Elevation: 13,517 & 14,088 ft.

Date Hiked: 9-12-2010

Trip Report:
This was my third 14er trip this year and I was hoping my second successful one. Mark and I planned to hike Mt. Russell and Mt. Carillon via Mt. Russell’s East Ridge. This trip involves over 6100 feet of gain from the portal, not an easy day considering it is only 12 miles round trip. We camped at Horseshoe Meadows on Friday night and then at the portal on Saturday night. We left the portal at 2:30 AM on Sunday morning under clear cool skies.

Mt. Russell West Summit

The beginning of the trail up to the north fork follows the main Mt. Whitney trail. We followed this a short while before breaking off on the north fork. It was a dark night with no moon so navigation was more difficult. Mark did an excellent job leading up to the ledges.

Ebersbacher Ledges

Past the ledges we made good time to Lower Boy Scout Lake. It was still dark outside and on the way down we noticed we had missed the path a few times up to the lake. Past Lower Boy Scout Lake we hiked to Upper Boy Scout Lake to fill up on water and take a break. It was just beginning to get light on the eastern horizon. We had to GPS coordinates to the scree chute so we followed them. At this point I was feeling good and moving quickly. The hike up the scree slope was difficult. Every step required concentration because everything was loose. Halfway up the chute we watched the sunrise on Mt. Whitney.

Mt. Whitney

Looking Down the Scree Slope

Where we are Headed

Mt. Whitney

We continued to make progress up the slope and finally knew we were close. The rocks became larger near the top and required easy scrambling.

Mark and the Top of the Scree Slope

Looking Down from Near the Top

Finally we crested the slope and were on the plateau between Mt. Carillon and Russell.

Mt. Whitney from the Plateau

Mt. Russell from the Plateau

Mt. Whitney Mountaineers Route

We headed for the saddle between Mt. Carillon and Mt. Russell. As we made our way over we stayed as high as possible on Mt. Carillon to avoid having to gain extra elevation. We picked our way through the boulders on Mt. Carillon and eventually made it to the summit. The view from the summit was amazing. It was slightly windy and cool but not to bad.

Mt. Carillon Summit

Mt. Russell from Mt. Carillon

We made our way down to the saddle and slowly began to climb the ridge to Mt. Russell. The first section of the ridge was easy to follow. We stayed along the right side and followed a good use trail. The exposure on the north side was intense, this is my favorite type of terrain.

The East Ridge

Higher on the East Ridge

Mark Thinking About our Next Move

Looking Back Toward the Saddle and Mt. Carillon

Mt. Whitney North Face

Eventually we made it to the east summit. From this point it is only a quartor mile to the higher west summit. Halfy way along the ridge we found a few cairnes marking the 3rd class path down the south face. This was the way we were planning on descending.

The Final Section

Looking Down the South Face

Mt. Russell Summit

Myself on the Summit Ridge

Marks Photo

The next obstical was a large block which two a few careful moves to surmount. From here it was only few minutes to the summit. On the summit we enjoyed the view and took some photos. It was a very clear day and Mark said he could see the San Gabriels.

Myself on the Summit

The Kaweahs to the West

Mt. Williamson and White Mountain Peak

Mt. Russell East Summit

Mt. Whitney North Face

The Summit Register

We stayed on top a few minutes and then began to descend. I had a headache and wanted to get lower. We followed a series a ledges down to the scree on the south face. I would rate this as difficult class three if I were climbing up.

The 3rd Class Chute to the Summit Ridge

The scree slope down the south face was similar to the one above Upper Boy Scout Lake. As I was descending I wished I had gators to keep all of the sand out of my shoes. Eventually we made it to the bottom and began the assent to the saddle above Iceberg Lake.

Climbing Down the 3rd Class Section

Marks Photo

Marks Photo

The 3rd Class Chute

The Scree Slope

The Fishhook Arete

Mt. Russell from the Saddle

Iceberg Lake from the Saddle

We made our way down to Iceberg Lake and saw a few people finishing their climb up the Mountaineers route. There were a few others camped near the Lake. We took a short break and continued down the mountain

The Mountaineers Route

Last Look at Mt. Russell

Our Last Look at Mt. Whitney

We made it back to the portal a few hours later for a round trip time of 12 and a half hours. This was an awesome trip and I hope to visit Mt. Russell again sometime.

Mt. Carillon Panorama

Mt. Russell Panorama

Mt. Whitney-Russell Panorama

Mt. Russell West Summit

Mt. Russell Summit Panorama

GPX Track Download

Google Maps GPX Track View

View Larger Map

Marks Photo’s

Elevation: 14,148 ft.

