Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
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Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
We will be in Boulder the first week of August. Our plan is to do Grays and Torreys together. My wife has competed in various endurance sports. Our son is 14 and plays various sports. As a family, we are very active and fairly athletic. I have read quite a bit about Colorado's peaks and have great respect and admiration for them as a natural resource and for those who protect them. I am a little confused however, when I read posts, because I can't tell what level individuals are on. Meaning, they could be beginners like us or extreme outdoor folks. Can you help me with a few questions. To do Grays and Torreys the first week of August, what day of the week should I target (weather aside)? What is the drive time from Boulder to the trailhead? Assuming we are not acclamated to the altitude, being from Ohio, how long should we anticipate to summit Grays and then cross to Torreys? With respect for afternoon storms, what time would you suggest we try to be off the peaks? Lastly, aside from a day pack and the basics that we use for other hikes that we have done in Yellowstone or say Red Lodge,MT- water, wind layer, rain/cold layer, etc...what else should we take with us? I guess I figured we wouldn't see snow, but then again some of the posts above say there is patches snow to deal with sometimes. Thank you for helping.
Last edited by Glennriver on Sun Jul 10, 2016 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- tjmartn1
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Re: Grays and Torres basic question/advice
You do not have to be an extreme outdoor person to do Greys and Torreys. Don't get psyched out about the physical difficulty. As long as you handle the altitude okay, I'd rate it as just a moderately difficult day hike for a relatively active person.
- LetsGoMets
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Re: Grays and Torres basic question/advice
The earlier you start, the better chance you give yourself for a successful two summit day.
For the trailhead, I'd say give yourself 2 hours from Boulder to reach the trailhead. Shoot for a moving speed of 1000 feet per hour, and plan the route that way, but give yourself some buffer time (again - start early). Start earlier if the T-Storm risk is higher, so check the weather often. Always carry a rain jacket and some basic layers for your legs and upper body, depending on warm/cold you run. Again - check the weather, but rain jacket and basic layers regardless. Snow should not be an issue. If weather looks bad or you are tired, you can bail on the two peak goal on Grays, and also on the saddle between G & T.
For the trailhead, I'd say give yourself 2 hours from Boulder to reach the trailhead. Shoot for a moving speed of 1000 feet per hour, and plan the route that way, but give yourself some buffer time (again - start early). Start earlier if the T-Storm risk is higher, so check the weather often. Always carry a rain jacket and some basic layers for your legs and upper body, depending on warm/cold you run. Again - check the weather, but rain jacket and basic layers regardless. Snow should not be an issue. If weather looks bad or you are tired, you can bail on the two peak goal on Grays, and also on the saddle between G & T.
- Toastermyer
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
Any weekday will be less crowded than the weekends, when both peaks will be totally packed.
Bring a bit more water than you think you might need. Not sure if it's included in your basics, but bring and use sunscreen, it's easy to get fried at that altitude.
Almost impossible to give you a realistic time estimate, but like LetsGoMets said 1000 ft per hour is a good start. Keep in mind that you will probably start pretty fast and slow down the higher you get.
I'd get to the trailhead as early as you can. For a front range 14er I prefer to be hiking by 4 at the latest, but that's a personal preference and helps to avoid the crowds, as my work schedule doesn't permit weekday hikes.
Bring a bit more water than you think you might need. Not sure if it's included in your basics, but bring and use sunscreen, it's easy to get fried at that altitude.
Almost impossible to give you a realistic time estimate, but like LetsGoMets said 1000 ft per hour is a good start. Keep in mind that you will probably start pretty fast and slow down the higher you get.
I'd get to the trailhead as early as you can. For a front range 14er I prefer to be hiking by 4 at the latest, but that's a personal preference and helps to avoid the crowds, as my work schedule doesn't permit weekday hikes.
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
One caveat: the standard Grays trailhead road would violate some rental car agreements unless you specifically rent an offroad vehicle. There can be deep gullies and high rocks depending on how it has been since the dirt road was regraded. It destroyed my sedan muffler once.
A 14er in about the same area with a similar summit view and class one climb effort is Bierstadt. The trailhead access is completelly paved. Standard Grays trailhead is I-70 exit 221 and Bierstadt exit 228.
Have fun! You will have a great hike on either.
A 14er in about the same area with a similar summit view and class one climb effort is Bierstadt. The trailhead access is completelly paved. Standard Grays trailhead is I-70 exit 221 and Bierstadt exit 228.
