Grays and Torreys Peaks

   Last Thursday, team Runs with Ptarmigans (Rob and Jody from MFP, and I) assembled to climb Torreys Peak (14,267ft), which is just outside of Idaho Springs. 
   Rob and I left Denver at 4:45a to beat any afternoon thunderstorms. We met Jody at the Bakersville exit, and she climbed in the Jeep with us. We headed up the sketchy dirt road a couple miles to the trailhead. There were a few others already there, but it was not crowded by any means.
   We began our trek at about 6:30a, high on confidence from having conquered Mount Bierstadt (14,060ft) the week before. The initial stretch of trail up Steven's Gulch is pretty level, but the beginning of the trail definitely offers a nice acclimation to the high altitude. Shortly after we started hiking, we spotted Grays Peak (14,270ft), Torreys sister peak to the south.

Grays Peak covered in a wisp of cloud

Torreys Peak

Grays and Torreys Peaks

Torreys Peak

    From here on, the trail began to get very steep and rocky. There seemed to be an abundance of wildlife and wildflowers, as well. We saw a ptarmigan, lots of pikas, some marmots, a mountain goat, a butterfly, and even some ladybugs.

Alpine Primrose

Marmot with a great view

Mountain Goat

Monarch Butterfly

Sky Pilot Flowers

    It took us close to 3 hours to reach the top of Grays Peak. We didn't stop for long, as it was very windy and a bit chilly at the top.

View from Grays - Tenmile Range and Breckenridge

View from Grays - Mt Evans and Mt Bierstadt

View from Grays - Kelso Ridge and Kelso Mountain below

View from Grays - Mosquito Range

View from Grays - Tenmile and Sawatch Ranges (Mt. of the Holy Cross in the distance)

 Then, we scrambled down a large boulder field on the northwest side of Grays leading to the saddle. Once we reached the bottom of the saddle, we began another steep climb to the top of Torreys Peak. From peak-to-peak it took us about another hour.

View from saddle

View of Grays from Torreys

View from top of Torreys

    Honestly, I was feeling a little more overwhelmed on this climb than I felt on Bierstadt the week before. I was experiencing some very mild altitude sickness; a little dizziness, some lack of coordination, and a light headache. Also, I was extremely fatigued after having only slept 3 hours the night before due to severe thunderstorms and tornadoes late in the night. However, I worked real hard to keep myself properly hydrated, and I refueled with high-carb snacks every couple hours. Likewise, I gave myself constant reassurance in my ability to make it to the top. I have found a positive and determined attitude can make or break just about anyone on a difficult hike.

Me on top of Grays with the trail up Torreys to the right

    After conquering both peaks, I definitely had that Rocky Mountain High. There aren't many better feelings in life. We took our time getting down, as it is incredible easy to slip and fall on a snowfield or on loose rocks, especially when having fatigued legs. On the way back, we excitedly and tentatively planned future trips for team Runs with Ptarmigans. We reached the car in about 3 more hours. It took us about 7 hours overall.

    I am now up to 4 out of 10 peaks climbed for 2012. I am still a little nervous about having enough time to reach this goal, but I think it is doable and realistic. If we have another dry winter, I can likely keep climbing peaks well into September and October, before it gets too snowy. However, I'm not sure my goal of backpacking 50 miles this summer is going to happen, with most of my focus placed on peak bagging. In the end, I know all that matters is that I remain driven, goal-oriented, healthy, and that I'm having fun.

Mount Royal

   Last weekend, Nick and I went to Frisco with friends. We stayed in a gorgeous house and truly lived a luxurious mountain lifestyle. On Saturday, we woke up early and got in a short hike before the snow started. The trailhead for Mount Royal was only about a mile away. The trail is short but very steep the entire way. We covered about 1400ft gain in about 1.4mi. The elevation difference really made it difficult. It gave me a slight headache and made me feel a little light headed. This hike was truly a wake up call, as I intend to start climbing 14ers soon. I did not feel in as good of condition as I had hoped. The strenuous hike was well worth it for the beautiful view at the top, including a view of Quandary, Grays, and Torreys, all 14ers I hope to climb this Summer. Also, we had our friend's Bernese Mountain Dog, Brooks, along with us. He was a natural.

Grays Peak

     Last Tuesday, Nick and I climbed Grays Peak (14, 270ft). We left Denver at 4:30am. Rain was predicted to begin around 9am, so we were hoping to at least summit by then. We arrived at the trailhead at 5:45am and found both of our packs soaking wet. My water bladder had leaked almost all 3 liters on the drive up. After the initial surprise, we decided to press on. Nick had a full 3 liter bladder, and I had some Gatorade as well. It was cloudy as we began, but the clouds were breaking as the sun rose over the mountains.

      The first mile of trail through Steven's Gulch was relatively flat. A small creek raged nearby and there seemed to be an endless amount of wildflowers, including Columbines.

     We began our ascent and soon realized we were surrounded by Pikas. We could hearing their squeaking all around us and saw countless scurrying around the talus.

    The weather continued to improve as the trail became increasingly steep. 

    At around 13,000ft, I really started feeling the altitude. Nick was doing great, especially for hit first 14er. I was feeling a bit light headed and dizzy, so we took a break until I was feeling better. The last stretch to the top was by far the steepest, but we continued on. It was sunny and relatively clear when we reached the summit with very little wind. We stopped for a break, took pictures, and ate lunch.

Torreys Peak was only a short distance away, but we were both exhausted and some gray clouds were headed our way. We decided one 14er was enough for that day.

      We took our time on the descent. Walking across the talus field was rather difficult going down. I fell once and rolled my ankle a few times. By the time we reached the flat part of the trail, it began to sprinkle a bit. However, it did not take long before we reached the trailhead. Overall, the hike took us 6 hours. In the parking lot, we ran into 4 ladies we had met on the trail and at the summit. They offered us a little wine and some strawberries, and we stayed and chatted with them for awhile. Nick was a champ on his first 14er. He is an excellent hiker. Now, he's hooked on High Country hikes too.