Mt. Democrat Trip Report 07/09/2007

Peak(s):	Mt. Democrat - 14,154 feet Mt. Cameron - 14,248 feet Mt. Lincoln - 14,293 feet Mt. Bross - 14,178 feet
Date Posted:	07/09/2007
Modified:	07/16/2007
Date Climbed:	07/08/2007
Author:	azraelcat1976

Solo Summit
This is my first trip report, so please bear with me and my lack of details... I was supposed to do a backpacking trip with a group but everyone bailed, so I was stuck by myself. I'm incapable of getting out of bed early if I don't have anyone to meet, so I didn't make it to Kite Lake until 7:45. I drive an Oldmobile Intrigue (that I LOVE...and is not anything like my parents used to drive!) and it had no trouble making it to the parking lot. The lot was full of campers and dayhikers, some who had already set out, some who didn't until much later. There is a well-marked trail all the way up Democrat. I don't wear a watch, but I heard someone tell someone else on the summit that it was 10:22. That's the last known time I had until I got back to my car... Here's a view of Cameron and Lincoln from Democrat. Gerry Roach said there was a more direct approach up the Democrat summit than the swithbacky trail around the east side, so on the descent I chose to just shoot straight down. There were several other people with the same idea and no one seemed to have any problems. (I didn't see anyone attempting to ascend this way though.) I got down to the saddle between Democrat and Cameron and hung out for awhile watching some rather large clouds starting to roll in. Two women passed me and started up Cameron so I figured "what the hell." If it got too bad I could always turn around. The wind started to pick up, but was definitely managable. I had seen vague trail outlines up the saddle from Democrat, but very quickly lost them on the ascent. I noticed the two women above me take abrupt turns a couple of times, apparently trying to find a trail as well. I also had several people pass above me headed in the opposite direction. There is actually a trail there, but it's much more obvious from the Democrat or Cameron peaks than when you're on the mountain. I reached the summit and was pleased to see that the clouds were much less ominous. The views were absolutely gorgeous despite the increasing wind. Lincoln looked (and actually is) so close and I decided to go for it. I should mention that by this point there were still people on Democrat and Bross, but I only met up with 4 people on Cameron and they were coming back from Lincoln already. The hike over to Lincoln was easy and I was at the summit in (what felt like) no time. There was a couple just descending (the last people I would see for the day) and they said they were headed over to Bross where they were parked. The wind was still pretty bad and I knew it was getting late, so I snapped a couple of pictures and headed towards Bross. The clouds seemed to have passed over and the weather improved briefly. So much so that I stopped to put on my sunglasses and take off my jacket. Turns out, Cameron was just blocking another weather system moving in from the SW. The trail from Lincoln to Bross (there's a bypass so you don't have to re-summit Cameron) is impossible to miss and I made it to the midpoint quickly. As I came around Cameron though, the wind picked up again and I noticed the worst clouds of the day rolling in. I briefly considered turning south and heading back to my car, but I really wanted to finish out with Bross. (Did I mention I am lacking the common sense gene?) The hike up is short and easy and I hoped I could make it before a storm rolled in. I passed the couple from Lincoln and we briefly stopped to discuss the weather. They were parked maybe 100 feet from the summit and I watched them make it to their vehicle just as thunder started to rumble in the distance. They wished me luck and I hurried up to the summit. As I approached, the wind was blowing so fiercely from behind me that I didn't have to exert any effort to almost get carried up to the top. About 25 feet from the summit, it started snowing. I quickly signed the register, took a couple photos that didn't turn out, and headed off. It continued snowing for awhile and then just stopped. The skies cleared and the sun came out again. Afterwards, the hike down was beautiful and uneventful. Such is life in the mountains... I made all four summits which was my goal, (I also run marathons and have yet to have a DNF) but on the whole I would say it wasn't the smartest decision and if anyone else had been with me it never would have happened. I don't know if that makes me really lucky or really stupid. I made it back my my car just before 3:00 and headed home. On the whole I had a good day, though not sure it's one I would choose to repeat. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Solo Summit

This is my first trip report, so please bear with me and my lack of details...

I was supposed to do a backpacking trip with a group but everyone bailed, so I was stuck by myself. I'm incapable of getting out of bed early if I don't have anyone to meet, so I didn't make it to Kite Lake until 7:45. I drive an Oldmobile Intrigue (that I LOVE...and is not anything like my parents used to drive!) and it had no trouble making it to the parking lot. The lot was full of campers and dayhikers, some who had already set out, some who didn't until much later. There is a well-marked trail all the way up Democrat. I don't wear a watch, but I heard someone tell someone else on the summit that it was 10:22. That's the last known time I had until I got back to my car...

