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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.
Pennsylvania Creek TH
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.
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.
Where we crossed over
Time to camp for the evening, around 11,300 feet. Lots of moose and elk activity!
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.
Gully where we went up
Quandary in the distance
False summit
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.
Coming down from Red Mountain
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!
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.
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).
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.
Descent from Red Peak, road can be seen below
Looking back at Red Peak
The route we chose was steep, but it took us right where we wanted to be.
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.
Double rainbow (for you Kitty!)
Gpx tracks below
My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):
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...
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.
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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