South Elbert Trip Report 08/01/2016

Peak(s):	"South Elbert" - 14,129 feet Mt. Cosgriff - 13,588 feet
Date Posted:	08/01/2016
Modified:	07/27/2018
Date Climbed:	07/30/2016
Author:	JQDivide

Going Up the East Side
Mt. Cogriff and South Elbert Saturday, July 30, from the East Elbert TH Road. TIMES 5:42: Left camp, � mile from paved TH 6:18 125C turn off/East Elbert Rd (10,440) 6:40 "gate" private property 7:00 switchback/ravine (11,440) 7:55 Mine, end of road (8:00) (12,500) 8:48 Summit of Cosgriff (9:20) (13,588) (3 hrs, 6 minutes) 9:58 Summit South Elbert (10:15) (14,134) (4 hrs, 16 minutes w/ a 30m stop on Cosgriff) 10:50 Back on Cosgriff 11:18 Down to the Mine 11:41 switchback/ravine 11:51 "gate" private property 12:05 125C junction/East Elbert Rd/Colorado Trail Junction 12:45 Back at camp I started thinking about this hike last year when I was in the Halfmoon Creek basin on French/Casco. I thought about adding on Bullhill for a loop, but ran out of energy. When I got home I looked at the map and decided to do the Blackcloud Trail for a loop of Cosgriff, S Elbert and Bullhill. With that in mind for this weekend, we headed out to go camping on Indy Pass at our usual campground. I would walk up the rode a bit to the TH and do the hike, while my wife took the kids to the lake. By the time we arrived at the campground... it was FULL. A rarity in the years we've camped there. But, as everyone knows, more and more people are getting out. We drove by two other CGs, both full. Dispersed camping it would be. But where? I had a few ideas, and we checked the closest area, off the East Elbert TH road. We found a great spot to set up the pop-up camper with a great view of the Twin Lakes and the mountains to the west. View from camp I could see Cosgriff from our spot. Cosgriff, mine is visible as light colored spot just below the horizon and cloud on the right. So this changed my Blackcloud plans, too far to the TH without a car. When I hiked Elbert this past winter... I'll just say a friend took a wrong turn on trail 125C and we didn't see him until we got back to the cars. But, thanks to that, I had a new plan, hike up 125C until it gave out or put me in a place to hike up the East side of Cosgriff. Basically I was going in blind and being OK with having to turn back if needed. The idea of a loop was out, so Bullhill would have to wait, again. I got up and hit the 4wd road at 5:40 with Riley, the dog. Took me about 35 minutes to reach the turn off for 125C. And to my surprise it wasn't a trail. It was a 4wd road, and in really great shape. Any 4wd would be able to drive it all the way up. At this point I didn't know how far "all the way" would be. Turn off to 125C There was a thick cloud cover over the Arkansas Valley. I wasn't expecting any rain, so figured it would burn off once the sun heated the area. Clouds in the valley Clouds over Twin Lakes The road switched back and forth and by 7 a.m. I was at a spot where the road curved right next to the raven/gulch just to the south of the road, at about 11,440. I stopped and looked up. I thought about just going straight up from here. But I thought the road had provided a great route and decided to stay on it. Looking up the ravine from 11,400 An hour later I was above treeline at the end of the road where it stopped at an old mine, at about 12,500. From here went pretty much straight up, just to the left or south of the ridge that made up the basin between Cosgriff and Elbert. Above treeline and a view of Cosgriff Elbert on the right. The mine and end of road There was what kind of looked like a small saddle or low spot just to the left of what I thought would be the summit. I headed that direction which was kind of the top of the raven/gulch. In doing so, I came across several wildflowers, including some Elephant Head, which I thought was odd given the dry area. Then 10 feet up, there was a small amount of water trickling down. I'm guessing there was plenty of water earlier to provide the needed water for flowers. There was plenty for the dog to get a nice long drink. The grassy/rocky slope up to Cosgriff. I headed for the center of the image. A group of hikers going up far right. The route was a grassy slope from the mine to the summit. The slope was rocky in a few spots, and very rocky at the top. I hit the summit in less than an hour from the mine and 1,000 feet of gain. I spent 30 minutes on top getting myself and the dog a snack and taking some photos. It was awesome to be at altitude without anyone else. Riley, S Elbert and Elbert LaPlata I dropped down into the saddle between Cosgriff and South Elbert, then up and over a high point before reaching the summit 40 minutes later. I could see and hear people holler as they reached the summit of Elbert. For a brief moment I thought about doing a loop by adding Elbert, but I guessed that would add on another 2 hours to the hike. I had already told my wife I wasn't doing a third peak today, so just hung out a bit at the top. A few minutes later I saw a group of 4 coming up from Blackcloud. 4,300+ feet in 2 hr and 40 min... They were moving! It still amazes me how fast some people are in the mountains. The moved on quickly toward Elbert. I took a few more photos then headed back down. I ran into another half dozen people coming up Blackcloud. Back on Cosgriff, I didn't stay long and kept moving. A group of five hikers were coming up from the mine. They were close to the ridge, I followed my path up. I could see their Jeep Wrangler parked at the mine. When I got back to the mine I decided the quickest way down would be straight down the ravine/gulch. I thought I could easily find the road at 11,440, which I did. The ravine was a fairly easy hike down, almost stair like. I'd been on worse trails. The rocks were fairly solid in the dirt which made for quick steps. I was surprise at the amount of mine debris that found its way into the ravine. Lumber, odd metal objects, trash, etc. Broken wheel in the ravine Only took 50 minutes from Cosgriff to the road via the ravine. Once I arrived at the switchback, I followed the road down. (Knowing what I know now, I would hike up the ravine from this spot if I did it again. As long as it was dry like it was this day.) I stopped to take some flower photos on the way down. flowers in the Cosgriff saddle with S Elbert Elephant Heads Columbines on the side of Cosgriff I reached the 125c/East Elbert road junction 25 minutes later. I made another choice here... I would follow the Colorado Trail back to camp. I did this in honor of Adam W who is on the CT this summer and was in Twin Lakes vicinity this week. This area, either by the road or trail, has a wonder aspen forest with tall thick trees, really a beautiful spot. The trail was in great shape and was back at camp 40 minutes later. Apen forest from the CO Trail. From Cosgriff and from the ravine I was able to see our camping spot. And from the camping spot, it was easy to see where I had just been. The mine was easy to see, a gray/whitish triangle on a green grassy slope. Bullhill is still in need of being hiked. I would recommend Cosgriff, South Elbert and Elbert as a loop to anyone looking to hike a popular 14er and still stay away from most of the crowds. Also, recommend driving up the Elbert TH 4wd Road to the 125C junction. Elbert TH Road is in good shape. 125C doesn't have very many places to pull over or park until treeline, but still a good drivable road. CalTopo of 125C Google Image of 125C Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Going Up the East Side

