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Peak(s)  Red Mountain  -  13,238 feet
Red Peak  -  13,219 feet
Hoosier Ridge  -  13,362 feet
Date Posted  06/16/2020
Modified  09/06/2021
Date Climbed   06/13/2020
Author  Kitten
Additional Members   Mountain Mike
 Red Ptarmigan on Red Peak A, Plus Red Mountain C + Hoosier Ridge (via Pennsylvania Creek)   
  • Trailhead: Pennsylvania Creek (10,300 feet)
  • Roundtrip distance: 11.2 miles (gps recording)
  • Elevation at camp: 11,300 feet
  • Total elevation gain: 3,800 feet


Reason for writing this trip report: this particular route (hitting all 3 peaks from this TH) has not been described before.

After being at home (mainly riding our bikes around the area) for 3 months it was time to venture out into new territory. We chose this area and this particular route knowing it would be quiet and challenging (route finding) at the same time. We were not wrong.

So, we headed out to Breckenridge (sorry BM!). But don’t worry Breckenridgers, we never set foot in town, not even for gas, my car made it there and back in only half tank! Although I have to say we were horrified of the crowds near main street, so close together and not even caring about distancing…

We started at the Pennsylvania Creek TH, the road is passable for 4WD vehicles. We could have driven it with another vehicle, but wanted to backpack and have a leisure weekend, so we set foot on this mellow road.


20199_02
Pennsylvania Creek TH


20199_01
View looking back on road 611


After about 2 miles the road takes a sharp left, but there is an old road (now closed to traffic) following the Pennsylvania Creek. There is a faint trail and also some areas where they are trying to do restoration, so we were careful not to step on those areas.

20199_03
Old Road following Pennsylvania Creek


After about less than half a mile, a small creek comes in from the West to join Pennsylvania Creek, this is the place we chose to cross and head West through the trees.


20199_04
Where we crossed over


Time to camp for the evening, around 11,300 feet. Lots of moose and elk activity!


20199_05
Campsite


Next morning, 5am alarm and we were up hiking at 6am. We made our way through the trees to the upper North ridge of Red Mountain. From here there were several false summits till the true one finally came into view.


20199_06
Gully where we went up


20199_07
Quandary in the distance


20199_08
False summit


20199_09
True summit


Hoosier Ridge was the next objective of the day. There was a small section of snow on the way down from Red Mountain.


20199_10
Coming down from Red Mountain


20199_11
Looking back at Red Mountain


After less than one hour we made it to the top. We had lunch, the weather was still holding. We observed through our binoculars the hordes of people making it up Quandary Peak, there were at least more than 200 people there today. And we had all these summits to ourselves, not a bad choice!


20199_12
View from the summit


So, next objective, Red Peak A. A small section of snow again, but very smooth going again. Love hiking at high altitude.


20199_13
On route to Red Peak


And at the top of the Red Peak, we were greeted by a chatty red ptarmigan (no kidding, he or she was pink!), see picture below (pic does not make justice though).


20199_14
He/She looks reddish...


We chose to descent the North/East ridge since we wanted to loop back to our campsite. First we thought we would just descent the ridge to the 4WD road described in the standard route from Black Powder Pass TH (which can be seen in the picture below). Note this route does not go from Hoosier Pass! So, anyway, skipping the road, we decided to head a bit North instead (bypassing all the cliffs on the North side) into the Horseshoe Basin (lots of elk there!), what a nice place to be.


20199_15
Descent from Red Peak, road can be seen below


20199_16
Looking back at Red Peak


The route we chose was steep, but it took us right where we wanted to be.


20199_17
Descent to Horseshoe basin


Once in the basin we made our way through the trees, back to camp. Total time 7 hours (including multiple rest stops and leisure time). The rain finally came around 7pm, although it didn’t last long.


20199_18
Double rainbow (for you Kitty!)

Gpx tracks below


My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):




Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18


Comments or Questions
HikerGuy
User
Great report!
6/16/2020 6:17pm
I may consider this route now over the standard from Hooiser Pass. Miss seeing you and Mike, hope you have been well. -Troy


9patrickmurphy
User
Thanks!
6/17/2020 10:08am
I've been eyeing this route after seeing some TRs about ski descents into Horshoe basin, but looks like an excelllent summer option too! Especially with a 4WD, good to know the gate's open...


ryandegrunt
User
Track file inaccurate
9/5/2021 4:32am
I attempted this loop using the GPX file download today, 9/4/21. I did not start from Pennsylvania Creek Road as described here but instead Hoosier Pass. From the Pass, there is a semi-trail that appears and disappears and then mostly disappears before Red Peak and Red Mountain. I first summited Red Peak to which this GPX file is mostly accurate, although I do not think it was walked but instead created. From Red Peak, the author and GPX file suggest you can catch the road by descending the North/East ridge of Red Peak. This is where the GPX file is inaccurate. I could see the road (and its not where the GPX file depicts it to be) but you must descend the ravine carved by the Pennsylvania Creek then climb back up the ravine to attain the road; this road is also shown on most topo maps. You could possibly also catch the road directly coming off the NE ridge of Red Peak. I'm not sure about any of this but I'm quite certain there is no good route or path as depicted by this GPX file and description so hence caution towards using this a described/GPX file to make a possible loop. The description is also lacking.

Instead of descending Red Peak (which would have been a very long and uncertain day) I went back towards Hoosier Ridge, skirted it, and summited Red Mountain. This was a very satisfying day in itself.


Kitten
User
Track file
9/6/2021 3:44pm
Sorry my file was of not use to you, but I never attempted this route from Hoosier Pass. You should look at the standard route description that Bill wrote for that.

Maybe I was not clear on the description, but we descended a gully off the NE ridge of Red Peak, not the ridge! We came from Pennsylvania Creek, had to return there, not to the road. If you descended to the road it would be very difficult to get back to the pass I assume. I edited this part, indicating the road is used for the Black Powder Pass route description on the webpage. FYI, I used Locus Maps, I don't even know how to "create" tracks, lol.

The last part you describe is accurate, instead of descending Red Peak, you have to go back to Hoosier ridge and retrace your route back or go for Red Mountain.

Sorry you disliked my trip, there are others than found it useful. Do you research and never trust anybody's route!


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