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Third time's the charm! My first 14er experience was Grays in 2008, and Torreys looked daunting. After that I spent most of my time on 12ers and 13ers with an occasional spot in a highly populated queue to look at far off mountains behind fifty other people. In September last year a couple of friends and I tried Torreys from Loveland and promptly gave up upon Grizzly D's summit. But the relative solitude was etched firmly in my mind. A standard route mass migration up Sherman last month got me thinking more about alternatives to some of the peaks I have planned. That, of course, led me to the trip report archives.
With the in-laws visiting that meant the wife wasn't going, and I wasn't about to skip a weekend hiking. Getting some others on board (mom, brother), we were looking forward to Halo Ridge on the 10th. Sadly, after three days of constant animated radar windows on the computer I decided against such a long, up and down and up, and down journey. That took Loveland-Torreys off the list as well, but I really wanted a front ranger so we could be on the trail early. BRIEFLY, the thought passed that Steven's Gulch was an easier drive than the last time I nursed the van up there. Then I remembered a trip report for both Grays and Torreys from Chihuahua Gulch and decided that would be just peachy. Crowds definitely add (subtract) something in the overall experience.
Slightly behind our ideal schedule we left Loveland at 3:30am and finally turned off Montezuma at 5:30am where there was a little white sign labeled "this is Peru Creek". Driving up was no problem, just a couple of easily navigable washouts and you're soon at the Chihuahua Trail 4WD road. This is where we parked. This is also where I learned that I don't much enjoy hiking just to get to the hiking trail...
It sucks just a bit more when a mile and a half later you see how far the goal is. (Three pic pano)...
There's a water crossing early into the road, and the easy way around is to the right and across a plank...
My phone track showed 2.68 miles of road to reach the actual trailhead. That thought would linger throughout the entire hike, but at least it's not on a ridge and it's below treeline...
From there it's just a simple walk as you follow the trail to just below Chihuahua Lake. Then it's choose your own adventure up to the Grizzly-Torreys saddle. Just as the trail started getting steeper and turning northwest towards the lake, we turned right and crossed a small rock field before gaining a faint trail nearly straight up to the saddle...
There appeared to be many different faint trails up when looking from a distance. But once you actually start the climb up Torreys, a goat track filled loose dirt drainage path emerges. The easiest way I found up this was to use the rocks immediately to the side of the dirt as wedges to push myself forward with. An "ish" look at the way we went up...
Oh yeah...
Finally, the first line of sight change since starting up from the saddle. It was a fairly tough journey just one step at a time. Looking down and breathing rhythmically made the time pass quickly...
3hrs 39min, and 7.48 miles from the parking spot... Success!
My Malamutes don't much care for long rock approaches. So they stayed home this week. Just me and the idiot Husky...
The contrast between the bottom of the gulch, the summit of Grays and the color/amount of clouds in the sky made me give up on Grays. Plus, now we can come back and go the other way...
We started down in a slight graupel/hail thing, and then had a rather nice hike down with clouds keeping the sun at bay...
Heh, that wasn't so hard...
Back on the 4WD road. Me, mom and brother (oh, and Ridik)...
Despite my VERY limited knowledge of weather and technical meteorological stuff, I felt fine with not hitting Grays as well...
The Husky and I jogged back down the last mile and got a quick rest before driving back home...
For some reason my phone thought I went back and forth part way up Grizzly D, so these numbers are no more accurate than any of my other numbers. It's "ish"...
Torreys Peak Round Trip:
15.18 miles
6hrs 11min
4,436 feet vertical gain
6:05am start time
2hrs 18min, one way drive time from Loveland
We actually saw six people on the main mountain from Chihuahua, and another eleven plus three dogs on the way down the trail from the lake. Busy day up there.
Heading over Loveland Pass, again I was reassured that heading down was the right call. Someday I'll get them both at once...
My friend and I passed you and your beautiful Husky on the way up Torreys after coming down Grizzly from Loveland Pass. I was exhausted and didn‘t make it the whole way up before the hail/thunder/lightning, but my friend did. We had to escape through the way you came and was able to get my wife to come from B‘ridge to pick us up in Keystone and get us back to the truck at the Pass.
I Knew That Avatar Looked Familiar 7/14/2010 6:18pm
That must be you guys in a couple of those pics then. Talk about putting in the extra effort. Loveland to Torreys to Chihuahua... At least you didn‘t have to redo the divide ridge going back, that looked nasty with weather. Better luck next time, to all of us.
In the trees any falling leaf or rustling branch will have him bolting off into the forest. So he's on leash 100% of the time down below. On steeper rock where I could use more predictable balance, I stuff his leash into his pack but it's still attached. That way I can grab him right quick before other people approach. I still haven't figured out why he doesn't have much interest in marmots and pica though. He just sticks close by naturally.
I just hiked Chihuahua Lakes yesterday evening with my dog and was wondering if it'd be a good way to tackle Torreys and Grays. Now I know! I will have to try it soon.
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