Indian Peaks Mt. Neva to Devil’s Thumb?

I've so far avoided Indian Peaks due to the permit situation and the regs (but I know I have to get over there at some point, the pics are just too spectacular) so I can't help you on the route. I live about 30 or 40 miles due south from IP and this year, which has been the wettest I've seen, the storms are typically coming in earlier. I work from home and my lunch time walks starting at 11:30 or 12 have been prevented quite often by thunderstorms. I'd use 11 or 12 as the time you're likely to see a storm come in.

Thanks Randy for posting on the weather, that's a big help! We will try to be off the peaks by then.

Can anyone else help with the route between Mt. Neva & Devil's Thumb? I'm most concerned about the Devil's Thumb side. Does anyone know if you can climb up and around the top of Devil's thumb? The trail goes up just short of there on the map.

Thanks,

Tony

Tony, I see you asked this question on my website. Here was my reply:

Coming from that direction, it is a Class 4 climb. Don’t know your technical abilities, so that may or may not be something that interests you:
http://www.summitpost.org/mount-neva/151695

Having said that, another option is to go into the north fork drainage before Caribou Pass up to Jasper Peak and walk the ridge over to Devil’s Thumb Pass. My buddy and I did that in reverse this past summer.
http://www.pmags.com/devils-thumb-off-trail-option

Scree and talus up a steep climb but very doable.

As for lightning, depends on when you are doing. Fall is almost here so less of an issue. Generally speaking, 1pm or so is when the show starts during the summer. In Fall, not so much of a problem.

Hope that helps!

Thanks so much for the response Paul. I had read your off trail route article earlier. But, when you mentioned Mt. Jasper I thought you had gone further south, thinking it was close to Jasper Lake and did not read the post close enough. Mt. Jasper is not marked on my map. I now see it stands at 12,923' and is just north of Upper Storm Lake and NW of Upper Diamond Lake. I have re-read your trip report and hope I have a pretty good idea of what you are talking about. This will be a great route, although I think I would rather be going down the scree as you did, rather than climbing up through it. It looks like you popped out back on the trail about 1/2 way between Arapaho pass and Fourth of July Mine. I will talk to my trip partners and see if they want to climb up this or stick to the trail. This was a big help.

Thanks again,

Tony

Yep that is more or less where I popped out. Going down was easier that going up. :)

I tend to be vague about my off-trail jaunts posted on my website on purpose. Anyone who can read a map should have no problem figuring out the route (as you did). Those who can not figure out the route should not be attempting it. ;)