Date Hiked: 8-16-2010

Trip Report:
I have wanted to hike the four 14ers in this area for a long time. I had made one attempt in 2004 but had to turn around because of severe AMS. I was in Denver for 5 days and decided this area would maximize my peakbagging chances. The flight in was great, I was amazed there was not a single cloud in the sky, very unusual for August in the mountains. I drove up to Kite Lake Sunday afternoon and spent the evening taking pictures and resting. The weather was beautiful, only a few small clouds in the sky. There were also people finishing the hike as I arrived at the lake.

Mt. Democrat

Mt. Sherman from the Plane

The Road to Kite Lake in the Center of the Photo with Mt. Democrat, Mt. Cameron, Mt. Lincoln and Mt. Bross

Cars Parked Along the Road and Mt. Democrat

Mt. Cameron

Mt. Bross

The Trail

I picked a spot not to far off the road and set up my bivy sack for the night. I fell asleep around 8:30 to a clear sky. Not more than a half hour later I woke up to low clouds and lightning all around. I could no see the mountains around me at all. I quickly packed up and got to my car. I spent the rest of the night in the front seat of my car trying to get some sleep. I woke up at 5:00 AM and slowly got ready to hike. There were still a few low clouds which cleared quickly. I knew it was supposed to rain later in the day so I wanted an early start.

My Bivy Spot

South Park Under Clouds

Kite Lake Valley

I slowly made my way up the trail to the saddle between Mt. Democrat and Mt. Cameron. I had started taking Diamox two days earlier to combat the altitude sickness and it worked great. Aside from a few usual side effects I did not feel any effects of the altitude. I had a bad cold a week ago and I still had a bad cough which seemed to get worse the higher I hiked.

Looking Up Towards Mt. Democrat

Clouds Building

Eventually I made it to the saddle and took a short break. The clouds had just began to build to the north but most of the sky is clear. I slowly wound my way up Mt. Democrat. There was still a large snow patch near the summit. This was the eight consecutive month I had hiked on snow. A few minutes later I was on the summit of Mt. Democrat.

Mt. Cameron

People on the Trail

Snow Near the Summit

Grays and Torreys From the Summit

Mt. Lincoln from the Summit

Low Clouds in the Valley

Storm Building to the North

My Summit Photo

Quandary Peak to the North

I stayed on top for only a few minutes and enjoyed the view. There were clouds building to the north which I was concerned about. I made my way down back to the saddle. This did not take long but in the time it took to hike down a thunderstorm erupted to the north. It was still a ways away so I decided I had time to climb up to Mt. Cameron.

Looking down from the Summit

My Car and the Road to Kite Lake

Looking Back at the Summit

Storm Building

A Large Cairn Marking the Route Down Mt. Democrat

Once I got to the saddle I began to climb up to Mt. Cameron still keeping an eye on the storm to the north.

Storm to the North

The Higher I hiked the closer the storm got. Around 13,600 feet I decided it was safer to descend. I was disappointed that I had not been able to summit all four mountains but glad I was able to summit one. As soon as I began to descend it started to sleet. I could see lightning in the distance and knew it was headed my way.

Storm Getting Worse

Storm to the North

Lightning was Striking the Ridge with the Clouds

Storm to the North II

Mine Ruins at the Saddle

Rain Falling Around Me

As I descended the precipitation turned to rain and fell harder. The visibility dropped to only a few hundred feet as the rain fell. Eventually I made it to the parking lot soaked but satisfied with my one summit. It continued to rain all the way to Fairplay. I was bummed I did not get all four summits but happy for another day in the mountains.

Mt. Cameron in the Rain

Clouds in the Valley

Looking Up the Road to Mt. Democrat

Kite Lake Panorama

Mt. Democrat Summit Panorama

Mt. Cameron and Mt. Lincoln

Looking Towards Mt. Democrat

Thunderstorm Near Mt. Cameron

Thunderstorm 2

GPX Track Download

Google Maps GPX Track View

View Larger Map

Elevation: 14,505 ft.

Date Hiked: 7-3-2010

Trip Report:
Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the lower 48 and a very popular hike. There were many people out hiking enjoying the great weather. On this trip we climbed the Mountaineers route and descended the main trail, one long loop. Our group consisted of Chad, Jason, Mark and myself. It took 14 hours and we figured based on the GPS data we covered 12.25 miles and gained over 6,400 feet of elevation.

The Moon and Mt. Whitney

I met Mark at Cottonwood Pass campground on Thursday night July 1st. We camped here for the first night. The stars were out and there was not a cloud in the sky. It got down to the low 30s the first night because we were camped around 9900 feet.

The Milky Way

Telescope Peak

The second day we drove to Whitney portal and got a campsite there. Once we set up camp we rested and waited for Chad and Jason to join us. I feel asleep early because we were waking up at 1:30 AM to start hiking. At 1 AM I was awake and ready to go. I was nervous about getting altitude sickness because I usually do above 12,000 feet. I hoped the two nights camping helped the acclimation process. We ate and got the last few things ready and by 2:45 we were on the trail. The first portion of the trail was easy and after not to long we got to the intersection where the Mountaineers Route breaks off from the main trail. We followed the use trail until we got to the Ebersbacher Ledges. I had read about the exposure on this section but in the dark could not see much. We quickly passed the ledges and made our way to Lower Boyscout Lake. Once we arrived at Lower Boyscout Lake the sun was beginning to rise.

Sunrise

Lower Boyscout Lake

Crest Below Iceberg Lake

Thor Peak

Sunrise II

Sunrise III

After watching the sunrise we made our way up to Upper Boyscout Lake. I took the high route above Lower Boyscout Lake and had to bushwhack over to the correct route. Eventually we arrived near Upper Boyscout Lake and took a break. We discussed the route to Iceberg Lake and continued on. The views of the crest were amazing in all directions.

Mt. Whitney Crest

Mt. Whitney Close-Up

Thor Peak and The Owens Valley

The Route to Iceberg Lake

Halfway to Iceberg Lake we had to put crampons on. The snow was still firm and continuous until near the notch. We rested at Iceberg Lake and checked out the route up the “chute”. There was a guided group of 8 getting ready for the climb as well.

Mt. Russell from Iceberg Lake

Mt. Whitney and the Chute

Close Up

The guided group started climbing before us and we watched as they made there way up. I began climbing before the rest of our group and followed behind the guided group. There was a nice boot track to follow most of the way up. We could also see climbers on the East Buttress route. In the picture below there are in the exact center.

East Buttress

Eventually I passed the guided group and followed a boot track from a different group. It was not around 10 AM and the snow was beginning to get soft. About 200 feet before the notch the snow stopped. I would say 90% of the chute is still snow covered. I rested here and waited for the rest of the group. Eventually I saw Mark, he said both Jason and Chad turned around below. We made our way up to the notch which only took a few minutes.

Iceberg Lake

Mt. Carillon

Looking Up the Chute

Halfway Up the Chute

Close Up of the Chute

Looking Down Toward Iceberg Lake

Looking Up Toward the Notch

The Most Difficult Move in Order to Get to the Notch

Mt. Russell

Mark and I rested at the notch and evaluated the best route to the summit. At this point I was feeling the altitude. I had a headache and felt nauseous but continued to climb. There was ice along the far east side of the final 400 so we took a route along the west side of the first chute.

The Final 400 Feet

Our Route went to up to where the two guys are in the picture then traversed to the right. Most of the climbing was easy but there were a few times I had to double check my hand and footholds. In the picture below our route went to the left of the dark icy area. We avoided all of the snow by traversing along the right side of the route.

Looking Down Our Climbing Route

Looking Down from Near the Summit

The Summit

The Kaweahs

Mt. Langley and Olancha Peak

The Plaque on the Summit

The Summit Benchmark

Iceberg Lake from the Summit

Me on the Summit

We decided to descend the main trail because I was feeling sick. The trail was longer but easier. It took 4.5 hours to descend from the summit to the portal. We decided to glissade down from Trail Camp to Trail Camp along the chute. There was still plenty of snow for this but most people decided to take the switchbacks. I began to feel better the lower I went and finally felt fine below Lone Pine Lake.

If anyone has any questions about conditions on either route contact me

The Inyo Mountains

The Sierra Nevada

Near Iceberg Lake

The Final 400

Mt. Whitney from the Owens Valley

GPX Track Download

Google Maps GPX Track View

View Larger Map

Date Hiked: 4-26-2010

Trip Report:
Although Split mountain is not in southern California I still am including this trip report. One of my goals has been to hike every 14er in the lower 48. I will include these trips in this site as they are completed regardless of the state they are in. All of my other trip reports will be from mountains in southern California. It is interesting that a short 3 and a half hour drive from San Diego can take you to world class mountaineering in the Sierra.

Split Mountain

This trip was created through the Southern California Hikers and Peakbaggers Meetup.com group. There were five of us in this group including myself. It was great to meet Mark, Ron, Charlie and Tyler. I left for the Sierra on Friday morning and quickly made may way up to the Onion Valley campground. The drive was not bad and went quickly, I guess I was excited to see the eastern Sierra. It had been almost a year since I had last made this drive. All of the peaks north of Olancha had lots of snow but it did not look fresh. I thought the storm from the past few days would have dumped more, but it looked like it missed this part of the range.

I found the turnoff for Onion Valley campground and made my way up the road. There was lots of rock debris along the road from the recent rain that I made my way around. Suddenly I heard a loud bang and saw a rock roll out from under my car. !@#$% was my first thought. I pulled over and looked under the car, transmission fluid was pouring onto the road. I knew I needed to get back to town ASAP. I turned round and drove back to Independence. I found a shop and they took the car in. They said they could not get the part until Monday which meant I would be driving up again the following weekend. Luckily Mark called and offered a ride to Onion Valley campground for the night.

Mt. Baldy from HWY 395

Mt. Whitney

On Friday night Mark, Ron, who met us at Onion Valley, and I camped near Onion Valley campground to acclimate. There was a dirt road roughly a mile from the actual campground where we pulled off and camped.

Independence Mountain from our Campsite

The weather was great and it did not below 30 degrees. We woke up at 4 AM quickly packed camp and left for Big Pine, this is where we would meet Charlie and Tyler.

Mt. Williamson

White Mountain Peak

After meeting them in Big Pine we left for the Red Lake Trailhead. This is supposedly one of the most difficult 14er trailheads to reach. The directions we got from climber.org we spot on. I input all of the GPS waypoints they included there and they were all accurate.

We began hiking around 7AM with heavy packs along the steep trail. It was very hot and the trail was snow free for the first few thousand feet. Slowly but surely we made our way up and up. Eventually we made it to the small lake below Red Lake and got our first glimpse of Split Mountain.

The Owens Valley on the Trail to Red Lake

The Owens Valley on the Trail to Red Lake II

Split Mountain

We rested for a little while and eventually made it to Red Lake. The lake was still frozen and there was snow everywhere. I found a good campsite, set up camp and enjoyed the views.

My Campsite

I rested awhile and went out to enjoy the sunset. I also took time to scope out the route for the morning.

Split Mountain

Our Route

Myself in front of Split Mountain

After the sun had set I settled into my tent and tried to get some sleep. I slept just a few minutes at a time and woke up at midnight. I was tired but could not sleep for some reason. At 3 AM everyone else woke up and got ready to go. It was in the high 20s outside as I got ready, perfect temperature for climbing. I got my pack ready, put on my gators and crampons and got my ice axe ready.

We left shortly before 4 AM in the darkness. I could see only what my headlamp lit up in front of me. The snow was solid which made cramponing easy. About two hours into the climb I began to feel nauseous and threw up two times. I decided I did not want to be a liability and turned around back to camp. I took my time descending and enjoyed the sunrise. I felt a little better once back at camp but still a little nauseous. I was only able to sleep for about an hour. I wondered how the rest of the team was doing on the mountain.

My Field of Vision

Split Mountain Early Morning

Split Mountain and Red Lake

Our Route in the Morning

Split Mountain Close Up

As I watched the slope above I thought I saw something falling. I did not know if it was rock or a person. I had been hearing rockfall and small slides all morning as the sun heated up the mountain. It turned out to be the rest of the team galssading down the mountain. Once they made it back to camp we talked, packed and headed out to the trailhead. The descent was uneventful but we were able to glassade quite a bit of the snow covered section.

Our Glassade Track

Split Mountain

GPX Download

Google Maps GPX Track View

View Larger Map

Elevation: 14,014 ft.

Date Hiked: 8-26-2007

Trip Report:
North Maroon peak is considered one of the more difficult 14ers to climb. This along with its higher neighbor are known as the Maroon Bells. Supposedly they are among the most photographed mountains in the world. The standard route to the summit of North Maroon is class 4 and involves a steep climb along loose rock.

The North Face of North Maroon Peak

My friend Joda and I left Lakewood and made the drive to Aspen over Independence Pass. We saw many 14ers along the way including La Plata Peak.

La Plata Peak

We got to the trailhead at Maroon Lake around 8 PM and quickly fell asleep. We woke up at 2:30 AM and got ready for a long day. The moon was not out but the stars were bright. It was not very cold all I wore was a long sleeve shirt and shorts. We made our way quickly to the turn off for North Maroon Peak before Crater Lake. We saw a few deer along the way with our headlamps, I think they were as surprised to see us as we were to see them. After the cutoff there was a little bit of easy scrambling to get to the rock glacier. Once up to the rock glacier we took a break. It was a beautiful night, we could hear the stream we had crossed a few minutes before and nothing else. We were they only ones for miles around (at least thats how it seemed). We started off again following strange orange markers on the rocks.

Rock Glacier Markers

Once through the rock glacier the eastern sky began to light up. We could also see a few headlights from people traveling the same route we had not to long before.

Sunrise

We traversed the side of the mountain along a well worn use trail. The route was also well marked and easy to follow along the lower mountain. The sun rose and illuminated the walls around us.

Northeast Ridge

Before we entered the first gully we saw a few mountain goats enjoying the sun, they didnt seem to be bothered that we were so close to them.

Mountain Goats

We made our way up through both of the gullies and onto the actual ridge. We stopped only a few times to rest and enjoy the views.

South Maroon Peak

Eventually we crested a large ledge before the 4th class chimney. I stopped here to take in the views and admire the two famous 14ers across the way.

Snowmass Mountain and Capital Peak

We could see down the rock glacier where we had come up earlier in the dark. It was amazing being so high and being able to see the entire route we had traveled. We could also see South Maroon peak which seemed so close.

Rock Glacier

South Maroon Peak

The Upper Mountain

We kept climbing higher and made it quickly past the 4th class chimney, it was a little wet which made it interesting. From the top of the gully it was a sort climb to the summit.

Final Stretch

We summited around 9 AM and took in the views. We had originally wanted to traverse to South Maroon but were both tired and decided to leave that for another time. Instead we took an hour nap on the summit. This was the first time I had ever slept on top of a 14er.

Capital Peak

Snowmass Mountain

South Maroon Peak

Myself on the Summit

People on South Maroon Peak

After I woke up we decided to head down. We quickly descended the ridge back to chimney. We could have found an easier way down but decided it would be fun to repel down the chimney. Joda set up the rope and I went first. It was the first time I had done this in the mountains and it was a blast.

Joda Descending

Pyramid Peak

The 4th Class Chimney

Me on the Ridge Looking back at the Summit

Getting Ready to Repel

Starting Down

Halfway Down

Finally at the Bottom

Looking Back Up

Once we finished the repel we gathered our gear and made our way down. We crossed both the second and first gully and eventually made our way to the rock glacier.

The Second Gully

Back on the Rock Glacier

We made it back to the trailhead at 2 PM for a round trip time of just under 12 hours, not the fastest in the world but we had a great time.

The Maroon Bells

Elevation: 14,270 & 14,267 ft.

Date Hiked: 6-24-2007

Trip Report:
I had attempted Grays and Torreys a few times before this, but always in less than ideal conditions. I finally had ideal conditions and was successful. I hiked both mountains from Stephen Gulch which was enjoyable. The weather was perfect and the views amazing.

Grays and Torreys

I left Lakewood around 5:30 and made it to the trailhead by 7. The weather was cool but nice, there was not a cloud in the sky. Since it was Saturday there were lots of people on the trail. There must have been hundreds. I usually like to have solitude but did not mind today because I just wanted to finally get to the top of both mountains. The trail through the valley was easy and did not take long. The views were amazing though.

Grays Peak

Torreys Peak

There was still quite a bit of snow of the upper slopes of both mountains and in the couloirs. There were a few people hiking the trail with skies, I assume to ski down one of the couloirs on Torreys.

Eventually I made it out of the valley and started hiking up the slopes to Grays peak the first target of the day.

Grays Peak

Kelso Mountain

Torreys Peak

Grays Peak Upper Slopes

Eventually the views opened up and I found myself on top of Grays peak. There was already a crowd on the summit so I wondered off a little ways and found myself a quite place. I could see many mountains I knew the names of as well as a few I had stood atop.

Mt. Evans and Mt. Bierstadt

Longs Peak, Mt. Meeker and The Indian Peaks (From Left to Right)

Grays Peak Summit Register

I found the register but did not want to sign it. I knew it would get replaced after not to long.

Torreys Peak from Grays Peak Summit

I quickly descended Grays summit and made my way over to Torreys Peak. This took under a half hour. I had wanted to summit Torreys even more than Grays because of the failure I had a few years earlier.

The Citadel

Torreys Peak Summit Register

Flowers Near the Summit

After a little while I descended and had a fun time walking down the snow slope in tennis shoes. As normal in Colorado summers clouds began to gather above both mountains although they did not appear to threatening.

Torreys Peak and the Descent

I made it back around 2 after a great hike.

Elevation: 14,060 ft.

Date Hiked: 6-9-2007

Trip Report:
Mt. Bierstadt is a 14er situated next to its higher neighbor Mt. Evans. It is only 60 feet above 14,000 feet, one of the lower 14ers. It is also a very popular hike because of its proximity to Denver. This was the second time I had tried to hike this mountain but the first during the summer or close to summer.

Mt. Bierstadt from Guanella Pass

I left Denver around 5:30 AM and made it to the trailhead around 6:45. The road was clear of snow all the way to the pass. I left at 7 and made my way across the drainage. There was a snow bridge which I crossed but was melting quickly. I made my way across the wooden bridges and through the willows. The weather was excellent with only a few clouds in the sky.

Hikers with Grays and Torreys in the Background

The Snow Bridge

There were many other people and dogs hiking today and taking advantage of the great weather. Once I made my way through the willows the snow was constant to the top. This made going a little slower but I still made good time to the summit. The views from the top were great, there was still snow on all of the high mountains.

