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Trip Report    

Basic Glacier Climb - Snowfield Peak/Neve Glacier

Late season climb w/late season conditions, very rigorous and rewarding.

David Kush David Kush
August 27, 2025
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • The route starts at the Pyramid Lake TH just west of Diablo dam at a gravel parking lot on the North side of hwy 20.  If you are heading east on 20 and pass the Dam, you've gone 1/2 mile to far.

    The trail starts off across the highway from the parking lot, cross with care as cars come flying around a blind corner. 

    No restroom at the trailhead

    NW forest pass required

    Backcountry permit required (Marblemount Ranger station) 

    Water on route

    Late Season Conditions > Very open glaciers, sketchy snow bridges and endless crevasse crossings. 

     

     

Boots on the ground 6:30 Am

  

Trip Report – Colonial Peak via Pyramid Lake & Neve Glacier

  • Date: 8/23-8/24
  • Team: 3 instructors, 2 students
  • Start: 6:30 AM, ~1,122 ft
  • Summit: 8,350 ft at 7:45 PM
  • Return to Camp: 12:45 AM
  • Exit to Cars: 5:00 PM Sunday

Approach:

The trail begins steep and relentless from the parking lot (~1,122 ft). With very few breaks to catch your breath, it pays to pace yourself. At ~2,660 ft we reached Pyramid Lake, keeping the lake on our left shoulder as we passed by.

From Pyramid Lake the trail continues relentlessly upward. At ~5,500 ft we broke out of tree line and traversed along the SE flanks of Pyramid Peak before arriving at Colonial Lake. Tent sites were available on the north shore, where we set up camp.

Climb:

From camp we climbed up the lower Colonial Glacier to the Notch, then scrambled ~200 ft down to reach the base of the Neve Glacier.

Late-season conditions made the Neve far more complex than expected, with extensive crevasse fields. What could have been a straightforward traverse turned into a slow, careful, and relentless process of route finding across broken terrain.

We reached the summit ridge at ~7,700 ft, cached crampons and axes, and scrambled the final ~400 ft to the summit of Colonial Peak (8,350 ft) just before sunset at 7:45 PM.

Descent:

After watching the sunset, we donned headlamps and crampons for the descent. The crevassed glacier demanded patience and perseverance, but we made it back to camp safely around 12:45 AM, thoroughly worked.

Exit:

We enjoyed a well-earned sleep-in until 9 AM, then broke camp leisurely and hiked out, reaching the trailhead by 5 PM.