Jim's Excellent Adventures

Elevation: - 12,814'
Location - West of Nederland in Colorado on the Continental Divide.

Trip Report(s)

John and I climbed this peak in late spring a few years back (1999? 2000?). I did not write a trip report for it then. We started at the Fourth of July mine and hiked up the Arapahoe Pass trail, splitting off to the southwest to reach Lake Dorothy (12,061'). We circled behind the lake and then climbed up the second of two snowfields. We did not use crampons, kicking steps instead. John believes (and I agree) that I need to learn to rely on my own feet and the ability to self arrest with my ice axe in case of a fall. After climbing approximately 600' up the snow field (which got fairly steep in places - I found it intense!) we reached the ridge and traversed along it to the summit. Descending the other side to the south, we reached another snowfield that touched the low point of the ridge and descended that via "standing glissades" (sliding on one's feet - as John quotes famous climber Fred Beckey, a most elegant form of travel, even for someone balance-challenged as myself). I also used this slope and John's instructions to practice self arrest techniques. We then hiked back to the trail and out. A good day! Photos follow.

Photos

The following photo was scammed off the Web, since John and I did not take a camera on our trip.

Mt. Neva

A view of Mt. Neva looking southwest from South Arapahoe Peak. Add more snow cover for the conditions we had. The trail we went up is clearly visible on the ridge leading to Lake Dorothy in the photo. We went up the right side of the larger of the two snowfields, which at the time of year we went connected to the ridge. After traversing along the ridge to the summit, we went down the ridge on the left (south) side of the peak, coming down another snow field that connected to the low point in the ridge shown here. Middle Park and the Taylors Fork range visible beyond the peak.
(Photographer unknown)

Mount Neva

Description

Trip Report(s)

Photos