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Peak(s):  Horseshoe Mountain  -  13,918 feet
Peerless Mountain  -  13,356 feet
Date Posted:  07/13/2008
Date Climbed:   07/09/2008
Author:  KevinK
 Finishing off the Mosquitos   

Horseshoe Mountain 13898 ft.
Northeast Ridge - 9.4 miles/ 2658 ft. gain



My year was off to a good start having already checked 11 peaks off of my list. However, after WSP weekend, 4th of July and a little too much party I hadn't climbed anything in two weeks and needed to ease back out into the high country. I decided to go for the easiest/closest peak I had left and invited along a few friends from work.

Early the next morning we all met up in Leadville and headed towards Fairplay and the Fourmile Creek road. Our destination for the day would be 13898 ft. Horseshoe Mountain. Though this would be my Centennial finisher for the Mosquito range I was prepared to be underwhelmed by this easy peak and hoped my friends wouldn't be too bored. As we arrived at the trailhead and set off on our hike it became quickly apparent that this would not be a problem.
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We headed up the road towards the NE ridge of Horseshoe enjoying the beautiful views and perfect weather.
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Soon we were ascending the upper ridge towads the wide summit above.
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The wind was almost still on the flattish summit and we took our time enjoying the views and checking out the old mining building up there.
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On the way down me and one of my friends tagged Peerless mountain and got a decent glissade down a soft snowfield. We regrouped and headed back towards the basin below. It was decided that we would stop at the lake to cool of the dogs and get some pictures of the amazing cirque below Horseshoe.
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Tired but happy we headed off down the trail towards home...
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Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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Comments or Questions
Jim Davies
User
More people should climb this mountain
7/14/2008 3:07pm
My wife and I were up there the following day...a far cooler mountain than Sherman, but we saw dozens of people on Sherman, nobody on Horseshoe that day. The flowers up there are pretty nice right now. Nice pictures!


SarahT
User
Nice pics...
7/14/2008 7:23pm
I especially like the one of the orange talus and purple flowers. Congrats on your Mosquito finisher Kevin!


d_baker
Congrats....
7/15/2008 2:59am
...on finishing the Mosquitos Kevin.
And nice pictures.
So...was the mining cabin on Horseshoe? I was up there on Memorial Day weekend, and I don‘t remember seeing it.
It must have been buried under snow. Maybe??


KevinK
User
Thanks
7/20/2010 2:06pm
Definitely an underrated mountain, don‘t know if I agree that more people should climb it though Jim, I hate conga lines.

Sarah, probably my favorite pic too (except for maybe the one of the dogs, they‘re so cute)

D, the cabin is about 300 feet south of the summit and not in full view. We sat there for a few minutes before I noticed it.



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