Mt. Cogriff and South Elbert
Saturday, July 30, from the East Elbert TH Road.

TIMES
5:42: Left camp, � mile from paved TH
6:18 125C turn off/East Elbert Rd (10,440)
6:40 "gate" private property
7:00 switchback/ravine (11,440)
7:55 Mine, end of road (8:00) (12,500)
8:48 Summit of Cosgriff (9:20) (13,588) (3 hrs, 6 minutes)
9:58 Summit South Elbert (10:15) (14,134) (4 hrs, 16 minutes w/ a 30m stop on Cosgriff)
10:50 Back on Cosgriff
11:18 Down to the Mine
11:41 switchback/ravine
11:51 "gate" private property
12:05 125C junction/East Elbert Rd/Colorado Trail Junction
12:45 Back at camp

I started thinking about this hike last year when I was in the Halfmoon Creek basin on French/Casco. I thought about adding on Bullhill for a loop, but ran out of energy. When I got home I looked at the map and decided to do the Blackcloud Trail for a loop of Cosgriff, S Elbert and Bullhill.

With that in mind for this weekend, we headed out to go camping on Indy Pass at our usual campground. I would walk up the rode a bit to the TH and do the hike, while my wife took the kids to the lake.
By the time we arrived at the campground... it was FULL. A rarity in the years we've camped there. But, as everyone knows, more and more people are getting out. We drove by two other CGs, both full. Dispersed camping it would be. But where? I had a few ideas, and we checked the closest area, off the East Elbert TH road. We found a great spot to set up the pop-up camper with a great view of the Twin Lakes and the mountains to the west.

I could see Cosgriff from our spot.

Cosgriff, mine is visible as light colored spot just below the horizon and cloud on the right.

