The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

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jibler
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The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

This thread is a long time coming actually. Since 2017 - from May to December - this challenge has formed the underlying basis of all my outdoors planning. Occasionally I'll pick up two new spots per month since then - but more and more that's becoming rare.

And mind you it is a "spot" challenge - it doesn't have to be a mountaintop - but let's be real, that's usually the endgame here.

I will have to follow up with my chart showing the locations. Although some may actually private property or legally inaccessible - some greyness there - so a few will have to remain a little vague for you.

The chart does include a heinous missing month - November 2018. But I had hit up more than one new spot in September 2018 - so I have used that extra one to carry over and cover November and keep it all on track.

But having it run May to Dec. has been nice too - good to have offseason as i can get pretty obsessed with this game down the stretch.

There was actually one April to December - in 2020. I was so bored out of my mind I just hit up something local because I could.

AND - i feel like the game is drawing to a close in current form. These spots need to be cool people - not enough that it is new. And I fear I'm running low on the offseason May/December spots. (I have lived in Denver area almost my whole life - so finding anything new at all around here has been a revelation!)


SO - I am now planning on a blowout final year here - starting this month! (I would like to keep the game going - but likely will land on some kind of more limited May-October type thing?)

And I think I have my march spot pinned down already actually:


https://www.summitpost.org/turkshead-peak/584877
Last edited by jibler on Wed Mar 16, 2022 8:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
jibler
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

OK the exciting conclusion post!

Image

a few notes:

there is a minimum distance rule in effect here - a 'spot' must be at least 3 miles. Doesn't have to have lots of vertical. But it has to work you a little.

** That X in first column is my only secret here - that is a park next to Denver metro that to this day remains not that crowded and I refuse to divulge. Too precious.

But that's just one of many local spots that i opened up in this process that are now actually repeated often. Yet not Boulder. I keep meaning to get there but never do. Bear Peak to me is one of the more dramatic spots on the front range.

** Many of these have been trip reported by me.

**Fools Peak was during the big solar eclipse. The way the shadows of the leaves of the scrub trees on ridge bent with the sun was unforgettable.

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**2020 was the heartland of the 'off the books' hike - April, May and December cannot be revealed.

**Flattops was basically a scouter mission without specific wins - i meant to get trapper pk and some other bluff point but bagged neither. nevertheless busted my ass around so it counts!

**Champion was in September too - and thus helps cover the spread thru November then.

**Over time this has become a competition - trying to top previous years. 2020 nevertheless is de facto winner - not just for the bonus april the sequence of hagar > my first 14er since 2014 > taking Thunder Butte from that special east route = a finale that was just outta this world. I had the top of Missouri to myself!

**but to circle back to the "cool" factor - it is a real thing too! the place has to offer something kickass. Views or rocks or both. And that lesson was learned in hard way at of all places --- Kenny Mountain! It is alright - but compared to all the other Novembers it was the weakest (esp. vs the effort to get there do it). Excessive tree fall + compromised view at top section + oblique angle of view on indian peaks. I was trying to open up some fresh northern territories - and i stand by the effort - but i shoulda probably gone to that Twin Sisters.

and I do see a future of diminishing cool spots that i can reasonably reach from Denver in May and December. Major expeditions would have to be mounted to keep it all going. Maybe I'll dial in down a notch - who knows.

**to conclude - yes I have lived here and hiked for forever. So finding these spots was like a physical jigsaw challenge with the map. But there are wins out there still. Nice lesson.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
jibler
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

oh also - I meant to point out that the Augusts of 2018, 2020 and 2021 got crushed by smoke -

and i refuse to hike in the high country if no deep views / clear air is possible ; so I was just scrambling to lock in whatever.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
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Scott P
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by Scott P »

Cool idea. I agree that it gets harder to find new places close to home if you live there long enough.
And I fear I'm running low on the offseason May/December spots.
Is Dinosaur NM too far? It's not very close to Denver, but May is usually prime season. It has some of the coolest looking peaks in Colorado as well.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
jibler
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

Scott P wrote: Thu Mar 17, 2022 9:41 pm
And I fear I'm running low on the offseason May/December spots.
Is Dinosaur NM too far? It's not very close to Denver, but May is usually prime season. It has some of the coolest looking peaks in Colorado as well.
yes it's like you know me - I have never been out by Dinosaur. And that's not totally outside the bounds. One thing this collection of spots has been is a collection of relatively 'low hanging fruit'

and most of these are not overnight campers necessarily. in fact - there are TWO off the books camping expeditions that resulted in loses! 2017 - june - tried to hit up McCurdy but it was hot as F outside and after 10 miles i got blown out.

and then there's the misadventure on stillwater pass chronicled in a trip report - that same area was torched in the troublesome fire so no going back there.


But I'm also at a low ebb for camping - due to get back after it and this extended season will ideally make that a necessity.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

jibler wrote: Wed Mar 16, 2022 3:10 pm I am now planning on a blowout final year here - starting this month!
Bennett Mountain

Image

**yes there was a reason why the game never started until may usually. i had overly optimistic ideas about the snow levels - and had to do it real assbackwards from indian creek trailhead

**there is one other spin on the challenge this year --- New Unlistened-to Phish Jams on Every Hike!

it was very snowy and there was more private property at bottom of gulch from indian creek trailhead than anticipated. (That archery trailhead up road was snowy and muddy)
there was this stegosaurus ridge at top that i found myself crussing up - that was an unexpected little intensity to say least


Image
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
jibler
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

put April in the Big Book!


