Looks like weather is trending the right direction (but it’s still early). The I-70 closures complicate matters. I was thinking of going through Aspen from California and doing La Plata Peak as warmup, so that will not be first on the list any longer. I will have to drive over from the South via Hwy 50.
Basically, I have these as possible day hike climbs:
A second climb of Mt Elbert from the South TH (but I plan on avoiding this area during the Aug 14-15 and 21-22 weekends due to the big races on those weekends)
La Plata from the the North
Mt Yale from Denny Creek
Mt Princeton from the radio towers
Missouri Mt from Missouri Gulch (mostly since I skipped it three years ago and I hate having failures hanging over me)
-Mt Massive via Southwest Slopes is off the list due the road closure, but who knows.
I’m planning two nights to backpack to Horn Fork Basin to climb Harvard and Columbia. If not the first hike/climb I do, it will be early in the trip as a good warmup.
After that and some of day hikes above to warm up, I’ll decide on if I’m up to do the entire Collegiate Loop. I have two resupply packages ready, just not sure where I’ll use them (will probably drop them off directly instead of shipping).
Going south on the CT from Mt Princeton area at Chalk Creek TH is my current idea. That allows me to bag Antero/Shavano/Tabeguage, then see how things go from there and either continue the loop or double-back to the TH.
A resupply at Monarch Pass would be next before the very long section Northward to Twin Lakes (resupply #2). No 14ers to day hike along the West side (not planning on a 2nd climb of Huron at this time) so should be doable in 7-8 days for me (famous (hopefully not) last words
).Starting the loop down there also gives me the option of aborting via one of the West-East trails & roads to make a smaller loop out of it. Hwy 50, 267/292, 344, 306, and 390 all seem to provide West-East shortcuts, if needed. Correct me if I’m wrong on any of those.
Any Trailhead issues for any of this that’s not covered in the trailhead reports on this site?
Any other thoughts on where else to start the Collegiate Loop if not at Chalk Creek TH?
Any water source worries along the Collegiate Loop?
