Notchtop Mountain

TRADITIONAL

ICE/MIXED

MAP

Notchtop Mountain (12,160’) resides near the head of Odessa Gorge, just east of the Continental Divide. The summit is lower than the crest of the Divide, so that the peak is not easily seen from most vantages. Although from the Fern-Odessa (Fern Lake) Trail, between Odessa Lake and Two Rivers Lake it is quite spectacular. The sheer South Ridge stretches up to a narrow summit tower that is separated from the higher “main summit” by a sharp notch for which the peak is named. This smaller summit is known as Notch Spire. It is worthy of note that the USGS labels this tower as Notchtop Mountain with an elevation of 12,129’ (McHenrys Peak Quadrangle, 7.5 minute series, 1957). The hanging gully below and east of the notch is called the East Meadow. The prominent Northeast Ridge separates the vertical east face from the broad cirque of the north face. Approach: Begin from Bear Lake and take the Flattop Mountain Trail, Fern-Odessa Trail, and the Lake Helene Waytrail. It is impractical to begin from Moraine Park. Descent: From the top of Notch Spire, down climb 30 feet west (Class 4) to a scree-covered ledge. Follow the ledge north to the notch between Notch Spire and the main summit. Scramble north and gain the summit of Notchtop Mountain. From the summit, follow a grassy ramp and ledge system down along the west side of the crest to the top of the West Gully, then go down the gully (Class 4) to the tarns below the South Ridge. It also is easy to reach the Continental Divide: From the col atop the West Gully, scramble up to a narrow ledge and traverse 50 feet left to easier terrain (Class 4). Follow a big grassy ledge southwest for several hundred feet, then go up and left at a break in the cliff and scramble to the Divide plateau. Rappel Route: There is more than one way to do this. Two ropes are required. 1) From the top of Notch Spire, where the South Ridge tops out, traverse northwest to a slung block. Rappel 120 feet, going past the descent ledge (and a three-pin anchor) to a two-bolt anchor on a plinth of rock on a lower ledge. 2) Down climb to the notch between Notch Spire and the main summit as described above. Then carefully down climb (or rappel) the gully below the notch to a lower ledge that runs out to the south. The two-bolt anchor on the plinth is out to the right on this ledge. Note: There is a three-pin anchor on the traverse ledge, where a 40-foot rappel leads to the bolted anchor on the plinth. Additionally, clusters of slings exist in the gully directly below the notch. Neither of these are recommended. The Rappel Route uses fixed belay anchors on Instant Clarification and begins with the two-bolt anchor on the plinth of rock. There are three rappels from here.