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Trailhead: Stevens Gulch/Grays Peak
Route: South Ridge up, Southeast slopes coming down.
Length: A little over 4 miles
Vertical: About 2100 feet
Ascent Party: Solo
Doing the Kelso Ridge route up Torreys last weekend got me looking (again) at Kelso Mountain and I thought a quick climb on a Sunday during a Holiday weekend would work out great. And it did. Yeah - there is the usual conga line going up the standard Grays trail and that thins out considerably at the Kelso Ridge cutoff. But I was the only one that turned right at the saddle - everyone else taking a left to do the ridge. And that was fine by me.
Kelso can be climbed easily on its southeast slopes but I thought the south ridge looked like it would add a little spice. (Captions below photos)
First good look at the ridge A little closer - looks like fun! Looking back from the Kelso Ridge cutoff - the conga line is starting to form.
The route would likely go as a moderate class 2, however one can make it a bit spicier as I chose to do. Why go around a tower or a bump when you can go over it?
Fun More fun Even more fun Looking back from one of the towers The exposure on the south side is there but not that bad. The north side is a cliff that you will see in a later pic. Getting easier Starting to transition to a grassy slope. A look back down the ridge And another view back down from a little farther up. The standard trail visible on the left.
Once past the easy towers, it's a stroll on grass to the summit.
Cliff left, grass right. Stolling along. Looking back. Still strolling... OK - I think that is the summit cairn.
Summit shots
Maybe the best picture I've ever taken of Torreys Looking North - Note I-70 in the center. Looking East Looking South Looking west
A short 360 vid from the summit.
I chose to go down the more common ascent route on the southeast facing grassy slopes. Partway down, I met one other solo hiker who wasn't going for the summit but just wanted to take a look at Grizzly Gulch. He was the only other person I ran into since leaving the saddle at the Kelso ridge.
About 1/3 of the way down, looking back up.
And what's a summer trip report without a wildflower shot?
Thanks for taking the time to read this - and please be careful out there.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
The last two times I’ve done Torreys, I’ve thought about swinging up Kelso Mt first. May have to do that the next time around. Thanks for the inspiration!
@Doug #1 – I read some TR’s on Kelso some years back and thought that I oughta hit it someday. Wish I hadn’t waited so long as it was kinda nice to have a mountain so close to G/T all to myself. (Edwards also has that going for it.)
@Doug #2 – I have always thought Torreys is a neat looking peak. I can’t help but look at it every time I pass by the Bakerville exit on I–70. I just lucked out with the sun and the clouds with that shot.
As I recall, it was your TR that got me up Oklahoma...
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