Peak(s): |
Peak 10 - 13,641 feet Crystal Peak - 13,860 feet Pacific Peak - 13,965 feet Atlantic Peak - 13,856 feet |
Date Posted: | 10/19/2015 |
Modified: | 07/02/2019 |
Date Climbed: | 10/16/2015 |
Author: | Mtnman200 |
Additional Members: | RandyMack |
Peak(s): |
Peak 10 - 13,641 feet Crystal Peak - 13,860 feet Pacific Peak - 13,965 feet Atlantic Peak - 13,856 feet |
Date Posted: | 10/19/2015 |
Modified: | 07/02/2019 |
Date Climbed: | 10/16/2015 |
Author: | Mtnman200 |
Additional Members: | RandyMack |
Tenmile Range Peakbagging Rampage |
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The forecast for this week was better than I'd normally expect for mid-October and was just too good to pass up. A perfect opportunity to go on a short climbing trip: "Who's with me?" My older son, Randy, only had 12 centennial peaks left after our climbs of Ice Mountain and Apostle North a few weeks ago. I told Randy we could get him down to single digits by going on a peakbagging rampage from Lower Crystal Lake near Breckenridge and asked if he was interested. This trip report tells you his answer to my question. All photos were taken by Randy Mack (except Nos. 6 and 16), and none were digitally altered or enhanced. No marmots were punted in the making of this trip report. Thursday, October 15. After narrowly escaping the afternoon rush hour traffic, Randy and I drove to Blue River (about three miles south of Breckenridge) and headed west up Spruce Creek Road until we reached Lower Crystal Lake. By the time we arrived, it was dark. The previous time I was here (1990), it was possible to drive at least part of the way to Upper Crystal Lake, but the road has since been closed at Lower Crystal Lake. We set up camp, ate dinner, and soon were asleep. Friday, October 16. We ate a quick breakfast and started hiking up the now-closed jeep road toward Upper Crystal Lake. Much of the road is now a single-track, which was fine with us. At about 12,800' on the old jeep road, we were surprised to find a cairn marking a well-used climber's trail that headed west up the slope toward Peak 10. We reached the ridge north of the Peak 10 - Crystal Peak saddle and ascended the ridge to the summit of Peak 10 (13,633'). After 10 minutes, we headed toward the Crystal - Peak 10 saddle and continued southwest along the ridge to the summit of Crystal Peak (13,852'). Winds along the ridge were around 15 - 20 mph, a bit higher than we'd expected from the forecast. No problem, as we were equipped for it... The wind had died down a bit by the time we left Crystal Peak and headed southwest along the ridge toward Pacific Peak. From the Crystal - Pacific saddle up Pacific Peak's north ridge to Pacific's summit was the most fun section of the day, though none of it was difficult. Once on the summit of Pacific Peak, we relaxed and enjoyed a much-needed and well-deserved lunch of BLT sandwiches. I think I've discovered my new favorite lunch to eat in the mountains. Re-energized by lunch, we descended to the Atlantic - Pacific saddle. We saw a climber reach the summit of Atlantic Peak (13,841') from the east, but by the time we arrived there, the climber was gone. The only other climbers we saw all day were on the summit of Quandary Peak. Now for the fun part: we have to go past Pacific Peak and Crystal Peak to get back to our campsite. Rather than reclimb Pacific Peak and Crystal Peak, we bypassed the top 30' or so of Pacific Peak by contouring around its summit to the west, and we contoured around the Crystal Peak's summit to the Crystal - Father Dyer ridge before descending directly toward the road above Upper Crystal Lake. Once at the road, we put our brains on autopilot and cruised back to our campsite, packed up, and drove home. Today's prizes: three centennial peaks and one bicentennial. That brings Randy to 91/100 centennial peaks, while I have 10 more centennials to go on my second tour of duty. We hope to bag some more peaks before winter arrives. |
Comments or Questions |
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