Blue Mountain - just outside Golden Gate Canyon Park

this was awesome - but also a bit more hardcore than i anticipated - very rocky ridge coming up behind the Old Quarry. About 6 miles + total i guess - but felt like more

at top westward (yes right side of pic is botched but this is best light)
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top of blue to the left - "east blue" right of that
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the keen eyed will see grays / torreys in the distance
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and let the record state - i came back down the hill and rocked out the 2nd set of the phish madison square garden show at over yonder brewing
Last edited by jibler on Fri Apr 22, 2022 7:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

also

check out this planning document about the area

https://www.jeffco.us/DocumentCenter/Vi ... eet?bidId=

the Existing Conditions chart is quite interesting

and clearly shows that Blue Mountain is in fact the one summit in that area to be actually open to public - if only by slim margin
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
jibler
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

Ute Peak today

from Acorn Creek trailhead


there has been a debate raging for days now - since i actually hiked this mtn from Ute Pass circa October 2008

is it new? does it count?


technically - i did not care for that approach from Ute pass - you dick around in the trees a lot and no views until top.

today was much better! lots of open meadows. and the twists and turns of the acorn trail are quite dramatic and awesome taboot.

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in fact - i was ready to hit up the lower point off my shoulder - call it "Ute Junior" and call it a day

but the top was looking quite impeccable today!

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almost everything that matters in northern colorado is in this picture:

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and looking south
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_____

yes i will have to find the person's name here who pointed out that current satellite photography website - because that helped me dial this one in perfectly.

not much snow on this route at all - shockingly so. yet there was snow all around - so you could be swimming if not careful.


bottom line - was it new? YES. bring on June.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

OK clocked in the June Spot - Bison Peak!!

recall that in 2016 - i camped near eagle rock with plan to take mccurdy but just laid up around that open area instead - and same routine again in 2017 only then i actually got on the trail to mccurdy from the south - too late in the day - and got too hot and bailed out.

So this time - no room for mistakes - i spent the night in the woods near the ute creek trailhead - and just got after it no questions asked.

These woods do get hot too - foothill like temps.

But this was worth it - propably one of the most epic landscapes i've ever crossed.

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Funny thing was that for being a dayhike - i was afraid i would have to skip most/all rock castles in quest to just bag the top - but i was able to navigate through the biggest one!

I call it "the Catcher's Mitt"

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there was obvious path around it - and for all i knew there was cliff on other side - but i was drawn in nevertheless

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the exit from the top of theMitt is at right here - summit is to the left:
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summit looking west - can you see eagle rock and observatory rock??
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summit to north
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some fun shots on the way down back thru Mitt and lower

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and yes i did kick new Phish this month too - the whole program is on track for 2022.

parting notes: where do people go to get water who are staying up top here? i saw a few. seemingly they'd have to descend quite a bit to find anything!


i do forsee me doing a better backpacking approach someday because it would be nice to spend more time touring around.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

the Big Wheel turns round to July again - another cog in the game

and this one landed on Buffalo Mountain - a quick getaway so as to not miss out on a big family weekend. and that plan worked great! I was back in time for dinner.

i have been going to lily pad lake since i was super young - and looking at buffalo too so this was a nice homecoming

parking be tight at lily pad now though - whoa. the bus does service it too.

i feel like i never see goats anymore - so seeing this big group up close was awesome.

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give this one a closer look - pretty whacky

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super clear horizons - which is my fav for the deep views.

summit west
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summit east
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this was more of a "pop fly" type of hike less than 3 miles but lots and lots of vertical. and that mid section on the rocks is pretty convoluted.

looking back - all my July entries have been summit county day hikes - as every summer i come out of the gate hot and go camping in june but then just take what i can get thru july

and only get itching to camp again in august only to get smoked out and have to wait for september!

there is competition between the years of this new spot challenge - and also between the months.

and the winner now for July is ---- Crystal Peak! i just loved that one - i didn't expect something like that in the 10mile range.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
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Re: The New Spot Per Month Challenge! [2017-2022]

Post by jibler »

Clocking in for August.

This chapter kind of an odd duck for me in a few ways.

A) actually had hiking companion for first one of any of these new spots. I tend to just mull them and then execute at my discretion.

But friend was up with me to see goose - this very night - in Dillon. And he was ready to get after his first 14er - but we had limited time!!

B) i had already hike cameron/lincoln/bross like 3 times - maybe even 4? Funny - each time i took a look left at that way up to democrat - and the cameron way just looked cooler and more inviting.

and it really kind of is. I actually have no regerts. I'm now calling that the CALIBRO. Did i get that first??


Either way - yes - seemed to add up for a visit back to Democrat to wrap it up. Other than Longs and Pikes - now done with the summit county'esque 14ers.

and in terms of "newness" this was is sort of a minimum qualifier - since only the democrat ridge is actually new.

But i got a bunch of s**t on my plate coming overall life-wise - so taking a bite at the apple when given seemed good.

and i liked looking back on the CALIBRO too -and it was cool cloudy weird day.

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we were there after it had been raiining for two days. it was pretty crazy - when we got there the whole flank of democrat near kite lake was a "weeping wall"

multiple springs were flowing out of the mountainside. and a good size waterfall over on bross was really going. hard to photo though.

and all day the clouds were about - not threatening other than rando little thunder rumbles

at top looking southeastern
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at top north
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nice that you can make out buffalo mtn - the previous july spot. hitting the summit classics this summer!


and yes new phish was jammed - my friend put up with the jam quest aspect.
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
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