Here's a view of Cameron and Lincoln from Democrat.

Gerry Roach said there was a more direct approach up the Democrat summit than the swithbacky trail around the east side, so on the descent I chose to just shoot straight down. There were several other people with the same idea and no one seemed to have any problems. (I didn't see anyone attempting to ascend this way though.)

I got down to the saddle between Democrat and Cameron and hung out for awhile watching some rather large clouds starting to roll in. Two women passed me and started up Cameron so I figured "what the hell." If it got too bad I could always turn around. The wind started to pick up, but was definitely managable. I had seen vague trail outlines up the saddle from Democrat, but very quickly lost them on the ascent. I noticed the two women above me take abrupt turns a couple of times, apparently trying to find a trail as well. I also had several people pass above me headed in the opposite direction. There is actually a trail there, but it's much more obvious from the Democrat or Cameron peaks than when you're on the mountain. I reached the summit and was pleased to see that the clouds were much less ominous. The views were absolutely gorgeous despite the increasing wind.

Lincoln looked (and actually is) so close and I decided to go for it.

I should mention that by this point there were still people on Democrat and Bross, but I only met up with 4 people on Cameron and they were coming back from Lincoln already. The hike over to Lincoln was easy and I was at the summit in (what felt like) no time. There was a couple just descending (the last people I would see for the day) and they said they were headed over to Bross where they were parked. The wind was still pretty bad and I knew it was getting late, so I snapped a couple of pictures and headed towards Bross.

The clouds seemed to have passed over and the weather improved briefly. So much so that I stopped to put on my sunglasses and take off my jacket. Turns out, Cameron was just blocking another weather system moving in from the SW. The trail from Lincoln to Bross (there's a bypass so you don't have to re-summit Cameron) is impossible to miss and I made it to the midpoint quickly. As I came around Cameron though, the wind picked up again and I noticed the worst clouds of the day rolling in. I briefly considered turning south and heading back to my car, but I really wanted to finish out with Bross. (Did I mention I am lacking the common sense gene?) The hike up is short and easy and I hoped I could make it before a storm rolled in. I passed the couple from Lincoln and we briefly stopped to discuss the weather. They were parked maybe 100 feet from the summit and I watched them make it to their vehicle just as thunder started to rumble in the distance. They wished me luck and I hurried up to the summit. As I approached, the wind was blowing so fiercely from behind me that I didn't have to exert any effort to almost get carried up to the top. About 25 feet from the summit, it started snowing. I quickly signed the register, took a couple photos that didn't turn out, and headed off. It continued snowing for awhile and then just stopped. The skies cleared and the sun came out again. Afterwards, the hike down was beautiful and uneventful. Such is life in the mountains...

I made all four summits which was my goal, (I also run marathons and have yet to have a DNF) but on the whole I would say it wasn't the smartest decision and if anyone else had been with me it never would have happened. I don't know if that makes me really lucky or really stupid. I made it back my my car just before 3:00 and headed home. On the whole I had a good day, though not sure it's one I would choose to repeat.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

huffy13	Way to go. 1/16/2008 5:04am I‘m planning on taking my son on this hike in June. The time references you included in the report are very helpful. I know what you mean about not wanting to skip out on any of the summits, when my son and I hiked Grays/Torreys back in Sept, we had some dark clouds coming in from the NW but we felt like if we had gone through all the trouble of hiking Grays and not done Torreys, we would be cheating ourselves. But for us, just as for you, it all turned out great. Congrats and be careful out there.
cftbq	Mixed feelings 11/30/2010 5:28pm I don't want future problems any more than anyone else, but: closed, schmosed. Apparently, you saw no indications of anyone enforcing the ”closure”? As for people driving to within 100 ft. of the summit of Bross, that is ”cheating”!
azraelcat1976	trail info 11/30/2010 5:28pm Please check out Bill's announcement in 14er information/conditions. It is true that the USFS and the city of Alma in general are both sanctioning the climbs. There are truly NO fences or no tresspassing signs and nobody there enforcing any type of closure. The road has been improved and money for parking/camping is still being collected. Kinda unusual procedure for a closed area I'd say. I would never jump a fence or ignore a no tresspassing sign, but there is none of that up there. This is just my opinion, but I hope this helps some of you if you are trying to make a decision for yourself.
Matt	Gargamel is not happy 1/19/2011 3:38am He knows those peaks are closed and fears they will stay that way because the owners get peeved.
krz2fer	Cool 2/5/2011 12:22am Congrats on the quad. May try to do something later this summer. I noticed Yellowcard on your MySpace - I guess you missed their Warped Tour show then. Surely you were at about 14k feet when they were playing yesterday

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