Download Agreement, Release, and Acknowledgement of Risk:
You (the person requesting this file download) fully understand mountain climbing ("Activity") involves risks and dangers of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, and death ("Risks") and you fully accept and assume all such risks and all responsibility for losses, costs, and damages you incur as a result of your participation in this Activity.
You acknowledge that information in the file you have chosen to download may not be accurate and may contain errors. You agree to assume all risks when using this information and agree to release and discharge 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and the author(s) of such information (collectively, the "Released Parties").
You hereby discharge the Released Parties from all damages, actions, claims and liabilities of any nature, specifically including, but not limited to, damages, actions, claims and liabilities arising from or related to the negligence of the Released Parties. You further agree to indemnify, hold harmless and defend 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and each of the other Released Parties from and against any loss, damage, liability and expense, including costs and attorney fees, incurred by 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. or any of the other Released Parties as a result of you using information provided on the 14ers.com or 14ers Inc. websites.
You have read this agreement, fully understand its terms and intend it to be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law and agree that if any portion of this agreement is held to be invalid the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect.
By clicking "OK" you agree to these terms. If you DO NOT agree, click "Cancel"...
There are days when you plan to solo hike and then find out that many other people had the same plan. Then there are days when you think you are completely alone only to find a group of people on the trail right below you on your way down. Every once in awhile, you don't see another person on the trail or on the peak. This was one of those days.
Mt Powell TH: Piney Lake
After a busy work week, I was ready for some solitude. My Saturday rolled around, and I wasn't able to get up with my alarm. Darn. Well, maybe on Sunday, then. The next day, I heard my alarm and got up to turn it off. When I checked the clock, I realized it wasn't even 4:30am yet. First time I've ever heard an alarm in my head without the alarm clock. Rather than question it too closely, I decided to take it as a sign and drive out to the Piney Lake TH.
It was a cool morning, and the air was quite humid, leaving the lake and river shrouded in mist.
So close, or so I thought until the trail just seemed to keep going.
My first view of Mt Powell and Peak C was encouraging: they just didn't look very far away. Little did I know how long the bushwack along the minor drainage and the hike up the final scree slopes to Mt Powell would take me. With the recent rains, the soils were saturated. This may have made Kneeknocker Pass a bit easier, as I could almost kick steps in (it was quite reminiscent of a snow climb).
After the Airplane Gully up Navajo last weekend, I kind of liked Kneeknocker Pass.
Looking down:
It didn't seem too steep until I realized how far down the "flatter" segment of the trail was.
I wanted to keep to the ridge and avoid the elevation loss on the far side of Kneeknocker Pass, but it was more exposed than I was comfortable with solo. So, I dropped down (not too bad in the grippy mud) and slogged up the final slopes.
Not as bad as I originally feared.
At least there are some grassy segments.
Ah, what fun.
Looking back towards Kneeknocker Pass:
Kneeknocker Pass looks so low from this vantage.
I would recommend a helmet--although it was a 2+, I heard plenty of rockfall near Peak C and didn't see or hear any other people.
I'll let the summit views speak for themselves:
Bubble Lake and the unnamed lake above it were beautiful.
Duck Lake
Cliff Lake
Dora Lake (?) With the rapidly developing thunderstorms and high POP, I didn't take the time to pull out the map.
One of these days:
I think I'll wait for a good snow pack before attempting C.
I'm glad this turned out at all, given how wet my phone was at this point.
I actually managed to stick to the "trail(s)" that follow the minor drainage for a fair bit of the way down. When I lost the trail, I pulled out my GPS, and looked to see where I was with respect to my track from the morning. Well, my GPS (which I've been having trouble with but haven't found the time to mess with or replace) told me that I was heading uphill and indicated that my track was a fair ways off in the opposite direction. Hmm. I could tell I was heading downhill and I was recognizing landmarks from the way up; at that point, I decided to go with my instincts and see if I could avoid the wet, slippery slabs on the way down without the help of the GPS. The thunder encouraged me to move more quickly, and I was happy when my wet bushwack deposited me on the main trail.
The mist was quite beautiful on the way out:
Note: Most of my photos were taken on my way down (I wasn't originally planning on writing a trip report but it was so beautiful I couldn't resist).
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Did this same hike solo last year, it is a really great time. But you liked Kneeknocker? Kinda makes me want to give you a thumbs down on this TR, ha! I hated that gully, almost took me down on the way back. Great report, thanks for sharing!
Caroline: I really do love to solo hike; just being way out there and not seeing or hearing another person was pretty incredible.
k-berger: Were the sediments saturated when you hiked Kneeknocker? I think the saturated slopes really helped me with traction. Or, maybe it was me choosing the wrong gully to ascend Navajo and finding myself on some pretty sketchy, loose terrain last weekend.
Jeremy: I think we've been following each other around this summer! I was surprised to see your conditions update for Buffalo Peaks several days after I hiked them. Maybe I'll run into you on the trail at some point.
Caution: The information contained in this report may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this report provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the report author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.
Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.
