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Peak(s):  Mt. Princeton  -  14,200 feet
"Tigger Peak"  -  13,272 feet
Date Posted:  05/22/2006
Modified:  02/27/2007
Date Climbed:   05/21/2006
Author:  chicago transplant
 The Road Warrior   

Mt Princeton (14,197')
"Tigger Peak" (13,300')
via Mt Princeton Road (8900')
13+ Miles, Appx 5500' gain

Started out from the base of the road at 5am in the early dawn light. No need for a headlamp as the sun slowly rose over the next 45 minutes or so. The road is clear and dry all the way to the radio towers and beyond, but rather than drive up I decided to get the extra elevation gain in to help train for a Rainier trip I am on this summer. The first snow of the day appeared at 11,500' near the last switchback on the road, but on foot it was avoidable. A little farther up the large cairn indicating the Mt Princeton trail came into view and I followed the snow-free trail as it cut across the tundra into the upper bowl between Princeton and "Tigger". From here the trail cut below the slopes of "Tigger" on talus, with an occassional brief snow field. The snow was well packed down and the ice axe never left my pack. You don't even need gaitors to hike this one right now.

Image of snow condtions:

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I left the trail and hiked talus up to the ridge to Princeton's summit, from here I stayed at or near the ridge crest on broken climbers trail and talus for the approximate 800' to the summit. Hit the summit at about 8.30 am and hung out in solitude for about 20 minutes.

Conditions of summit ridge (from "Tigger"):

Image


From here I headed back down the ridge and instead of dropping back to the trail, kept on going towards the 13,300' summit of "Tigger Peak". "Tigger" only rises about 240' from the lowest connecting point with Princeton and thus is an unranked summit. It is a worthy side trip however, particularly because of its unobstructed views of Princeton and of the valley below. I could see the trailhead and my lonely car from its summit. I descend the chossy slopes back to the trail and met two other hikers on their way up. Once back on the road I met 2 more hikers who had been up Antero the day before. Everyone but me had parked at the radio towers, and on my way down I started to wish that I had too. My legs and my feet were really getting sore coming down the dusty last sections of road, but it was worth it. Hopefully all of this extra training pays off.

Summit shot of Antero and peaks south:

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Summit shot of Yale and peaks north:

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Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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