Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Trailhead condition requests, questions, alerts, etc.
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
jibler
Posts: 748
Joined: 6/12/2008
14ers: 13 
13ers: 41
Trip Reports (19)
 

Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by jibler »

Will be easy for me to do something new on Ind. Pass - as I've only done La Plata and stuff off the top of the pass.


Looking hard at this Lake Creek Drainage off east side of pass - heading north?


Is there anything super spectacular on west side of pass that I should consider?

Do these trailheads get jammed up with cars?

Also - any thoughts on dispersed camping? As it is - I"m thinking of doubling back by around the Elbert/Massive area into those woods?
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
User avatar
nyker
Posts: 3390
Joined: 12/5/2007
14ers: 58 
13ers: 25
Trip Reports (69)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by nyker »

Lackawanna was a fun outing and really nice views up high
User avatar
Matt
Posts: 2686
Joined: 7/26/2005
14ers: 58 
13ers: 208
Trip Reports (32)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by Matt »

There a a bunch of unofficial dispersed sites on CO 82 between the La Plata TH and where you'd start for Lackawanna, all on the south side of the road.
I don't think any are marked, but have used 3-4 different spots over the years. One area is at the end of a tiny road, ends by the creek and has numerous places to set up.

If you have not done the Geisslers yet (from Lost Man TH), I highly recommend those two + 13001 as a solid day hike. The summit of 13001 was one of my favorites.
Back on the east side, Champion + 13736 is a good combo if you aren't focused on Centennials.
There are plenty of 13er options off the Lincoln creek road, as well.
We are all greater artists than we realize -FWN
A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone. -HDT
Peak List
MtnResident
Posts: 61
Joined: 9/4/2013
14ers: 58  13 
13ers: 60
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by MtnResident »

I camped over Labor Day weekend near Graham Gulch, which is about 2 miles before the trail head for Lackawanna. It's right near the road and stream. It wasn't even full capacity over Labor day. It is a little close to Hwy 82, but with the stream so close, it wasn't too bad. I was hiking all day anyway, so was only at camp to sleep. No one drives Hwy 82 at night, so it was very quiet.

The turn off is kind of hard to find while driving, but there's a tree with a big red square painted on it that indicates the turn.

Here's the waypoint coordinates. N39.08277, W106.53897

I'd recommend the following:
Mt. Champion /UN13786 / Deer Mtn ridge
Casco, Frasco, French from the Lackawanna trailhead. The ascent to the Casco/Frasco saddle isn't all that bad. Just a little loose, but it's pretty short.
User avatar
yaktoleft13
Posts: 467
Joined: 4/17/2017
14ers: 58  15 
13ers: 403 33
Trip Reports (28)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by yaktoleft13 »

I haven't done the peaks, but from the summit of Lackawanna the ridge between UN 13202 and UN 13300 looks to be a good time. There's a couple trip reports on the site that have linkups of those peaks in conjunction with others in the area. They sit at the end of the North Lake Creek trailhead right before the first big switchback on Indy and the ridge looks awesome.
Last edited by yaktoleft13 on Tue Sep 18, 2018 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Wildernessjane
Posts: 614
Joined: 7/15/2012
14ers: 58  15  47 
13ers: 270 33 19
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by Wildernessjane »

The Geissler-Twining loop just off Indy Pass is really fun! Also, the Williams traverse is great too but it’s a quite a bit closer to Aspen.
“Climb mountains not so the world can see you, but so you can see the world.” -David McCullough?
User avatar
jibler
Posts: 748
Joined: 6/12/2008
14ers: 13 
13ers: 41
Trip Reports (19)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by jibler »

what do people think about this lincoln creek road?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84zoAWw7EOQ

( I do love these youtube videos showing what the road is like!)


i wonder if I could roll in Saturday and find open spot?

road seems generally passable on that video -- they say until you reach ghost town its OK? I cannot deal with rough roads....


thanks for insights!
Keep looking up - Jack Horkheimer
User avatar
AnnaG22
Posts: 825
Joined: 9/16/2013
14ers: 58  7  20 
13ers: 124 3 6
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by AnnaG22 »

Lincoln Creek road should be subaruable to the Grizzly Reservoir TH.
"The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need – if only we had the eyes to see." -Ed Abbey

"I get scared sometimes—lots of times—but it's not bad. You know? I feel close to myself. When I'm out there at night, I feel close to my own body, I can feel my blood moving, my skin and my fingernails, everything, it's like I'm full of electricity and I'm glowing in the dark—I'm on fire almost—I'm burning away into nothing—but it doesn't matter because I know exactly who I am." from The Things They Carried
User avatar
LURE
Posts: 1303
Joined: 6/27/2011
14ers: 35 
13ers: 11
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by LURE »

AnnaG22 wrote:Lincoln Creek road should be subaruable to the Grizzly Reservoir TH.
I like that. Subaruable. I'd change it to Subarable. Probably deserves a place in the dictionary and should be used as a qualifier on forest road signs in Colorado, along with things like "high clearance 4WD only" and the like. Since there are really only two cars that exist in Colorado. Subs and Yota's. Being the unique individuals we all are.
User avatar
AnnaG22
Posts: 825
Joined: 9/16/2013
14ers: 58  7  20 
13ers: 124 3 6
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by AnnaG22 »

Really what I should say is that as of July 2017, Lincoln creek road requires a minimum of 8.4 inches of clearance, 4 wheel drive, HIGHLY skillful driving, and a tolerance for driving on GNARLY smooth bedrock in some places.

Or, y'know...Subaruable.
"The love of wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need – if only we had the eyes to see." -Ed Abbey

"I get scared sometimes—lots of times—but it's not bad. You know? I feel close to myself. When I'm out there at night, I feel close to my own body, I can feel my blood moving, my skin and my fingernails, everything, it's like I'm full of electricity and I'm glowing in the dark—I'm on fire almost—I'm burning away into nothing—but it doesn't matter because I know exactly who I am." from The Things They Carried
User avatar
Monster5
Posts: 1776
Joined: 8/7/2009
14ers: 58  34 
13ers: 291 37
Trip Reports (28)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by Monster5 »

Agreed with 13,001 being a gem.

East side of Indy = mostly class 2 talus fests with scenic basins. I'm personally not a fan of anything near Lackawanna and Frasco as they all looks like replicas of the Sawatch 14ers. The Booby Prize area was nice and secluded.
West side of Indy = generally more scrambly and just as scenic. Perhaps my favorite area in the Sawatch. That's not saying much, but it is worthwhile. Anderson is cool, as is the short and sweet Truros group. The Twining traverse is nice, but the Geisslers are ho-hum talus.

I also enjoyed Mountain Boy and Igloo. Quick outing.

A buddy took his RAV4 up Lincoln and scraped a few times near the end.
"The road to alpine climbing is pocked and poorly marked, ending at an unexpectedly closed gate 5 miles from the trailhead." - MP user Beckerich
User avatar
SnowAlien
Posts: 1805
Joined: 11/3/2010
14ers: 58  57  58 
13ers: 697 133 15
Trip Reports (116)
 

Re: Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

Post by SnowAlien »

I got my Forester past reservoir on Lincoln creek road last September. Slow going, but not too bad for clearance. Still was a long-ish haul for Anderson, but not too far coming from Petroleum. Truros look intriguing and are right by the reservoir (haven't done them yet). The rest of the peaks on/off Indy pass are hard to visualize without snow and are only meant for skiing around Memorial Day :-D