Mt. Evans from the Summit

Mt. Spaulding from the Summit

A Frozen Abyss Lake

Looking Back at the Summit

The Summit from Near the Top of the Willows

The Top of the Sawtooth

Date Hiked: 3-31 to 4-1-2007

Trip Report:
The Sangre De Cristo Mountains and a range in the southern part of Colorado. This range has 10 14ers including Humboldt Peak. I had never hiked in the Sangre De Cristos before and wanted to check them out. Since there was still snow everywhere I thought Humboldt Peak would be a good peak to attempt. My friend Eric, who now guides with International Mountain Guides, came along for the trip as well.

Humboldt Peak and the Crestones from near Westcliffe

I left Lakewood around 9 AM and made the 3 hour drive to Westcliffe where I was meeting Eric. The drive was uneventful and I met Eric around 12:30. We then drove to the trailhead south of the town. We could only drive a short ways before there was to much snow so we parked and began the 5 mile hike to South Colony Lake.

Our Parking Spot

The hike to the lake took a few hours with all of the gear we were carrying. We only saw a few other people hiking out from the lake. They said they wind was unbearable the night before. We got to a spot a few hundred feet below the lake and decided to set up camp there. There was a nice flat spot near some trees for our tent. Once camp was set up we fell asleep.

Our Camp Site

Crestone Needle from Camp

Crestone Needle after Sunset

The wind was crazy all night long and it got worse toward the morning. We work up early and both decided it was not a good day to be up high. Instead we hung out at camp and I took some photos.

Humboldt Peak from Camp

Crestone Needle from Camp

We then packed up camp and headed out. When we were out of the mountains we noticed it had snowed in Westcliffe the night before. All the new snow made for a great panorama.

Sangre De Cristo Panorama

Date Hiked: 2-25-2007

Trip Report:
This was my second time hiking Quandary peak but the first time during the winter. This peak is the most popular 14er to hike in the winter. It is easily accessed and a short hike. Today was no exception. Even though the weather was abysmal there were still plenty of people out today.

Quandary Peak West Ridge

Erik and I left Lakewood around 6 AM and got to the trailhead by 8 AM. We parked about a mile from the summer trailhead. I originally wanted to bring snowshoes but decided against that after we had gone a short ways. I cached them in the snow nearby off the trail. It was snowing lightly and we made good time up the east ridge. The snow was not to deep which made going easier.

Directions Sign

Trailhead Sign

Trail Info

As we crested treeline and gained the ridge the wind picked up and it got much colder. The visibility also dropped significantly. We could see nothing above us but could make out the drop off to the south of the east ridge. Eventually we summited in near white out. We could barley make out the summit.

Me on the Summit

I took off my gloves to take a few pictures after I had put my down jacket on. This turned out to be a mistake. My hands instantly froze. I had a difficult time putting them back on. This was both the coldest and closest to frostbite I had ever been. Even with my large down jacket on I was still freezing. Eventually after descending a ways my hands began to warm up and I was fine. We saw a few people on the ridge who turned around before the summit due to the weather.

East Ridge

People on the Ridge

At the Bottom of the East Ridge

We made it back to the cars for a round trip time of just over 5 hours. On the way back home the traffic was terrible before the tunnel. The storm got worse as I drove. We were lucky we hiked when we did.

Snow near the Tunnel

Elevation: 14,036 ft.

Date Hiked: 2-11-2007

Trip Report:
Mt. Sherman is the southernmost 14er in the Mosquito Range. It is considered one of the easier 14ers to summit. It is also popular in the winter due to the ease of access. This was the first winter summit of a 14er I had and an enjoyable day despite the marginal weather.

Mt. Sherman from the Road

Erik and I left Lakewood at 6PM the night before our hike. We camped near the Fourmile trailhead, we were not able to drive all the way to the trailhead but made it close. It was a very clear and cold night. There appeared to be clouds over the summit but it was to dark to really tell. It was quite windy at camp which made the atmosphere surreal. This night is one of the best memories I have in the mountains.

As we were setting up camp two guys passed us and told us they were just getting back from the summit. They said it had been very windy on the ridge to the summit. We hoped this would not be the case tomorrow morning.

We woke up around 5 AM, made breakfast, packed and left about 45 min later. It was overcast with the temp in the high 20s. We made good time along the road and enjoyed the views. It was interesting seeing the Leavick site which had been abandoned for some time.

After awhile of hiking on the road we came to the locked gate. This is the usual summer trailhead. We then made our way to the Dauntless mine a short ways ahead. We stopped in here and had a quick bite to eat.

View from Inside the Dauntless Mine

Looking back at the Road

It was snowing by now and the wind was beginning to pick up. The visibility also began to drop as we pressed on. Eventually we found the Hilltop Mine, this mine is located above 13,000 feet and is an interesting site.

