Mt. Democrat Trip Report 10/11/2016

Peak(s):	Mt. Democrat - 14,154 feet Mt. Cameron - 14,248 feet Mt. Lincoln - 14,293 feet Mt. Bross - 14,178 feet
Date Posted:	10/11/2016
Date Climbed:	10/10/2016
Author:	Aramis

Loops are nice. Except where they're not.
Timing: Possibly one of the last good 2016 weather windows for those of us without winter hiking gear. Aka, meet partner around 7am and TH by 9:30. Planned route: The DeCaLiBron Forecast: When I checked in the morning, forecast was still low but non-negligible chance of snow for the rest of the week, so we consulted. Some wind was expected (and they were not kidding when they said to expect wind...) Approach: Like the Grays & Torreys access, you're gonna need either 4x4 or a willingness to walk a few extra miles. At the trailhead, a Subaru Forrester was the vehicle with the least ground clearance. Thank goodness my partner wanted to drive -- our vehicles have about the same clearance, but his has 4LO and mine has RWD. The rest of the road is a little washboarded out, but it's no worse than Rampart Range Rd. Saddle (1.4 mi; ~1400 ft up): Pretty good up to the Democrat-Cameron saddle, little snow and most of that was easily avoidable. By the time we hit the saddle, holy cow, lots of wind and various parties considering bailing on the rest of the loop. Democrat (2 mi; ~2150 ft up): We crossed some snow headed up to Democrat's summit, but nothing requiring microspikes since most of it was avoidable. At the summit, more wind. Like, take panorama, oh wow my hands are going numb already. The records from KCCU show gusts in the area of up to 30 mph. Saddle again (2.7 mi): Lunch time. The rock wall makes a bit of a wind break. Soooo good to sit down for a min. Cameron (3.6 mi; ~3000 ft up): First line of snow-bearing clouds passes, we opt to keep going, what's another 900 ft of elevation between friends... The first 2/3 is definitely a grind. My partner is on his third costume change or so now, and I am amazingly glad I brought my heavy gloves this time instead of two pair light gloves like Sherman. No marker, just a cairn with some rope and a desire to keep moving because dammit there's another line of clouds dropping snow pellets and winds are gusting more often now. Should we bail, I dunno, let's get down to the saddle and review there. Lincoln (4.1 mi; ~3175 ft up): Huh? That was barely a saddle, and the clouds have moved on. Lots of snow, but it's all either trenched in or avoidable. Still haven't needed spikes yet. Bross (does it matter): Go read the stickied thread in the forum page. No ATVs or shotguns in evidence though. Descent (calves so tired): We did descend from the trail that off Bross's shoulder, below the sign that says closed. Another line of clouds brought yet more gusts and pellet snow, which was all the more beautiful for being mercifully brief. The trail itself sucks - it would really benefit from the erosion control it will probably never get despite being below the Closed sign. Yes, you'll surf some scree. Yes, you need to know how to read the ground for small asperities to step on amidst the pea gravel. Yes, you may tumble a time or two (and likely more if you aren't using trekking poles). However, is it worse than the Mt Royal trail? Not in my opinion -- the Mt Royal trail has the ball bearing gravel, as well as a good grade, nearly all the way down. Here, the scree in the gully eventually gets into larger, more stable rocks and eventually ribs of sandstone and granite eventually provide stairs and/or places to brace yourself. You probably don't want to get off trail where it crosses skiers left above the top of the gully. I missed the crossover, and it made an interesting half mile starting around mile 6 of the day. I didn't see any cairns or markings for it, but I'm used to boulder hopping from a lot of technical climbing approaches. Lots of going slow and careful, deliberate testing of foot placements before you weight them. It feels like an eternity, but really, you don't want to take the fast way down to the hospital. And seriously, trekking poles, definitely use poles. Also, they work great as braces when the wind gusts enough to almost knock you over.

Loops are nice. Except where they're not.

Timing:
Possibly one of the last good 2016 weather windows for those of us without winter hiking gear. Aka, meet partner around 7am and TH by 9:30.

Planned route:
The DeCaLiBron

Forecast:
When I checked in the morning, forecast was still low but non-negligible chance of snow for the rest of the week, so we consulted. Some wind was expected (and they were not kidding when they said to expect wind...)

Approach:
Like the Grays & Torreys access, you're gonna need either 4x4 or a willingness to walk a few extra miles. At the trailhead, a Subaru Forrester was the vehicle with the least ground clearance. Thank goodness my partner wanted to drive -- our vehicles have about the same clearance, but his has 4LO and mine has RWD. The rest of the road is a little washboarded out, but it's no worse than Rampart Range Rd.

Saddle (1.4 mi; ~1400 ft up):
Pretty good up to the Democrat-Cameron saddle, little snow and most of that was easily avoidable. By the time we hit the saddle, holy cow, lots of wind and various parties considering bailing on the rest of the loop.

Democrat (2 mi; ~2150 ft up):
We crossed some snow headed up to Democrat's summit, but nothing requiring microspikes since most of it was avoidable. At the summit, more wind. Like, take panorama, oh wow my hands are going numb already. The records from KCCU show gusts in the area of up to 30 mph.

Saddle again (2.7 mi):
Lunch time. The rock wall makes a bit of a wind break. Soooo good to sit down for a min.

Cameron (3.6 mi; ~3000 ft up):
First line of snow-bearing clouds passes, we opt to keep going, what's another 900 ft of elevation between friends... The first 2/3 is definitely a grind. My partner is on his third costume change or so now, and I am amazingly glad I brought my heavy gloves this time instead of two pair light gloves like Sherman. No marker, just a cairn with some rope and a desire to keep moving because dammit there's another line of clouds dropping snow pellets and winds are gusting more often now. Should we bail, I dunno, let's get down to the saddle and review there.

Lincoln (4.1 mi; ~3175 ft up):
Huh? That was barely a saddle, and the clouds have moved on. Lots of snow, but it's all either trenched in or avoidable. Still haven't needed spikes yet.

Bross (does it matter):
Go read the stickied thread in the forum page. No ATVs or shotguns in evidence though.

Descent (calves so tired):
We did descend from the trail that off Bross's shoulder, below the sign that says closed. Another line of clouds brought yet more gusts and pellet snow, which was all the more beautiful for being mercifully brief. The trail itself sucks - it would really benefit from the erosion control it will probably never get despite being below the Closed sign.

Yes, you'll surf some scree. Yes, you need to know how to read the ground for small asperities to step on amidst the pea gravel. Yes, you may tumble a time or two (and likely more if you aren't using trekking poles). However, is it worse than the Mt Royal trail? Not in my opinion -- the Mt Royal trail has the ball bearing gravel, as well as a good grade, nearly all the way down. Here, the scree in the gully eventually gets into larger, more stable rocks and eventually ribs of sandstone and granite eventually provide stairs and/or places to brace yourself.

You probably don't want to get off trail where it crosses skiers left above the top of the gully. I missed the crossover, and it made an interesting half mile starting around mile 6 of the day. I didn't see any cairns or markings for it, but I'm used to boulder hopping from a lot of technical climbing approaches. Lots of going slow and careful, deliberate testing of foot placements *before* you weight them. It feels like an eternity, but really, you don't want to take the fast way down to the hospital.

And seriously, trekking poles, definitely use poles. Also, they work great as braces when the wind gusts enough to almost knock you over.

Comments or Questions

Jay521

Smiles
10/11/2016 2:22pm

Didn't think I'd ever read a TR on DeCaLiBon that was fun. Until yours.

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