Input on some 13ers

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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macgyver
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Input on some 13ers

Post by macgyver »

Hi - my hiking buddy and I will be heading for our annual week'o'peaks trip the first week of August. Looking for any tips or pointers the experienced may have on them. I've read Roach's book, many great trip reports and have done some extensive mapping on Caltopo (incld arial shots) for the GPS. Because reading can only prepare you so much, reaching out the the forum (Jon Frohlich & Mtnman200 have helped with some input)

Day 1, 2 - backpack in around 7 miles, camp. Hike Rio Grande Pyramid and the Window, pack out and drive to Cuba Gulch
Day 3 - Cuba Gulch > Half Peak
Day 4 - Cuba Gulch > Jones Mtn
Day 5 - From Grizzly Gulch TH, hike PT 13832 and PT 13811

If everything works out and we're feeling good, Stewart and/or Phoenix may round out the trip. Otherwise, it's a couple days worth of cold beers and gin & tonics in Salida.

Appreciate any input!
MacG
-MacG
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TravelingMatt
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Re: Input on some 13ers

Post by TravelingMatt »

832/811 are kind of boring, especially after doing RGP and Half. They're like Redcloud and Sunshine without the crowds after the turnoff.

I would have a contingency to do the nearby 13ers in combination with Half and Jones, such as Tundra Top with the former (unnamed 13450 to the east) and Niagara and American with the latter. Jones by itself doesn't sound all that ambitious given your other plans, but perhaps you want a day of relative rest.

If your vehicle can make it to Cinnamon Pass and you want another hike in that area to have in your back pocket, I suggest the Woods/13708/Animas Forks (unnamed 13722) trio. You start high and the catwalk on the way to Animas Forks is fun.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
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macgyver
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Re: Input on some 13ers

Post by macgyver »

Thanks Matt. Your suggestions look great. I'll map those out in case we get to Jones and there's a lot of quality day left. Getting back to the truck TOO early could make the following morning rough :iluvbeer:
-MacG
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Jon Frohlich
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Re: Input on some 13ers

Post by Jon Frohlich »

I can offer some more input :-D

I recall the backpack to the campsites for RGP was about 5 miles. RGP itself from camp should come out to about 7-8 miles RT. There are some campsites directly across from the trail you want to take up to RGP the next day. At least when I did it there was an old post marking the trail. It doesn't look like much at first but is a pretty good trail all the way to the slopes of RGP. I can mark some things on a map if you want. If you hike farther you can camp in the valley below the Window instead and hike RGP from there.

If you do Half from Cuba doing Tundra Top doesn't make a huge amount of sense. You can climb UN 13,164 to the southwest though if the weather is good. It only adds a few hundred more feet to your day. The weather was building on us so we skipped it.

I'd also advise doing American and Niagara. Doesn't really make your day much harder and they are really nice to do in combination.
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pak
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Re: Input on some 13ers

Post by pak »

MacG,

Assuming you are using the east slopes route to RGP from Rio Grande Reservoir, you can also camp a bit higher than the trail junction at the top of Weminuche Pass.
Follow Roach's description on p. 212. When you reach the the shoulder above the rounded ridge (11,740), continue along the trail another 300 yards (I think). As you continue, scout the area to your left, perhaps 200 feet below the trail, and you will see a small bench in a protected area. The campsite has a great view of the Rincon La Vaca:

Image

When my son-in-law and I camped here in 2012 the Little Sand fire was burning in the vicinity of Pagosa Springs and it was very hazy. In fact, the winds shifted in the middle of the night and we could smell smoke. Since we knew a fire was burning about 12 miles away, we had already scoped the ridge just to the north and above the campsite as a potential safe zone in the event the fire would move our way.
The approximate GPS coordinates for this small bench are 37.677900,-107.348021. Elevation of the bench is about 11,800. In 2012 there was also a small fresh water source near the campsite, but keep in mind that according to Roach, in a dry year it may be a challenge to find water above the 3rd stream crossing just below Weminuche Pass.
Phil
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