The Hilltop Mine

Above the hilltop mine was the ridge which leads to either the summit of Mt. Sheridan or Mt. Sherman. We found the low point and began climbing the slope. Near the top was an interesting cornice which we climbed over.

On top of the Ridge

The Ridge to Mt. Sherman

Once we crested the ridge we began to work our way to the summit. We could see very little in front of us but knew if we kept going up we would eventually find the summit. Finally we crested ridge and found the flat summit.

Mt. Sherman Summit

We did not stay on the summit long and began to descend. It did not take long to reach the saddle between the two peaks. From here we glassaded down the slope. This was the first time I was able to do this and it was a blast, it sure made descending much easier.

A Carin on the Ridge

Mt. Sheridan

Mt. Sherman

We made it back to the car quickly for a round trip time of 5 hours. This was a great 14er for a introduction into winter hiking.

Elevation: 14,264 ft.

Date Hiked: 8-27-2006

Trip Report:
Mt. Evans is the closest 14er to Denver and can be seen by millions on any given day. It also has a road to the very top. This was my second time hiking Mt. Evans. The first time was two years earlier but I did not have a camera with me, this time I brought one.

Mt. Evans From Summit Lake in September 2005

We left Denver early and made our way to Summit Lake. We were going to hike up Mt. Spaulding then traverse over to Mt. Evans but decided the weather may not hold so just went for Mt. Evans directly. it did not take more than an hour to summit from the Lake. The views were good to east east and overcast to the west. On our way down we ran into a few mountain goats and sheep which seemed friendly.

Mt. Bierstadt From the Summit

Denver From the Summit

Summit Lake Parking Lot

Summit Observatory

Grays and Torreys in the Clouds

Chief Mountain

Mountain Goat 1

Mountain Goat 2

Bighorn Sheep 1

Bighorn Sheep 2

Elevation:13,117, 13,427 & 14,267 ft.

Date Hiked: 12-10-2005

Trip Report:
I had wanted to hike both Grays and Torreys and from reading found this as the only safe route in the winter. This route goes from the top of Loveland Pass (11,990 ft.) to the top of Torreys Peak and also Grays which is a little ways further on the ridge. This route also happens to follow the continental divide. The total one way mileage to Torreys Peak is 4.5. The difficult thing about this route are the points along the ridge which you must traverse over, these include “Cupid” and Grizzly Peak.

Torreys and Grays Peaks from Grizzly Peak

We left Lakewood around 4:30 AM and arrived at Loveland Pass a little after 5:45. It only took a few minutes to put our gear on and get ready to go. It was still dark so we needed our headlamps. It was also freezing, I guess that makes sense since it is December 10th. We made our way up to point 12,915 which did not take long, around 30 minutes. By this time the sky was begining to light up. The views of the mountains in the area was beautiful.

Point 13,152

Mt. Sniktau

We took a short break at this point and took some video. We could see the lights from I-70 far below and they drove into the Eisenhower Tunnel. I was feeling good at this point and we continued to our first point known as “Cupid”. This was an easy hike with little elevation lost and slightly more gained. We took another break on “Cupid”, hydrated and ate some food. We also took time to check out the route ahead. The west ridge of Grizzly Peak was only class two but from “Cupid” it looked steep. The wind also picked up at this point and would continue the entire day.

Grizzly Peak from “Cupid”

Point 13,193 and 12,910 from Grizzly Peak

We left Cupid and climbed up the steep ridge. We were careful to avoid the east side of the ridge because of the large cornice. We followed this the entire way to the top of Grizzly Peak. When we reached the summit of Grizzly Peak the wind was ferocious. We ate some more and decided if we wanted to continue to Torreys still a long ways off. It was around 9:30 AM by this time, we had to be back in Lakewood by 5 so we still had plenty of time. We decided to continue forward.

From Grizzly Peak to the saddle between Torreys and Grizzly you lose 847 feet. From the saddle (12,580 ft.) you then have to gain 1,687 feet to the summit of Torreys Peak. This was the most difficult part of the trip. We did not have trouble descending to the saddle but once we started climbing up to Torreys I began to get altitude sickness. We made it 2/3rds of the way to the top and decided to call it quits. It was already 11:45 and we knew it would take awhile to get back to the trailhead I was glad we were descending because I felt like crap. I took a few photos of our highpoint and we left.

Grizzly Peak from around 13,950 ft. on Torreys Peak (Notice the Snow Flying in the Upper Left Corner)

Our Highpoint

Our Highpoint with Spindrift

When we had descended back to the saddle I was feeling nauseous. I stopped for a few minutes and then threw up. This was the first time I had thrown up because of altitude sickness. At this point I still had to climb 800 feet back up to Grizzly Peak. I slowly made my way up the slope and eventually topped out on top again. I sat down and threw up again. I had never been in serious trouble in the mountains before and I was beginning to think this may be the first time. I still had 3.5 miles to hike, it was at least -30 with the wind-chill and I could hardly move. I rested for a few minutes then got up. I made very slow progress and had to rest often. I just wanted to be off this mountain and back to the car. Finally after what seemed like an eternity we saw Loveland Pass and the car. We got to the car just before the sun was beginning top set. Once we descended a few thousand feet I felt like normal. This was a difficult trip and I would like to try this again in the winter.