So this changed my Blackcloud plans, too far to the TH without a car. When I hiked Elbert this past winter... I'll just say a friend took a wrong turn on trail 125C and we didn't see him until we got back to the cars. But, thanks to that, I had a new plan, hike up 125C until it gave out or put me in a place to hike up the East side of Cosgriff. Basically I was going in blind and being OK with having to turn back if needed.

The idea of a loop was out, so Bullhill would have to wait, again.

I got up and hit the 4wd road at 5:40 with Riley, the dog. Took me about 35 minutes to reach the turn off for 125C. And to my surprise it wasn't a trail. It was a 4wd road, and in really great shape. Any 4wd would be able to drive it all the way up. At this point I didn't know how far "all the way" would be.

There was a thick cloud cover over the Arkansas Valley. I wasn't expecting any rain, so figured it would burn off once the sun heated the area.

The road switched back and forth and by 7 a.m. I was at a spot where the road curved right next to the raven/gulch just to the south of the road, at about 11,440. I stopped and looked up. I thought about just going straight up from here. But I thought the road had provided a great route and decided to stay on it.

An hour later I was above treeline at the end of the road where it stopped at an old mine, at about 12,500. From here went pretty much straight up, just to the left or south of the ridge that made up the basin between Cosgriff and Elbert.

There was what kind of looked like a small saddle or low spot just to the left of what I thought would be the summit. I headed that direction which was kind of the top of the raven/gulch. In doing so, I came across several wildflowers, including some Elephant Head, which I thought was odd given the dry area. Then 10 feet up, there was a small amount of water trickling down. I'm guessing there was plenty of water earlier to provide the needed water for flowers. There was plenty for the dog to get a nice long drink.

The grassy/rocky slope up to Cosgriff. I headed for the center of the image. A group of hikers going up far right.

The route was a grassy slope from the mine to the summit. The slope was rocky in a few spots, and very rocky at the top. I hit the summit in less than an hour from the mine and 1,000 feet of gain. I spent 30 minutes on top getting myself and the dog a snack and taking some photos.

It was awesome to be at altitude without anyone else.

I dropped down into the saddle between Cosgriff and South Elbert, then up and over a high point before reaching the summit 40 minutes later. I could see and hear people holler as they reached the summit of Elbert. For a brief moment I thought about doing a loop by adding Elbert, but I guessed that would add on another 2 hours to the hike. I had already told my wife I wasn't doing a third peak today, so just hung out a bit at the top.

A few minutes later I saw a group of 4 coming up from Blackcloud. 4,300+ feet in 2 hr and 40 min... They were moving! It still amazes me how fast some people are in the mountains. The moved on quickly toward Elbert.

I took a few more photos then headed back down. I ran into another half dozen people coming up Blackcloud. Back on Cosgriff, I didn't stay long and kept moving. A group of five hikers were coming up from the mine. They were close to the ridge, I followed my path up. I could see their Jeep Wrangler parked at the mine.

When I got back to the mine I decided the quickest way down would be straight down the ravine/gulch. I thought I could easily find the road at 11,440, which I did. The ravine was a fairly easy hike down, almost stair like. I'd been on worse trails. The rocks were fairly solid in the dirt which made for quick steps. I was surprise at the amount of mine debris that found its way into the ravine. Lumber, odd metal objects, trash, etc.

Only took 50 minutes from Cosgriff to the road via the ravine. Once I arrived at the switchback, I followed the road down. (Knowing what I know now, I would hike up the ravine from this spot if I did it again. As long as it was dry like it was this day.)
I stopped to take some flower photos on the way down.

flowers in the Cosgriff saddle with S Elbert

I reached the 125c/East Elbert road junction 25 minutes later. I made another choice here... I would follow the Colorado Trail back to camp. I did this in honor of Adam W who is on the CT this summer and was in Twin Lakes vicinity this week. This area, either by the road or trail, has a wonder aspen forest with tall thick trees, really a beautiful spot. The trail was in great shape and was back at camp 40 minutes later.

From Cosgriff and from the ravine I was able to see our camping spot. And from the camping spot, it was easy to see where I had just been. The mine was easy to see, a gray/whitish triangle on a green grassy slope.

Bullhill is still in need of being hiked.

I would recommend Cosgriff, South Elbert and Elbert as a loop to anyone looking to hike a popular 14er and still stay away from most of the crowds.
Also, recommend driving up the Elbert TH 4wd Road to the 125C junction. Elbert TH Road is in good shape.
125C doesn't have very many places to pull over or park until treeline, but still a good drivable road.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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