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!
https://www.summitpost.org/
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- landscape is deceptively BIG in Colorado (my Prius is only a speck, right of pic)
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- little patch of glacier (upper left) will be the only snow Ro sees this day
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- (above treeline) 1st false summit; still more than an hour to go
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- 2nd false summit, but Grizzly Peak lies ahead
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- SUMMIT SUCCESS! (loved seeing this family at top)
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- Grizzly Lake – check out that blue. WOW!
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- ‘in-between’ season: cap & t-shirt weather (but no more shorts)
Utahan friend Kimberly flew out for Labour Day weekend – arriving soon after my 10 mile road race finish on Saturday. Weekend plans included lunch on Pearl Street in Boulder, dinner at Empire in Louisville, church (received my first church calling – Young Men’s), an all fresh/all homemade/all Mexican birthday dinner (LOVE LOVE fresh veggies, herbs – and everything guac), movie night at the Pypers (where Kimberly stayed w/ Annie, Ted & baby Anders), followed by… my week 35 hike, James Peak 🙂
Since dad had play friend activities over the 3-day holiday weekend, Ro was more than ready for this week’s hike challenge. (Ro did visit the McCaslin dog park Sunday morning so he wasn’t completely neglected.)
James Peak, our 2nd 13er of the year, is located a few miles past St. Mary’s Glacier in Alice (near Idaho Springs). I’m a bit apprehensive when planning hikes with non-Colorado visitors because our high altitude climate generally zaps their strength. Honestly, I want to ‘show off’ my Colorado – not have folks leave [our state] feeling nauseous & exhausted. Kimberly said she was a hiker and wanted a challenging trek. After this day not sure if a 13er was enough…she was SUPER hiker. I’m re-inspired!
Took one shot near the top of St. Mary’s Glacier, then sped past treeline across tundra grasses & willow thickets yellowed by the impending fall season. Winds blew cold this day so pulled on a thermal Henley early and packed gloves – just in case.
Pushed past multiple switchbacks until SUMMIT SUCCESS! Snapped some pics while enjoying our survivalist-style lunch (really gotta beef-up my lunch prep skills when I have guests…argh!) Kimberly checked the time ‘cause she could (ya’ll know I gave up my cell phone last February). We would have to make double time down – Kimberly’s plane leaves at 3pm.
Cairn curse…again. Rock piles just aren’t great trail markers past treeline. Luckily on today’s hike, I had a good navigator along when we needed to bushwhack through a quarter-mile of thicket (ouch – but could’ve been much worse).
Back on trail, hiked down & over a section of melted glacier, then safely/quickly back to the Prius.
Time check – 1:30pm…with an hour drive ahead to Denver. Maybe cell phones aren’t so bad after all – certainly helped Kimberly when she needed to reschedule her return flight to Salt Lake 🙂
No regrets. AWESOME hike day!
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- top edge of St Mary’s Glacier (approx 8 feet deep here)
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- above treeline; Mt Bancroft (just left of today’s hike destination)
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- Utah native Kimberly mastering this 13er hike
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- Steuart Lake (at the foot of Mount Bancroft)
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- cold wind blowing this day – LOVED IT!
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- steep gorge between Mount Bancroft and James Peak
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- SUMMIT SUCCESS!
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- this week’s W-O-W shot
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- pretty colour but tough on body when bushwhacking thru underbrush
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- missed her flight home; no worries SHE has a cell phone
After 2 previous unsuccessful attempts, SUMMIT SUCCESS on Saturday — our 5th 14er of the summer!
In March I did not realize the road to Evans would be closed. 9 miles (one-way) to Summit Lake through high winds and huge snowdrifts iced over by our bright Colorado sun – the latter ultimately thwarting my summit attempt. In August, no excuses, no unfinished business.
Arrived early, packed appropriately, paid our park fee and started the day hike at Summit Lake (road to Mt Evans open through Labour Day). Pulled on a sweatshirt while gearing up: low 60’s with a breeze – EXCELLENT day for hike! Knew in my heart: temp’s gonna be 50’s at Summit maybe even 40’s. No snow flying yet but still…couldn’t hike this day without a huge smile on a face.
The start of the hike was surprisingly vertical, no 2 mile jaunt through forest — elevation already over 13,000 feet. Found initial breathing laboured while acclimating to the altitude but 33 weeks into 2012, my body’s ready for 14ers. Passed a few hikers (good to see folks on the trail) and proceeded to Mt Spaulding after a few extended stares at Summit Lake. So clear, so serene up high…crazy amazing beauty. Again, hard not to get all spiritual in my posts – just so divinely perfect/balanced. WOW moment!
From the parking area at Summit Lake, go north past the rock shelter house to the north end of the lake and locate the trail that climbs up Spalding’s east ridge. Follow the trail through the rocks and stay below the ridge line in order to bypass more difficult terrain to the summit of Mt Spalding. From the top of Spalding follow cairns south down to the Evans/Spalding saddle, continue south toward the end of the west ridge. Follow cairns to a notch before the large hump near the end of the ridge. Drop to the right and follow the trail to the east. The trail stays below the ridge for most of the remaining hike to the summit.
Consistent with 30% of this year’s hikes, I lost the trail during the ‘cairn following’ section. Cairns are piles of rocks — that’s it, no more. You’re hiking through boulder fields and looking for ‘piles of rocks’ – clearly I’m not comprehending. Luckily, this day I spotted a fellow hiker less than a half-mile away and promptly righted my path. Hoisted Ro twice as we navigated through the notch just past Evans/Spaulding saddle. Doesn’t matter how long we co-habitate, Ro hates being carried; assumes I’m gonna toss him thousands of feet to his canine death. Ro – I love ya man…it’s not gonna happen. LOL>
Upon approaching summit, we are joined by tens of ‘cheaters’ – those who drove to the top of Evans and parked near the observatory. That said, more than happy to share the view; awesome to see so many people enjoying our Colorado outdoors.
Wildlife check this hike – marmots (of course), mule deer, big horn sheep and mountain goats. LOVE LOVE LOVE my Colorado life!
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- All layered up! LOVE August in Colorado!
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- Summit Lake ~13,000ft elevation
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- vertical climb start
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- amazing climb UP
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- Chicago Lakes
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- cairns mark the way (pic center)
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- summit view from Mt Spaulding (not our end destination today)
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- beautiful tundra colours (& marmot in pic center)
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- climb to Mt Evans (destination now in sight)
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- UP UP UP!
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- Ro needed a boost thru the notch past Evans/Spaulding saddle
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- SUMMIT SUCCESS! W-O-W moment!
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- ‘cheaters’ parked near Observatory; road open thru Labour Day
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- summit lunch break
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- mountain goat on hike return
