Skiing Mount Trelease

The week between Christmas and the New Year is always a difficult week to work...motivation is typically at an all time low. That being said, Sean, Brian and I took the day off, threw our gear in the car, and hit the road from Colorado Springs (after Brian overslept and picked me up an hour late). Our plan was to check out the A-Basin side of Loveland Pass but as we got close to the turn off for the pass I spotted some glades on the north side of I-70 Sean and I had been scoping out from the highway on a previous trip. So we decided to ski the glades on Mount Trelease (12,477 ft). It was 18F when we got out of the car and the temperature dropped from there as a new storm system rolled on to the Continental Divide bringing some fresh snow with it. We were happily surprised to find a lot of great Colorado powder to ride and only saw two other people on the mountain.


Leaving the parking area

Looking back toward Loveland Ski Area



Brian contemplating the top of our route

Why backcountry snowboarding is a hard life: Brian, gloves off, adjusting his bindings over 12,000ft at about 0F with blowing snow. This process took about 5 min.

Sean tearin it up

Brian throwin some powder

Sean dropping into the tight trees after some great powder turns on open glades


To get there:
From the Denver/Colorado Springs areas - head west on I-70 until you are almost to the Eisenhower Tunnel. Take exit 216 where there will be a dirt parking area on the north side. Park against the cliff band, this is the base of Mount Trelease.

Route:
Leaving the parking lot is fairly obvious because there aren't many options to skin or snow shoe past the exposed dirt face. Once through the initial steep entry there is typically at least one good skin track to follow unless there has just been a fresh dump of snow. In that case, break a sweat to get first tracks! There are a lot of well spaced trees on the upper portion of the mountain but it does get a little choked as you drop close to the parking lot.

Precautions:
This area might be close to the highway but safe backcountry travel habits and gear need to be used. There is a good mix of terrain and potential avalanche danger so be prepared.

Backpacking in the Grenadiers

I planned to do an adventure race outside Glenwood Springs, CO with my friend Jason from Connecticut the weekend of 11 Sep. I traveled a lot for work this year which means and I ate and drank way too much and exercised very little. Since I wasn’t getting the proper training in to make sure I didn’t die during the race…I wimped out. To make it up to Jason I promised to plan a sweet backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains. We settled on Labor Day weekend and headed to the Grenadier Range outside Silverton.  We drove from Colorado Springs Friday morning, grabbed a bite to eat in Silverton and hit the trail from the Cunningham Gulch trailhead (10,480 ft). This is the Highland Mary Lakes trail which climbs steeply to tree line over the first two miles before it opens onto rolling alpine meadows dotted with beautiful crystal clear lakes (full of trout).



While still in the trees the trail follows close to Cunningham Creek, the steep grade has its benefits – lots of waterfalls

Once out of the trees, we made our way past Highland Mary Lakes, dropped our packs and setup camp at the second of the two Verde Lakes (12,200 ft).


Our campsite, tucked into a depression next to the lake. This was the first trip trying out my new tent - the REI Arete 3 (great tent)

On the second morning we crawled out of the sleeping bags to frosty predawn air and hiked to the summit of an unamed point next to camp to photograph sunrise. From this point we had amazing views of the Grenadier Range with Vestal and Arrow Peaks front and center. To make the morning even better we could hear and see elk bugling far below in the gorge. We also saw a mountain goat skipping across the face of a mountain behind us.

Dawn in the Grenadier Range

After a quick breakfast we did a large full day loop that took us to the summit of Whitehead Peak (13,259 ft) and Mount Rhoda (13,402 ft), connecting to the Whitehead trail, past Lost Lake, and over a steep saddle back to camp. We were pretty tired but found the energy to catch some trout before dinner. Jason was pretty mad at me the night before because the fish were hitting my "gaudy" lures left and right but wouldn't touch his flies. He had a better night the second night and I was thinking more about photographing sunset...

Jason (left) and me on Whitehead Peak. You can see the famous Wham ridge on Vestal from here



Hiking the ridge line to the summit of Mount Rhoda



Lost Lake from the saddle between the lake and our camp

 I decided to throw my pack on and head back out to a small alpine tarn we found while exploring the ridge above Elk Creek. The wind calmed down and the setting sun lit up the sky - I'm glad I didn't give in to the idea of lounging around camp.  As the last light faded from the clouds over Vestal and Arrow, I threw my camera gear in my pack and started hiking fast to scale back down the rock face I had come up before it got too dark. Once in the willows around Lost Lake I was making great time...until I met a momma moose and her baby 40 yards away. It was a tense 60 seconds while we stared at each other figuring out what to do. Fortunately for me, she chose flight over fight and took off up the ridge.
 



