Trip Report - Mount Sherman - Mar 12, 2005

[Layne Bracy]

March 12, 2005
Mount Sherman 14036', Tenmile/Mosquito Range, Colorado
Trailhead: ~ 1.25 miles before Leavick, ~10900'
~10.5 miles, 3100' gain

My friend Keith and I were able to drive about 9.2 miles on Park County Road 18 before we parked due to snow on the road. We started hiking at 7:05am. We initially used snowshoes, but took them off after a couple miles as the road was fairly hardpacked and sometimes bare. As we ascended toward the Sherman/Sheridan saddle, we passed several old mine buildings. One slope in particular was steep and holding deeper snow as we did an ascending traverse up to one of the higher buildings.

The slope below the low point of the saddle(~13100') was steep, and the saddle had a cornice. We solved this by hiking up the slope at a 30' bump in the saddle area to the left of the cornice. I used an axe, Keith did fine with ski poles. Our weather was beautiful, mostly sunny with some clouds to the east. Since the beginning of the hike, we had noticed a strong, steady wind blowing east down the valley.

Up on the ridge, the wind was severe. At about 13400', Keith was forced to remove his snowshoes from his pack, as they were acting as a sail. We left them partially buried under rocks. Ten minutes later, I did the same with mine, and it was a struggle just to get my pack off and on without losing it.

At this point, we could only communicate by putting our heads together and shouting. We seriously considered abandoning the summit attempt. Instead we adopted a strategy of staying 5-10' below the ridge on the west side. The wind was then blowing us up and into the mountain. I had to use my axe to keep from being pushed over, but we were no longer in danger of being blown off the peak.

We summitted at 12:30pm, and conditions were actually much calmer around the broad summit area. We enjoyed a 25 minute break and views of numerous 14ers, including Grays, Torreys, Pikes, La Plata, Elbert, Massive, Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, and Bross. The descent went quickly. We were able to glissade a few times, including directly off the Sherman/Sheridan saddle. Reached the car about 3:10pm.

This was Keith's 5th 14er and 2nd in winter. It was my 4th winter 14er and first in March.