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 Bierstadt

   Last Thursday, I climbed Mount Bierstadt (14,060ft). It was my second peak above 12,000ft for the year. I was accompanied by two new hiking buddies, Rob and Jody, who I met on MyFitnessPal. Rob and I met Jody in Georgetown early in the morning and then drove up to the top of Guanella Pass. I was relieved to find the winds had calmed down quite a bit from when I was up there on Memorial Day. It was still a little windy but much more tolerably so. The temperature was a bit cool, but it felt very nice once I started to heat-up from hiking up the steep mountainside.
   Mount Bierstadt is one of the easier 14ers in Colorado. Mind you, easy is a relative term here, as it is 3.5 miles one-way and about 2850ft gain. There were a few patches of snow closer to the top, but they were fairly easy to traverse. We made it to the summit in about 2 hours and 40 minutes. We relaxed for a bit at the top to take in the beautiful scenery, and we signed the registry. It took us about 2 hours to get back down, and the weather cooperated fully. It was just another day I feel truly blessed to live in such a beautiful place.
   On our way back, we stopped in Genessee for a couple of slices of NY Style Pizza, a beer, and some chit chat. Rob and Jody were great hiking buddies. They offered interesting conversation, fun company, and most importantly had positive attitudes. We all agreed to make our Thursday 14er climbs a ritual.
  On a personal level, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself feeling a lot better than I felt on the two 14ers I climbed last summer. I did not feel any altitude sickness at all. My legs were definitely burning during the hike, and I had some cramping later that night. However, I had no soreness whatsoever the day after, and I even went for a short run.
   I'm anxiously looking forward to my next adventure above 14,000ft.

Mt Evans, the Sawtooth, Mt Bierstadt

Guanella Pass

Sawatch and Tenmile Ranges

Mt Evans

Rob, Jody, and I at the summit

The Sawtooth - daring people traverse this ridge to Mt Evans

Mt Evans and Abyss Lake

Frozen Lake and South Park

The summit and with a view of Grays and Torreys Peaks

The Sawtooth

Square Top Mountain

Abyss Lake Trail

     On Memorial Day, Nick, our friend Chuck, and I set out early up Guanella Pass. Our goal was to climb Square Top Mountain. However, upon our arrival at the trailhead, we encountered extremely gusty and chilly winds. It was so windy, in fact, that we could barely shut the car doors. It took us all of thirty seconds to decide we did not want to hike above treeline all day in those conditions. So, we headed about ten miles down the road towards Grant to our old favorite Abyss Lake Trail. We have been there twice before, once with Chuck, and both times during Fall. This is one of my favorites because of it's gradual nature and because of the breathtaking vistas of Mt Bierstadt, the Sawtooth, and Mt Evans. We were very relieved to find the trees protected us quite a bit from the wind once we reached the trailhead. We made it about four miles up the trail to where the trees start to thin out and the trail opens up a bit. The unwelcomed cold wind returned, and we found ourselves surrounded by tons of freshly fallen trees. The further we climbed up the trail, the more frequent and more difficult the fallen tree crossings became. Happy with our trek so far, the three of us ate lunch on a rock, and then, returned to the trailhead. After we got back to Denver, we ate lunch at Park Burger, where I enjoyed a milkshake, a jalapeno cheeseburger, and some sweet potato fries. Overall, despite the insane gusts, it was another gorgeous day.

Abyss Lake Trail

      On Saturday, Nick and I went hiking with a group of friends in Mt Evans Wilderness. We hiked along Scott Gomer creek towards Abyss Lake. However, Abyss lake was 8.8 miles away, so we did not make it the entire way. Abyss Lake sits right below The Sawtooth, with Mt Bierstadt on the left and Mt Evans on the right. The Aspen were bright shades of yellow. The weather was pleasantly warm, and it was partly cloudy. It was a perfect day. 

      On the way back, we encountered a couple horseback riders. One of them looked pretty familiar and ended up being my Mom. Talk about a small world. I have run into friends a couple times on trails, but never my own mother. Pretty funny.