14er Report: Mount of the Holy Cross

On Saturday, September 5, my friend Christoph and I summited Mount of the Holy Cross.

Located at the northern most end of Colorado’s Sawatch Range, Holy Cross is renown for its snowy cross embedded on its eastern face. Made famous by photographer William Henry Jackson’s iconic 1873 photo, the peak drew pilgrims in the 1920s-30s.

Sadly, the cross today is not as prominent as pictured in Jackson’s photos. But that fact doesn’t deter folks from climbing the mountain. Rising to 14,005 feet, Holy Cross is a proud Colorado “Fourteener.”

As with summiting any mountain, Christoph and I started hiking early, around 6:30 AM, to summit before any possible thunderstorms. This peak is notorious for its history of lost, injured, and missing hikers; located in Holy Cross Wilderness just southwest of Vail, the area is especially rugged and remote. North Ridge Route, rated Class 2 due to much rock hopping, is the standard route, and is 12 miles roundtrip with 5,600 ft. in total elevation gain. Note: The trailhead map labels this same route as Mount of the Holy Cross Trail, and the section from the trailhead to Half Moon Pass is also called Half Moon Trail. To any folks reading this who have not summited 14ers: I would NOT attempt this peak for your first 14er! This is a long, strenuous out and back trek. Even if you are very fit and/ or from CO, altitude sickness is a very real threat. People have died on Holy Cross, due to becoming lost/ injured or to exposure; don’t become a statistic.

For this trip I packed 3L of water and a water bottle, along with several snacks. The longest hike I had done before this was 14ers Belford and Oxford, an 11 mile hike, in July 2013. Having bagged both those 14ers in one hike, I figured I could add Holy Cross to my list.

We arrived at the trailhead at 6:15 AM. As was the case, Half Moon Campground tends to fill up early, so we parked along the road a few yards down. Setting my Garmin to “Hike,” we maintained our goal pace of 2 miles/ hour for most of the route in. Winding SW/S, the trail starts well below tree line, at 10,370 ft. The sun had barely risen, and we rapidly gained elevation. At 1.5 miles we crested Half Moon Pass, elev. 11,600 ft., and alas, began descending—so much for all that elevation we had made. The trail descended back into the woods, but not before we caught our first glimpse of our goal, Mount of the Holy Cross.

Rising above all other peaks in the valley, Holy Cross is striking. The irony: for all its name and history, hikers don’t get to see the famed cross, as this route approaches the north, not the east, face of the mountain. To view the Cross, you must summit “13er” Notch Mountain, on the south side of Half Moon Pass.

Continuing on North Ridge Route, rapid switchbacks drop down 1,000 ft. into the forest, where we crossed East Cross Creek. The trail begins to climb again, then reaches tree line. From here the real climb starts: exposed and very steep. However, Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) did a great job creating steps out of the boulder field. From around 12,100 to 13,400 ft. we continued on these “stairs,” to the north ridge, marked with cairns. Turning left, and the final ascent looms above—so close! The trail fades, and for the last 300 feet you find your own way up over the talus.

At around 11:15 AM, we made it! Not a cloud in sight. About seven or eight others folks roamed the top, taking in the panorama of peaks: Ten Mile-Mosquito range to the east, Flattops to the northwest, Gore Range to the northeast, and the Elks to the south, with Maroon Bells and Capitol Peak visible.

As the forecast had promised, there were no thunderstorms this afternoon. The entire day was perfect: blue sky, cotton ball clouds, plenty of sunshine and no wind. With such pristine conditions, we were in no rush to descend. We agreed to much needed nap time on the peak: snoozing on a 14er is something both of have us have wanted to do. On the east edge of the top, we stretched out and soaked in the sun, marveling at the fast changing lone clouds above us. Eventually we dozed off for several minutes: sooo relaxing and restorative.

With the weather utterly still and calm, we remained on the summit for nearly two hours. It was well past noon now, and several hikers took a cue from us, stretching out and snoozing at 14,000 ft. in the air. Per usual in the great outdoors, everyone we met was very kind, and for most of the day, we temporarily forgot about, well…2020. At the top of Holy Cross, everything felt normal.

After a few last summit pics, we began the long descent down, a little past 1 PM. As with my running, in hiking I am faster on the ascents than I am on descents; ironic, huh? So the way back down to tree line seemed to take forever; luckily my hiking buddy is very patient and encouraging! It was pretty toasty now on the northern ridge, nearly 80 degrees. I was now especially glad for my trekking poles, in helping me navigate my way down the talus and loose rock on the steep slopes. Note: Do not make the mistake of losing North Ridge Route by straying down into the valley below. There is a history of hikers getting lost/ stranded on the west talus slopes of the peak. Instead, you want to remain hiking along the ridge, sticking to the exact route that you hiked in.

My temples ached a little on the way down, so I increased my water intake, and we paused several times to listen the serenade of the “eep”ing pikas. 🙂 It was late afternoon by the time we reached tree line, and once we returned to East Cross Creek again, I made up for time on the climb back to Half Moon Pass, passing several folks on the way up.

My trusty hiking boots now bit into my toes on the downhill, and by the last few miles I was hobbling. Back in the woods, on the final descent back to the trailhead, it was refreshing to be finally out of the sun. We arrived at my Jeep at 7 PM; excluding our time on the summit, we had been on the trail for a total of 10 hours. 😀

Tired and dusty, we headed to Minturn (pop. 1,129), but as we guessed, Minturn had “turned in” for the night (sorry, couldn’t resist; however, this is hilarious after you’ve been hiking all day, haha). So to Vail we went for much deserved food, consuming a burrito each. Finally, we hit the road home. Mount of the Holy Cross: another 14er for the books, for each of us. 😀

Holy Cross, the “Mysterious Mountain,” unique for its snowy cross, history, and isolation, is a satisfying climb. However, it is not a trek for the faint of heart. The out and back route of 12 miles total is strenuous with over a mile of total elevation gain. Plan for a long day hike, or even better, spend the night at Half Moon Campground. If you are considering a 14er, I would attempt this particular peak only after you have summited several other 14ers. Bring plenty of water; stay hydrated the entire time. I finished my 3L bladder right at tree line on the hike down, with 4 miles to go, leaving me with a 16 oz water bottle and Gatorade. For me, Honeystinger chews and electrolyte powders definitely help fight off fatigue, and slather on lots of sunscreen (the sun was blazing the entire hike), and wear a hat. And when frustration and fatigue do creep in, just look around to spot the pika, and let their ever constant EEP! encourage you on your way. 🙂 For those wholly prepared for the journey, Holy Cross is more than rewarding for its beauty, isolation…and plenty of pikas, of course. 🙂

Getting there: From Denver, take I-70 west 100 miles, passing through Vail, then take Exit 171. Take US 24 southward two miles, passing through the small town of Minturn. Continue almost three miles, then turn right onto Tigiwon Road. A well maintained dirt road that 2WD vehicles can easily access, continue zigzagging up for eight miles, arriving at Half Moon Campground. NOTE: Every year from November 22–June 21st, Tigiwon Road is closed to vehicles, but mt. biking and hiking are permitted.

~LMC