Quandary Peak Trip Report 10/04/2014

Peak(s):	Quandary Peak - 14,272 feet
Date Posted:	10/04/2014
Date Climbed:	08/31/2014
Author:	rob runkle

Quandary - East Ridge (Std)
After finishing Elbert, Scott and I went over to Quandary check out the trailhead. We realize that parking at the true trailhead was going to be pretty tight (crowded) in the morning. And, the overflow parking lot was a good quarter to half a mile away. So, we decided that we would definitely need an early start on Quandary the next day; especially since it was a weekend. We figured a 530 start would be good enough to get us there and get a decent parking spot. So, we went back to Breckenridge and checked into our hotel with plans for an early start. We were able to get up and get going and leave the hotel at around 430AM. It took us about an hour from the hotel to get to the trailhead. We arrived almost exactly 530AM and sure enough we got a great parking spot. At least six or eight cars pulled in almost immediately after us, which indicated to us that 530AM was a great start time. We would end up starting at 530AM on next two days, based on this. We got started up the trail in the dark. The trail starts right at the road, so it is pretty easy to get started up the trail. It's not difficult to find. Almost immediately, in the dark, we lost the trail. There's a large rock, which I actually remember from the route description, but in the dark we didn't see the rock. Ultimately, when you see the rock on your right, you want to take a right around the rock. Around the backside of the rock, the trail is obvious. The rest the trail was clear and there wasn't any more confusion after that. We cruised up the trail pretty quickly staying ahead of most other groups. The second day was feeling better for me than the first day. Scott was only slightly behind, but doing great the second day also. The Quandary trail doesn't stay below treeline for very long. At around a mile or so you are traveling on more rock than trail but it's easy rock with a well laid path. The path continues to be pretty easy at this point. All major up hills are established stones steps. As you reach the first major hump in the ridge and get onto a flat spot that's when the trail starts to get a little more difficult. I wouldn't say the trail gets beyond class 1 but the path is not nearly as clear as it is down lower in the stepping stones area. About the time we reached the flat section of the ridge, we started to see dark skies in the distance up over the summit. The dark skies worried me a little bit but the fact that it was only 7AM in the morning gave me confidence that we would be okay to continue up. Not long after we got off of the flat spot the dark skies started turning into snow and sleet coming down. Weather starting to look bad Billy the buddy Sunrise on Quandary We continued, as the weather cycled on and off. There wasn't really a point where I would say we were ever in a whiteout condition. But the winds were 30 to 40 mph and the temperatures were approaching freezing. In these conditions, I started to wonder if we were going to make the summit. At one point about halfway up the final ridge pitch I waited for Scott. The snow and the wind was probably at its strongest at that point. Scott and I both looked at each other and kind of gave a thumbs up. My primary criteria for continuing was that as long as we were feeling okay we would continue towards the summit. What I meant by that was, as long as our fingers, toes, appendages and core weren't uncomfortable or frozen we would continue. It never really got any worse. But, there were several groups that we saw turn around, and were coming back down. I am very glad that we didn't turn around. We were not very far from the summit. We ultimately made that final summit push. It only took us about 20 minutes to get to the summit from that point. Final Pitch Time to head bck down When we got to the summit, even on a very busy weekend, there was only Scott myself and two others on the summit. Even in the conditions, it was nice to have the summit to ourselves. We ultimately made the summit in around three hours. High-fives all around, we only spent a couple minutes on the summit, then we turned around and headed back down. As we descended, we were able to motivate other groups who were close to the summit: "You are almost there, and the weather isn't getting any worse." During our descent, the weather never really got any better, but it also didn't getting worse. About 30 minutes below the summit, we started to see groups that we doubted would make the summit. The weather wasn't getting any better, and the later groups were starting to look like it was taking a toll. Plus, it was rain, instead of snow down low, and some people were very wet. I'm sure that some of the groups made it, especially if the weather cleared up later that day. The weather that we had experienced was not typical for an early September, early morning. We continue down the trail, and saw more people. It was definitely nice to be heading down rather than up. Unlike some fourteeners hiking down off quandary is actually very pleasant and seems to go very quickly. Scott and I were both enjoying the hike off of quandary much better than we did the previous day with the off route out adventure on Elbert. Scott commented that, even with the challenging weather conditions, Quandary was a much more enjoyable hike. We made it back to the trailhead in around two hours. I have to be honest in the 14 years that I've done 14ers, I don't think that I've ever had snow conditions at 7AM in the morning continuing through 10AM. This trip was continuing to throw new curve balls at me, whether that was my own off route debacles, or mother nature throwing a little bit at us also. Hiking fourteeners wouldn't be nearly as much fun if you didn't get to experience new and different conditions. GPS Track Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Quandary - East Ridge (Std)

After finishing Elbert, Scott and I went over to Quandary check out the trailhead. We realize that parking at the true trailhead was going to be pretty tight (crowded) in the morning. And, the overflow parking lot was a good quarter to half a mile away. So, we decided that we would definitely need an early start on Quandary the next day; especially since it was a weekend. We figured a 530 start would be good enough to get us there and get a decent parking spot. So, we went back to Breckenridge and checked into our hotel with plans for an early start.

