PT13067 & PT12894
Date: 07/18/2021
Partner: Heather Ryan
Distance: 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 3200ft
Summits: PT13067(Class 4+), PT12894 aka "Chicken Choss Knob Prime Benchmark" (Class 3)
Duration: 8 hours
From camp we started on the same talus hopping route to Moon Lake as we did for Clark the day before. Everything was going great when 40 minutes in, just before the lake, Kristi pulled a rock loose knocking her backwards and badly bruising her booty. After attempting to shake it, off Kristi wasn't feeling it and descided to hang at the lake for a bit then head back to camp. We agreed that Heather and I would continue with the day's plan.
We continued our talus hopping and climbed a loose gully to the Clark-PT12894 saddle where we got our first views of PT13067. What we saw was a significant snow filled gully that lead to PT13067's class 4+ east ridge. We were excited to use the cramps and axes we had packed in. We were also stoked that we had guessed right on the gully being snow filled. When there's an inset north facing couloir in the Snowmass zone that has been called a 'mud gully' in September... it likely has snow in mid July. Summer coolie bootin in baby!
After climbing the couloir we scrambled up the ridge. Lower on the ridge, just above the couloir, there were some moves that were on the higher end of class 4... possibly low 5... I dunno? If you want, all of this can be avoided by dropping further south before making your way to the summit. We however, were there for the scrambling and were being stingy with our vert.
PT13067 has two summits... the true summit is the second (northerly) summit which requires some additional scrambling to reach.
After taking in the views and signing the register we scrambled back down the ridge, ripped down the coolie and made our way to PT12894... the final summit of the trip.
PT12894 was fun to climb... much more fun that sections of it looked. The summit offered spectacular views of high points we had stood on earlier in the trip. However, I will say that descending the northeast ramp back camp was some of the worst scree I have experienced... kinda gave us a 'rat in a glue trap' feeling. Just.Can't.Escape. So brace yourself for that if you decide to bag this high twelver that we dubbed "Chicken Choss Knob Prime Benchmark".
![PT13060 00]()
4m - 3200ft - 8hrs
![PT13060 01]()
PT12,894 in the morning light... but it would have to wait as we would climb PT13,067 first. Let the talus hopping begin!
![PT13060 02]()
Moon Lake and Daly
![PT13060 03]()
We would climb the south(right) side to the PT12894 - Clark saddle
![PT13060 03h]()
From the saddle, Heather eyes PT13067 and the snow climb ahead. Glad we brought cramps and axes!
![PT13060 04]()
Descending the east side of the saddle was tedious. Surprisingly climbing it on the way back wasn't bad
![PT13060 05]()
![PT13060 06]()
The snow was soft and easy to climb
![PT13060 07]()
Heather and PT12894
![PT13060 08]()
Climbing the east ridge was fun class 4 scrambling with maybe... just maybe some easier low 5. There are easier route options that will keep things in the class 3 range
![PT13060 09]()
The first summit you reach is false. Scramble the fun ridge over the the true summit andn sign the register
![PT13060 10]()
![PT13060 11]()
Heather Hunking with Clark and Capitol
![PT13060 12]()
![PT13060 15]()
Taking in the views
![PT13060 16]()
PANO: The views!
![PT13060 17]()
Descending back down the east ridge
![PT13060 18]()
Glisading back down the soft snow
![PT13060 19]()
wasn't fun at all
![PT13060 21]()
We retraced out steps back to the Clark-PT12894 saddle and found a weakness to climb
![PT13060 22]()
![PT13060 23]()
We also had to climb this mess - wasn't as bad as it looks - I promise - maybe
![PT13060 24]()
Climbing above the Moon
![PT13060 25]()
Once at the top of the loose gully the ramp to the summit was fun
![PT13060 26]()
A view back to PT13067 from PT12894's summit
![PT13060 27]()
Daly and Moon Lake
![PT13060 29]()
We descended one at a time in pitches to avoid rock fall. After descending the gully the scree back to camp was as bad as I have experienced... rat in a glue trap.