The tops of Vestal and Arrow Peaks reflected in a secluded alpine tarn

To get there:

Drive through the town of Silverton and turn onto CO 110 toward Howardsville. In Howardsville (not really a town) turn right onto FR 589. The trailhead is approximately 4 miles up this dirt road. We took my Subaru Outback without any problems but it can be rocky. If you feel like abusing you passenger car, you can make it all the way to the stream crossing just shy of the main parking area.

Route:

Start at the parking area for Cunningham Gulch and Highland Mary Lakes and get ready to sweat. This trail is easy to follow but doesn't give you very many breaks in the first two miles. Once above tree line you will wind in between the Highland Mary Lakes chain. After the lakes the trail tends to fade in and out of the tundra - shoot for the low ridge in front of you, there is a large wooden pole at the top of it. Head for the pole it will get you to a point where you can see Verde Lakes. From here there is a lot of terrain to explore. You can connect with the Continental Divide trail for some extra alpine exploring.

Precautions:

We spent the whole long weekend above tree line. There is no protection from thunderstorms up here so be prepared to seek shelter the best you can. It can be very windy and cold on the exposed tundra - you can get hypothermia from prolonged exposure to the cool wind. Wear wind blocking layers and drink plenty of water. Jason ended up exhibiting some symptoms of mild hypothermia after hiking the Continental Divide Trail all day. I remember saying "J- put on your jacket" and he responded in a yell "NEVER". He was wrapped in his sleeping bag while I filtered what seemed to be gallons of water for him the rest of the day.

Jason on the way back to the car, the largest of the Highland Mary Lakes in front of him. Old elk antlers strapped to his pack (dont ask)

Backpacking to Lone Eagle Peak

This past weekend my wife and son were on the east coast visiting some friends and family. This equates to a recipe for a guilt free weekend of backpacking and photography. Friday after work I took off for the west side of Indian Peaks Wilderness near Lake Granby with my father in-law (Jim) and my dog (Milo). We camped in the Arapaho Bay Campground just a few miles from the Monarch Lake trailhead so we could get an early start Saturday morning. Our plan was to pack in to Mirror Lake Saturday morning, spend Saturday and part of Sunday exploring, and then head back Sunday night to go to those damn jobs Monday morning. Note: camping in this area of the Indian Peaks Wilderness requires a backcountry permit - call the Sulphur Ranger District in Granby, CO (970-887-4100) for more information.  We followed the Cascade Creek and Crater Lake trails to Mirror Lake.


The lower portion of the Cascade Creek trail takes you through dense pine forest with lush green ground cover

There is no shortage of water features on this hike, at least not in late June when the melting snow pack makes the mountain streams roar to life.

One of the first large waterfalls we passed by on the trail - the mist in the air gives you a good idea of how fast and heavy this stream is flowing

A close up of Cascade Creek whitewater

I love photographing waterfalls!

Once we got to Mirror Lake we found a great campsite sitting above the north side of the lake on a rock ledge protected on two sides by pine trees. We dropped our heavy packs, set up camp and ate some lunch before heading out to explore Crater Lake another 0.2 miles up trail. While on the backside of Crater Lake, a storm slipped over the mountains quickly and pelted us relentlessly with pea and marble size hail. The storm let up during our retreat to camp so we explored a little more on the way back. After letting Milo swim on the way out I was hoping he would dry off a little before getting in the tent. It was a good thing we didn't wander too far from camp because the first storm was just the opening act for the main event about to hit us. We crawled in our tents to wait it out. I think Jim got a pretty good nap in, I could hear him snoring over the thunder. I read a good book and tried (and failed) to keep Milo off my nice down sleeping bag while we waited it out.


The needle point of Lone Eagle Peak through my tent window as the worst of the storm mounts its assault on us

Fortunately the storm cleared before sunset so I packed up my camera gear and left Jim and Milo in camp so I could go find a good vantage point for sunset. Even the wind died down for me.

Lone Eagle towering over well named Mirror Lake



Close up of Lone Eagle's summit

To get there:
From I-70, take US-40 through Winter Park. Drive through the town of Granby and follow US-34 toward Grand Lake. Turn right on to Arapaho Bay Road after approximately 6 miles. Follow Arapaho Bay Road around Lake Granby to the Monarch Lake trail head. There is a decent amount of parking here but plan to start early as the lot fills with fishermen and people strolling around Monarch.

Route:
The trail splits twice after leaving Monarch Lake. Stay right on the Cascade Creek trail (left takes you to Buchanan Pass) - this intersection is approximately half way to Mirror Lake. The second intersection is less than a mile from Mirror Lake, go right on the Crater Lake trail. Left on Cascade Creek trail would take you over Pawnee Pass. Campsites around Mirror Lake are numbered.

Precautions:
As we experienced, thunderstorms in the Rockies can move in quickly. Mirror Lake is below tree line and there are some well protected campsites.