Peak Condition Update | Quandary Peak

Peak:	Quandary Peak
Route:	East Ridge
Range:	Tenmile
Posted By:	clavis76
Date of Info:	7/2/2015
Date Posted:	7/6/2015

Details
Gear used: 17 year old Merrell Boots (I kid you not), 3 liter water bladder, lots o' sunblock (Irish/Nordic skin), lunch. First 14er I've attempted and my second time in Colorado (first visit was April 2015). Planning on moving out to CO for good in 2 years as I absolutely love it here (I'm from East Coast). Can't wait to call this place home. Started 6:30am Tuesday 7/2/15. East Ridge Trail was very easy to follow with a fair number of people out. Parking lot was full at this time and cars just starting to park on road. Passed several groups descending by 10am. Lots of goats out, several with young. Goats were very friendly, though with their young nearby, I was cautious; other hikers let their children within several feet of the goats. At one point, another hiking party with a large German Shepherd (beautiful dog named Norman) joined up with us and the goats got a bit territorial/ blocked the trail ahead and postured a bit - almost certainly in response to the young goats nearby. We backed off 10-20 feet and the goats (as well as our group) moved on. Goats were also banging heads together off the trail - impressive to watch. We also saw a few marmots in the rocks above the tree line. Cute little buggers. Weather was perfect with sun all morning and clouds rolling in around 1-2pm. Very light sprinkle around 1:30pm with no lightning/thunder. Temps from 60-70F at base to ~45-50F near summit. Light, long sleeves up and down. Small bit of snow near summit (approximately last 75-100 yards). Several hundred yards of snow just off trail near summit with several other hikers sliding down in waterproof gear. Looked like fun, but I was not dressed for sledding! Returned to car around 2:30pm after a very enjoyable hike up, with lunch at the summit (approx. 20 people on summit at once). View from summit was epic. Clouds rolling in, snow highlights on all the mountain peaks, and loads of range/visibility. Awesome doesn't begin to do it justice. Through the forest and grassy areas, wildflowers were in bloom everywhere. Really a beautiful time of year to hike this 14er. Although we prefer solitude and more secluded hikes, everyone we met on the trail today was great. We'll be back to tackle Quandary again from another route! Next up - Holy Cross!

Details

Gear used: 17 year old Merrell Boots (I kid you not), 3 liter water bladder, lots o' sunblock (Irish/Nordic skin), lunch.
First 14er I've attempted and my second time in Colorado (first visit was April 2015). Planning on moving out to CO
for good in 2 years as I absolutely love it here (I'm from East Coast). Can't wait to call this place home.
Started 6:30am Tuesday 7/2/15. East Ridge Trail was very easy to follow with a fair number of people out. Parking lot
was full at this time and cars just starting to park on road.
Passed several groups descending by 10am. Lots of goats out, several with young. Goats were very friendly,
though with their young nearby, I was cautious; other hikers let their children within several feet of the goats. At
one point, another hiking party with a large German Shepherd (beautiful dog named Norman) joined up with us and the goats
got a bit territorial/ blocked the trail ahead and postured a bit - almost certainly in response to the young goats
nearby. We backed off 10-20 feet and the goats (as well as our group) moved on. Goats were also banging heads
together off the trail - impressive to watch. We also saw a few marmots in the rocks above the tree line. Cute little buggers.
Weather was perfect with sun all morning and clouds rolling in around 1-2pm. Very light sprinkle around 1:30pm with
no lightning/thunder. Temps from 60-70F at base to ~45-50F near summit. Light, long sleeves up and down.
Small bit of snow near summit (approximately last 75-100 yards). Several hundred yards of snow just off trail near
summit with several other hikers sliding down in waterproof gear. Looked like fun, but I was not dressed for sledding!
Returned to car around 2:30pm after a very enjoyable hike up, with lunch at the summit (approx. 20 people on
summit at once). View from summit was epic. Clouds rolling in, snow highlights on all the mountain
peaks, and loads of range/visibility. Awesome doesn't begin to do it justice.
Through the forest and grassy areas, wildflowers were in bloom everywhere. Really a beautiful time of year to hike this 14er.
Although we prefer solitude and more secluded hikes, everyone we met on the trail today was great.
We'll be back to tackle Quandary again from another route! Next up - Holy Cross!

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