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Gray Wolf Mountain
13,602 feet
Bi-Centennial Peak ranked at 190th position.
10.5-11 miles roundtrip
3000 feet vertical gain plus add 300 foot loss hiking down to the creek and another 300 foot regain from the creek back up to Echo Lake at 10,600 foot elevation.
I saw only a few reports on the site and none in the winter so here it is. Nice winter hike after a bonzai trip to Montana and the holidays kept me from getting out for several weeks. Approximately 7 hour's roundtrip.
Gray Wolf Mountain is in the northern end of the Mount Evans Wilderness.
Chicago Creek Route via north-east ridge - class 2 which starts at Echo Lake. Take the road from Idaho Springs or from Evergreen Parkway to the Mount Evans Road. Closed in winter and a toll road in the summer. Echo Lake sits just below the start of the Mount Evans Road.
The trail goes around the western side of the lake to a signed junction with the Chicago Lakes Trail.
Continue straight past the sign at the junction and continue along a slope above the Chicago Creek Drainage. Follow the trail as it switch-backs down to Chicago Creek. After crossing the creek on a small wooden bridge turn left and follow the road for one mile past several cabins to the Wilderness sign.
Bridge looking back.
Training a new winter resistant dog. Has to be on a leash though.
The Kelpie likes the snow today too. No wind so he is happy.
Nice sunny cold day.
Road.
Cabins.
Wilderness Sign.
This next part of the trail steepens from the gentle road and meanders into the Chicago Lakes Basin.
Trail.
The route leaves the trail after passing into an area of dead and down trees.
The route requires gaining the ridge.
The easiest way to get up it is to follow the trail until the trees thin out into an open area off to your right.
Too far up the trail.
Not a "bluebird day".
I gained the ridge by going up the slope to the right of the small cliff. This is the steepest part of the climb.
The summit is visible from low on the ridge. There are two false summits along the ridge and you lose sight of the summit.
The first false summit appears to be a steep slope that may want to avoid in depending on the snow conditions. I followed the left side of the false summit which when you get up to it does not present as much of a problem as it appears from farther down the slope.
Looking back.
The ridge is fairly gentle and the true summit is only a few minutes from the second false summit. The summit is rounded and provides a nice view of the surrounding peaks.
Mount Evans and Spalding.
Rodgers and Warren.
West.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
You certainly had a good day out in the hills. Gray Wolf is a mountain I‘ve looked at in passing but have never given it any real thought. Your Chicago Basin approach however, i find very interesting!
Nice shot of the ‘blue-bird‘ day.
Nice pictures. I really liked the one with the lone tree and the one of the bird. Looks like it was a nice trip.
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