Have fun! You will have a great hike on either.
- ORION
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
Great questions! Your'e already ahead of a lot of beginners by planning so far in advance.
It's hard to give complete answers to your questions, since those answers could fill up a chapter in a guidebook, so start with safety. The only overriding safety concern when climbing Grays or Torreys is getting caught above treeline in a thunderstorm. So check the forecast (the NOAA link on 14ers.com is a good place to start), and plan accordingly. A good rule of thumb is to plan to be back below treeline (that's back to your vehicle on Grays/Torreys!) by noon. A conservative estimate allows an hour for every 2 trail miles plus an additional hour for every 1000' of elevation gain. That's 7 or 8 hours for the route your planning, so Toastermyer's 4am starting time sound's pretty good. Keep in mind that very few climbers will be starting that early on these peaks, but it's erring to the safe side...that's a good thing!
Safety aside, among the many questions you'll need answers to are: Can my vehicle get to the trailhead, just how much water is enough, and who should the Broncos start at QB? Good luck!!!
It's hard to give complete answers to your questions, since those answers could fill up a chapter in a guidebook, so start with safety. The only overriding safety concern when climbing Grays or Torreys is getting caught above treeline in a thunderstorm. So check the forecast (the NOAA link on 14ers.com is a good place to start), and plan accordingly. A good rule of thumb is to plan to be back below treeline (that's back to your vehicle on Grays/Torreys!) by noon. A conservative estimate allows an hour for every 2 trail miles plus an additional hour for every 1000' of elevation gain. That's 7 or 8 hours for the route your planning, so Toastermyer's 4am starting time sound's pretty good. Keep in mind that very few climbers will be starting that early on these peaks, but it's erring to the safe side...that's a good thing!
Safety aside, among the many questions you'll need answers to are: Can my vehicle get to the trailhead, just how much water is enough, and who should the Broncos start at QB? Good luck!!!
- mnsebourn
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
I second (or third?) the concerns about the road.
Grays/Torreys is a great hike. Just did it a couple of weeks ago. But the road to the TH is awful.
It blew my mind how many small cars I saw on that road. Not only that, but many of them were hauling pretty fast!
Don't risk it. Don't take a passenger rental car up to the Grays TH. As of about two weeks ago there were DEEP ruts in that road and rocks as large as footballs.... I took a Toyota Tundra on it and took it slowly and was fine... But man was I thankful for the clearance. Bring a vehicle with decent clearance and take it slowly.
Maybe I'm just a little too cautious, but I still can't get over some of the vehicles I saw up there. Asking for trouble, or at least a few repair costs, IMO.
Grays/Torreys is a great hike. Just did it a couple of weeks ago. But the road to the TH is awful.
It blew my mind how many small cars I saw on that road. Not only that, but many of them were hauling pretty fast!
Don't risk it. Don't take a passenger rental car up to the Grays TH. As of about two weeks ago there were DEEP ruts in that road and rocks as large as footballs.... I took a Toyota Tundra on it and took it slowly and was fine... But man was I thankful for the clearance. Bring a vehicle with decent clearance and take it slowly.
Maybe I'm just a little too cautious, but I still can't get over some of the vehicles I saw up there. Asking for trouble, or at least a few repair costs, IMO.
- the toninator
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
short wheel based cars do way better on these types of roads than long 4 door sedans. You'd be surprised where you can get a 2door yaris.
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
Not to pile on, but agree about the road to the TH. When I was leaving yesterday, I followed a several mile long line of oil down the road. Turned out someone in a Grand Caravan put a hole in the oil pan... Never saw them stopped ahead of me though, so I hope it worked out alright for them. Just a reminder that the road is not to be trifled with...
- TravelingMatt
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
Thursday. That's when the unicorns come out.Glennriver wrote:what day of the week should I target (weather aside)?
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
- the toninator
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
Sunday, we do sunday's. I'll be there Sunday!!!TravelingMatt wrote:Thursday. That's when the unicorns come out.Glennriver wrote:what day of the week should I target (weather aside)?
- TravelingMatt
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Re: Grays and Torrey's basic question/advice
The Thursday ones don't barf on youthe toninator wrote:Sunday, we do sunday's. I'll be there Sunday!!!TravelingMatt wrote:Thursday. That's when the unicorns come out.Glennriver wrote:what day of the week should I target (weather aside)?
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake