Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out...

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
    For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
User avatar
Dark Helmet
Posts: 228
Joined: 7/5/2012
14ers: 7 
13ers: 3
Trip Reports (0)
 

Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out...

Post by Dark Helmet »

I'm in Estes with the Family this week, and am VERY leery of fighting the traffic/construction on Bear Lake Road (which means no flattop/hallet, no andrews, etc)

so I'd REALLY like another Summit hike, but can't seem to find one 10-12miles R/T that actually clears 12K ft and is accessible without using the Bear Lake Road THs...


oh, and we can't get over to the west side due to weather Trail Ridge Road has been closed since we got here except for a few brief moments.



help!!!! this is my last day!
User avatar
rijaca
Posts: 3387
Joined: 7/8/2006
14ers: 58  4 
13ers: 244 1 2
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by rijaca »

Pawnee Peak or Mt Audubon in the IPW
"A couple more shots of whiskey,
the women 'round here start looking good"
User avatar
HikerGuy
Posts: 1406
Joined: 5/25/2006
14ers: 58 
13ers: 426 8
Trip Reports (9)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by HikerGuy »

St. Vrain Mountain, 12,162', outside Allenspark? Meets your elevation and summit requirements, but the hike is not that long. Trailhead is in Allenspark just south of Estes. Gerry quote, "The view from Saint Vrain Mountain's summit is stunning. Bring your camera."

Another good one that is a longer hike (14 miles) is Sawtooth Mountain, 12,304', via Buchanan Pass. The trailhead is at Camp Dick/Peaceful Valley.

Edit: Just checked Roach's IPW guide, St. Vrain Mountain is 8.6 miles, 3,225 feet, from the St. Vrain Mtn trailhead. Sawtooth Mountain is 14.4 miles and 3,560 feet.
Last edited by HikerGuy on Thu Sep 27, 2012 6:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
DanR
Posts: 107
Joined: 8/10/2010
14ers: 33 
13ers: 104
Trip Reports (4)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by DanR »

Mount Lady Washington. Close and relatively high with tremendous views.
User avatar
Dark Helmet
Posts: 228
Joined: 7/5/2012
14ers: 7 
13ers: 3
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by Dark Helmet »

DanR wrote:Mount Lady Washington. Close and relatively high with tremendous views.


I had thought about Mount Lady W... but don't have a good write-up to follow...

I was looking at Chasm Lake... which isn't a summit, but it'd be a good test for Longs, and I think my oldest could do it with me...

Pawnee and Audubon are interesting, but I don't know anything about them or how to get there... so I'll have to dig that up.

St. Vrain is intersting...
User avatar
I Man
Posts: 1028
Joined: 7/18/2011
14ers: 58  49 
13ers: 74 7
Trip Reports (30)
 
Contact:

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by I Man »

Lady Washington is a fantastic peak and very easy routefinding, though class 2 for sure. Use the Longs Peak TH and follow the well-worn trail for around 3 miles to the Chasm Lake junction, then walk up the ridge of MLW. There is some Boulder hopping near the summit and one of the best views ever from the summit. I'd do that for sure!
Last edited by I Man on Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
highpilgrim
Posts: 3186
Joined: 3/14/2008
14ers: 58 
13ers: 84 1
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by highpilgrim »

MLW is easy, impossible to lose the trail and has the most amazing views of the Diamond Face on Longs. A memorable jaunt, well worth the effot.
Call on God, but row away from the rocks.
Hunter S Thompson

Walk away from the droning and leave the hive behind.
Dick Derkase
User avatar
Dark Helmet
Posts: 228
Joined: 7/5/2012
14ers: 7 
13ers: 3
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by Dark Helmet »

highpilgrim wrote:MLW is easy, impossible to lose the trail and has the most amazing views of the Diamond Face on Longs. A memorable jaunt, well worth the effot.


so that's what, a 8-9mi roundtrip?


edit... its 11. hmmm, that might be pushing my timeframe with the fam. I can do 11, but with that much above 12, I'm concerned it would take me 7hrs to do. and I only have 5, MAYBE 6.
Last edited by Dark Helmet on Thu Sep 27, 2012 7:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
highpilgrim
Posts: 3186
Joined: 3/14/2008
14ers: 58 
13ers: 84 1
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by highpilgrim »

It's short of the Keyhole on Longs. I'd guess it's about 10 roundtrip now that I look at it. Maybe a little less, depending on how you choose to go up. There are many easy ways to the top. You can go up directly from below Granite Pass and that will save some distance although it will be steeper.

Here's lots of helpful info: http://www.13ers.com/peaks/peak.php?pea ... Washington" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Call on God, but row away from the rocks.
Hunter S Thompson

Walk away from the droning and leave the hive behind.
Dick Derkase
User avatar
Dark Helmet
Posts: 228
Joined: 7/5/2012
14ers: 7 
13ers: 3
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by Dark Helmet »

honestly... I'd do MLW if someone with a clue was going with me...

my first summit was only YESTERDAY...



maybe just go up to Chasm Lake...
PaliKona
Posts: 793
Joined: 9/24/2008
14ers: 20 
13ers: 17
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by PaliKona »

Chasm lake is great, esp. with some snow!
User avatar
madbuck
Posts: 1006
Joined: 6/16/2009
Trip Reports (6)
 
Contact:

Re: Help, need a hike for tomorrow... choices 1,2&3 are out.

Post by madbuck »

Meadow Mountain is even closer/easier than St. Vrain -- and the fall colour there this exact time last year was spectacular.

Agree that MLW is a good suggestion with easy routefinding and great views of the Diamond -- I'd actually recommend going up to the Keyhole to peak around the corner (if you're planning on Longs in the future), and then backtracking the West Ridge of MLW. The talus is more stable on that side for some reason; the views are great; and it's more fun scrambling to criss-cross on either side of the ridge (with more great views down to Chasm).

But if Chasm Lake is an option, your requirements/desires of distance/elevation/timing seem to be inconsistent :-k
...if that's the case, why not Twin Sisters? It's the classic Longs conditioning recommendation, with great views, easy routefinding, and talus-hopping/minor scrambling opportunities. For those reasons, it's a bit better prep for the eventual Longs hike, since the first 4.5M on the Keyhole/Chasm Lk route will end up painfully repetitive on your eventual future return hike on Longs. With a 6-hour window, your oldest may be able to handle it (depending mostly on desire) and may catch a bit of summit fever...(but, yeah, Chasm Lake is a fine hike and the underbrush around Jim's Grove changing colour right now should be impressive as well)

Even easier and shorter, possibly good for your oldest child (can't pass those opportunities up if they're willing): Deer Mountain or Estes Cone. Both have plenty of reports online, I'll add that Estes Cone has a little steep hike through the trees that's really straightforward but possibly a little harder to find the trail if it's covered in any snow (don't know what the snow level is right now).
Last edited by madbuck on Thu Sep 27, 2012 8:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply