbing to the summit.  Brian and Kevin decided to call it a day, while Jeff, Wayne, and I had another longer traverse over to Teakettle Mountain.  After tagging the summit of Teakettle Mountain, some weather moved in and we quickly dropped back down into Yankee Boy Basin.

Photos

Wayne and Jeff on the approach.Brian on the approach.ViewsJames on the approach.Jeff on the approach.Brian on the approach.Kevin on the approach.Potosi Peak on the approach.TraverseBrianBrianBrian, Jeff, and KevinWayneWayne and Kevin on the traverse.Kevin and Brian on the traverse.The scree was loose on the traverse.Potosi PeakBrian on the saddle.James descending the other side of the saddle.More traversing on the back side of the saddle.North CouloirJames and Wayne starting the snow climb.Looking down at the apron of the climb.Jeff, Brian, and Kevin in the couloir.Wayne about half way up the couloir.JeffJeffJames reaching the top of the couloir.Jeff finishing the snow climb.WayneJames rounding the corner to the final summit slope.JeffBrian and Kevin in the couloir.KevinBrian on the final summit slope.Teakettle Mountain from Potosi PeakJeff and James resting on the summit.Group Summit PhotoWayne and James heading back down.James and Wayne descending the couloir.DescentJeff and Wayne kicking steps back up to the saddle.Potosi Peak North CouloirPotosi Peak North CouloirBrianKevinJamesWayne climbing Coffeepot.Kevin and James approaching Coffeepot with Wayne on the summit.Jeff climbing Coffeepot.Brian climbing Coffeepot.Kevin climbing Coffeepot.James climbing Coffeepot.Teakettle MountainWayne on the approach to Teakettle Mountain.JamesJamesWayne climbing Teakettle Mountain.James climbing Teakettle Mountain.James and Jeff on the summit of Teakettle Mountain.Potosi Peak from Teakettle MountainJeff on rappel.CoffeepotJames down-climbing the black gully.Jeff and Wayne down-climbing from Teakettle Mountain.Jeff and Wayne back down to flat ground.Post-HolingWayneJeff and BrianDinnerDinnerKevinBrian and WayneJeff and Brian