We were able to get up and get going and leave the hotel at around 430AM. It took us about an hour from the hotel to get to the trailhead. We arrived almost exactly 530AM and sure enough we got a great parking spot. At least six or eight cars pulled in almost immediately after us, which indicated to us that 530AM was a great start time. We would end up starting at 530AM on next two days, based on this.

We got started up the trail in the dark. The trail starts right at the road, so it is pretty easy to get started up the trail. It's not difficult to find. Almost immediately, in the dark, we lost the trail. There's a large rock, which I actually remember from the route description, but in the dark we didn't see the rock. Ultimately, when you see the rock on your right, you want to take a right around the rock. Around the backside of the rock, the trail is obvious. The rest the trail was clear and there wasn't any more confusion after that. We cruised up the trail pretty quickly staying ahead of most other groups. The second day was feeling better for me than the first day. Scott was only slightly behind, but doing great the second day also. The Quandary trail doesn't stay below treeline for very long. At around a mile or so you are traveling on more rock than trail but it's easy rock with a well laid path. The path continues to be pretty easy at this point. All major up hills are established stones steps. As you reach the first major hump in the ridge and get onto a flat spot that's when the trail starts to get a little more difficult. I wouldn't say the trail gets beyond class 1 but the path is not nearly as clear as it is down lower in the stepping stones area. About the time we reached the flat section of the ridge, we started to see dark skies in the distance up over the summit. The dark skies worried me a little bit but the fact that it was only 7AM in the morning gave me confidence that we would be okay to continue up. Not long after we got off of the flat spot the dark skies started turning into snow and sleet coming down.

We continued, as the weather cycled on and off. There wasn't really a point where I would say we were ever in a whiteout condition. But the winds were 30 to 40 mph and the temperatures were approaching freezing. In these conditions, I started to wonder if we were going to make the summit. At one point about halfway up the final ridge pitch I waited for Scott. The snow and the wind was probably at its strongest at that point. Scott and I both looked at each other and kind of gave a thumbs up. My primary criteria for continuing was that as long as we were feeling okay we would continue towards the summit. What I meant by that was, as long as our fingers, toes, appendages and core weren't uncomfortable or frozen we would continue. It never really got any worse. But, there were several groups that we saw turn around, and were coming back down. I am very glad that we didn't turn around. We were not very far from the summit. We ultimately made that final summit push. It only took us about 20 minutes to get to the summit from that point.

When we got to the summit, even on a very busy weekend, there was only Scott myself and two others on the summit. Even in the conditions, it was nice to have the summit to ourselves. We ultimately made the summit in around three hours. High-fives all around, we only spent a couple minutes on the summit, then we turned around and headed back down. As we descended, we were able to motivate other groups who were close to the summit: "You are almost there, and the weather isn't getting any worse." During our descent, the weather never really got any better, but it also didn't getting worse. About 30 minutes below the summit, we started to see groups that we doubted would make the summit. The weather wasn't getting any better, and the later groups were starting to look like it was taking a toll. Plus, it was rain, instead of snow down low, and some people were very wet. I'm sure that some of the groups made it, especially if the weather cleared up later that day. The weather that we had experienced was not typical for an early September, early morning.

We continue down the trail, and saw more people. It was definitely nice to be heading down rather than up. Unlike some fourteeners hiking down off quandary is actually very pleasant and seems to go very quickly. Scott and I were both enjoying the hike off of quandary much better than we did the previous day with the off route out adventure on Elbert. Scott commented that, even with the challenging weather conditions, Quandary was a much more enjoyable hike. We made it back to the trailhead in around two hours. I have to be honest in the 14 years that I've done 14ers, I don't think that I've ever had snow conditions at 7AM in the morning continuing through 10AM. This trip was continuing to throw new curve balls at me, whether that was my own off route debacles, or mother nature throwing a little bit at us also. Hiking fourteeners wouldn't be nearly as much fun if you didn't get to experience new and different conditions.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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