Hike 1.75 miles up the Grays Peak trail (
1) to 12,200' where the trail crosses a flat, rocky area -
2. Continue on the Grays trail and, when it begins to climb off to the left, stop and look for a smaller trail to the right, near 12,300' -
3. Leave the Grays trail and follow this trail north to the base of the slope under the Torreys-Kelso saddle. Look for an old mine shack up on the slope. Hike up the trail to reach the saddle, near 12,400' -
4. Turn left and hike onto a bump (
5) to see the Kelso Ridge route -
6. It's difficult to identify all of the route features from this vantage point. Hike over to some initial rock outcroppings and pass them on the right side -
7. Next, near 12,700', stay left of the ridge crest and climb into a notch -
8. Drop a few feet and ascend the first section of Class 3 rock -
9.
Back on the ridge, the route comes back into view and may still look confusing -
10. Scramble along the ridge, drop to the right and regain the ridge near 12,900', where you can see your next obstacle - a wall of white rock -
11. Continue along the ridge and then drop right to find a dirt gully that climbs to the base of the wall. Hike up to the wall and climb it -
12 and
13. It's Class 3, but you could take a more difficult line if you like. Above the wall, turn right and gain a point above the white-rock -
14. Drop a bit to the right and ascend another point
15 and
16. Once near the top of this point (13,350'), scramble along the left side of the ridge and regain the ridge to see yet another point, at 13,700' -
17 and
18. Hike over this point and continue along the ridge -
19.
Staying on the ridge, hike higher as you approach more serious terrain
20,
21 and
22. Your next obstacle is a bump of rock which blocks easy access to the end of the ridge. Near 14,000', stay left of large, angled rocks and climb steeply up the left side of the bump -
23,
24,
25 and
26. Scramble over to the route's crux - an exposed knife-edge -
27 and
28. There's a tower of white rock on the other side of the knife. Scramble across (
29) to reach the white tower. Climb around the right side of the tower (
30), drop a bit, and turn left to climb the final, Class 2 pitch to reach the summit -
31 and
32. For the descent, it's easiest to use the standard trail.
