5K road race start to the day so needed to find a hike that could be completed before any potential inclement weather – and back by 4pm for my first tennis match in years.  SUPER Saturday continues!

Started hike from Loveland Pass with high hopes to see snow (none this day, maybe next weekend :().  Trek began with an immediate 1,000 increase in elevation – kinda felt like jumping on a Stairmaster.  Had I stayed to the left, would have possibly summited today’s goal destination, Mt. Sniktau.  Unfortunately no signs whatsoever.  Asked a young couple descending from one of the high peaks on my near horizon.  Grizzly Peak.  Verified it was a 13er and picked up our pace.

From Loveland Pass (11,992 feet) head eastward following the continental divide to Grizzly Peak (13,427 feet). Doing the math on that might fool you to think it is an elevation gain of just 1,435 feet but there are some ups and downs that push the overall elevation gain over 2,700 feet. Total trip will be around 6 miles with the last ~700 feet having some class 2 scrambling.

Beautiful landscapes & HUGE hills.  Ascend almost 2,000 feet, then descend a thousand feet – the Ironman of 13ers.  Despite running only a few hours earlier, was actually in a great place both mentally & physically this day and even found myself passing other hikers on the trail.  2 false summits, one huge descent, then stood at the foot of Grizzly Peak.

UP UP UP Ro & I climbed until SUMMIT SUCCESS!

Our third 13er of the summer (& five 14ers) – what an amazing year.  Could have never imagined when I started this year’s resolution that I’d be consistently summiting Colorado’s highest peaks by summer’s end.  FAAANNNNTASTIC!

Each prospective weekend I assume this could be our last high climb of the season due to weather.  Maybe this is motivating/propelling our hike success.  Tentative goal for next weekend – Gray’s Peak.

Blog update: Only 30 minutes late to tennis – and I won 6-4 6-3 🙂

 

Doubles

  • 2nd mis-summit (Grizzly vs Sniktau, Torreys vs Gray’s)
  • 2nd hike w/ new CamelBak (birthday gift from my friend Kimberly)

Triples

  • third 13er summit of 2012
  • 5k race, followed by 13er hike, then tennis – SUPER Saturday!

 

Grizzly Peak (summit video)

https://www.summitpost.org/grizzly-peak/152333

 

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