Date Hiked: 12-2-2005

Trip Report:
This was my first attempt on Mt. Bierstadt and it happened to be in the middle of a strong winter storm. As soon as we got to the trailhead I knew our chances of summiting were slim. The winds were strong and it was overcast most of the trip.

Mt. Bierstadt from Guanella Pass

We left Lakewood at 5 AM and drive in the dark to the top of Guanella Pass. It was snowing lightly when we arrived at the trailhead. We were the only car there when we left on the trail. The progress was quick despite the cold and snow. The wooden bridges were covers in fresh snow as well as most of the trail. We had to bushwhack through the willows a few times because we lost the trail. As we progressed it became a white out all around.

Mt. Bierstadt from Scott Gomer Creek

The view back toward the trailhead

The wind picked up once we got beyond the willows. Around 12,500 feet one of the people I was hiking with was not feeling well and was getting cold. We decided to turn back because the weather was getting worse as well.

The Wind

The Summit From My Highpoint

Wind Sculpted Snow

Me From My Highpoint

Mt. Bierstadt from the Car

We made it back to the car without incident. It snowed the entire way down to Georgetown and back to Lakewood. This was a great trip for an intro to winter mountaineering in Colorado.

Date Hiked: 11/4/2005 to 11/5/2005

Trip Report:
This trip was the first experience I had in the Elk range and seeing the Maroon Bells. The plan was to climb Maroon Peak from the standard route. Being November we were not sure what to expect. This was the final weekend the road to Maroon Lakes was open so we thought we would take advantage of it.

The Maroon Bells

We left Lakewood early on the 4th and made our way to Maroon Lakes. The drive to Maroon Lakes was beautiful, there was snow on all of the large mountains. Once we arrived at Maroon Lakes we got our packs together and started off to Crater Lake, where we would camp for the night. There was snow starting at the far end of Maroon Lake. We made good time to Crater Lake and then began to set up camp.

The Maroon Bells II

Our Camp the Next Morning

The Cooking Tarp the Next Morning

Once camp was set up we enjoyed the sunset and sat around the fire. It was a cold night and it also began to snow. We would have to see what the weather would be like the next morning.

We woke up early and it was still snowing, we could not see a thing and decided to wait a few hours to see if things cleared up at all. Around 7 AM we finally left even though it was still snowing. We set off down the valley toward the slope which would take us to Maroon Peak. It was difficult hiking. I broke trail through a few feet of snow most of the way. It was clear we were not going to be summiting anything today. Instead we climbed part way up the ridge and enjoyed the snow. By mid morning it began to clear up and we finally had some decent views.

Looking up to the Ridge

Pyramid Peak Across the Valley

On our way back we had great views of the Bell Cord couloir and Maroon Bells.

Bell Cord Couloir

North Maroon Peak

North Maroon Peak II

Once back in camp we packed up and headed back to Maroon Lake. Although I did not reach the summit it was a fun trip with beautiful scenery.

Summit Panorama Video

Elevation: 14,265 ft.

Date Hiked: 10-8-2005

Trip Report:
Quandary Peak is a popular 14er off of CO HWY 9 south of Breckenridge and north of Hoosier Pass. There are a few different routes to the top of the mountain but most people use the east ridge trail. We chose to try the Cristo Couloir, why in October you may ask, well that is a good question.

Quandary Peak from CO 9

We left Lakewood around 5:30 and made it to the trailhead near Blue Lakes Reservoir around 7. The climb from the reservoir is steep and short. The first part involves climbing a small couloir through brush to get above the treeline.

The Route from just above the Reservoir

Wheeler Peak from the Couloir

Once above the treeline the climb is direct and straight forward, all you have to do is go up. It is essentially a long scree slog. We stopped a few times to get some pictures and admire the views. Not surprisingly we were the only ones on this route.

Mt. Lincoln

Mt. Democrat

Eventually we gained the east ridge and met up with the main trail. From here is was a short walk to the summit.

Quandary Peak Summit

The views from the summit were great. We could see many other 14ers and 13ers most of which I did not know by name. I did recognize Grays and Torreys not to far to the east.

Grays and Torreys Peaks

The Summit Benchmark

We stayed on top for awhile and eventually made our way back to the car. The trip down was uneventful. This would be a great route in late spring when there is snow to climb but after that its just a long scree slog.

The Cristo Couloir