W0C/PR-104
10626
3232 m / 10626 ft
Sep 1, 2014
First Activation
by KX0R
Summits 10626 and nearby 10854 can be combined for an easy 12-point day. 10626 is a little more work, but not bad – old forest trails and game trails go up about 600 vertical feet to a pleasant forested summit covered with kinnikinnick plants with edible berries! The SOTA-Google maps are OK for these two peaks.
10626 Summit
To access these summits, drive to Tabernash south of Winter Park via US Highway 40. Just south of Tabernash, turn right, north, and follow marked route 84 (USFS 129) up a canyon several miles to Meadow Creek Reservoir. This area is part of the Arapaho National Recreation Area, and a fee may be required for entry and parking. There is a convenient kiosk before the dirt road climbs all the way to the reservoir.
Meadow Creek Reservoir offers fishing, dispersed camping, and access to the west side of the Indian Peaks Wilderness. It’s a nice place.
10626 Meadow Creek Lake
To climb 10626, park off the road just north of the lake outlet area . There is no marked trail up 10626, but you can see the broad, simple mountain. Head west to the hill and go up the southeast side. The route is a bit steep at first, but it gets easier as you gain altitude – there are useful game trails. Avoid the steep south, east, and northeast sides. There is a nice viewpoint up high near the east side, above some rocks and cliffs.
10626 View to the Northeast
Continue on up to the broad summit, and set up in the large, flat, forested activation zone.
10626 First Activation
There is a pile of rocks with a jar for signatures at the summit. There are nice trees for antennas – no antenna pole is needed – bring a tool to get a line up high. You will feel like you’re deep in the wilderness on this pleasant summit. It’s probably not a good VHF/UHF site because it’s west of the Divide, but signals surely will reach the towns to the west. On HF it’s as good as most any summit, and the noise level is low; the horizon is not blocked much in most directions.
10626 Activation Gear
I think you’ll find this a pleasant activation if you’re there on a good day!
See W0C/PR-095 (10854) for the report on other half of this dual activation.
73,
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
W0C/SR-040
Vasquez Peak
3938 m / 12947 ft
First Activation Aug 9, 2014
By KX0R
My first activation of Vasquez Peak was a high country adventure. The surrounding Vasquez Peak Wilderness is named for this high, prominent summit. While there is no marked trail to the mountain, the climb is not difficult.
Start by driving up I-70 west of Denver. Take the exit toward Berthoud Pass, and follow Route 40 about 6-1/2 miles up past Empire. Right before the big switchback curve below the Pass, there is a sign for the Henderson Mine – turn left on Road 202, which heads up toward Jones Pass. Drive about 1.7 miles west on 202, pass the huge Henderson Mine facility on your left, and take the right fork where the road splits off towards Jones Pass. After about half a mile, look for a trail sign marking the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) access on the right of the dirt road. Park nearby and head up the trail.
This well-built trail starts at about 10,400 feet elevation and climbs up the forested slope with several switchbacks. At about 11,300 feet the trail comes to a junction with the CDT, near where a creek comes down. Head east (right) on the CDT, cross the creek, and continue east about 500 feet or more. Head north up the obvious ridge that rises northeast of the creek. There are hints of a trail up this ridge. At about 12,000 feet, head off the ridge and traverse northwest up grassy tundra toward the 12,440 foot saddle between points near 12,880 and 12,680 feet.
Route up to Saddle East of 12880
Meadows Leading up to Saddle East of 12880
This is a beautiful alpine meadow high in the Wilderness. Hike up to the saddle, and you’re on the Continental Divide.
Vasquez and Ridge from Point 12880
Quartz Cairn on Divide near Vasquez
Climb up the moderate ridge west of the saddle, traverse north around point 12,880, and follow the easy Divide ridge from point 12,880 north about 3000 feet and up to Vasquez Peak. This is a classic alpine hike with stunning views of the Wilderness. This route was easy in August, but earlier in the summer, there might be steep snowfields – point 12,880 might be a problem.
Vasquez Peak’s summit is rocky, but it’s easy to climb.
Vasquez View South to 12880
Vasquez Summit
There is limited shelter from wind among the rocks within the activation zone. Be sure to bring a pole in order to erect a wire HF antenna. It’s a perfect HF location, but it has limited VHF/UHF coverage to the east.
Vasquez First Activation Just East of Summit
Vasquez Activation Antenna
Needless to say, this is a place to avoid in bad weather – it’s the highest summit for miles in every direction! Start early and don’t mess with Vasquez unless the weather forecast is OK.
The day I went up there, I saw no one else near the summit or on the high ridges. I did meet people on the CDT, and while I was on the air, I saw more than 50 elk in a secluded valley northeast of the summit.
It looks like Vasquez also can be climbed by following the west fork of the CDT all the way around the west side of 12,880, and then climbing about 800 vertical feet directly up to the ridge between 12,880 and Vasquez. I have not tried this route, but it might be a convenient descent route if weather threatens on the high Divide.
Vasquez is a SOTA Classic!
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
Vasquez View West to Jones Pass
Jones Pass 4WD Road from Vasquez Peak
Stanley Mountain Southwest Side
Henderson Mine Glory Hole
Larkspur Flowers along CDT
Hummingbird Moth and Larkspur near CDT
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
W0C/FR-195
Raleigh Peak
2489 m 8183 ft
First Activation
August 23, 2014
By KX0R
Raleigh Peak is a distinctive, prominent summit located among many granite formations in the South Platte Canyon area near the town of Buffalo Creek. I first saw Raleigh from Devil’s Head, and it looked mystical and strange, sitting behind Long Scraggy Peak. I had a better look from Little Scraggy Peak – I knew I had to climb it. Activating this craggy outcrop was a challenging mini-adventure. It’s close and convenient to the Denver area!
Raleigh (Front), Cathedral Spires, and Black Mountain (Rear)
The Colorado Trail provides access to the north side of the Peak. To reach the trailhead I used, start by driving up Highway 285 west of Denver to Conifer. On the south side of Conifer, look for road 97, South Foxton Road – exit right and go under Highway 285 and then southeast. Drive down 97 perhaps 7 or 8 miles to a junction with road 96 in the Canyon. Follow 96 southeast to the confluence of the North Fork and the main fork of the South Platte River. Follow the road, now 97, for about a half mile south of the bridge at the confluence; look for a large parking lot on the west side of the road. This is where the Colorado Trail descends the mountain to the east, crosses the road and the South Platte on a nice bridge, and ascends back up toward Raleigh Peak to the west. Park at the trailhead, pack plenty of water, cross the bridge over the River, hike a short distance south along the trail by the river, and then begin the steep climb up the switchbacks.
The trailhead at the River is at about 6100 feet. The climb to the Raleigh summit is over 2000 vertical feet. After the first half-mile, at an old quartz mine near 6700 feet, the trail becomes less steep, and the hike is moderate for a long way after that.
Quartz Mine along the Colorado Trail
Much of the region was burned up in the Buffalo Creek Fire. There are few live trees until you get close to the Peak, so there is little shade along the trail. This hike is best done on a cool day; you should probably go somewhere else during mid-summer. The burned landscape offers good visibility, route-finding is easy, and the views are impressive. The land is beginning to recover, and there are wildflowers among the charred logs.
East Side of Raleigh Peak
Trumpet Vine along the Trail
Long Scraggy Peak North Ridge
Follow the Colorado Trail up for about 2 miles along the north side of the ridge to about 7200 feet. There is an abandoned dirt road near the ridge-top that parallels the Colorado Trail, and this road leads to the gentle forested ridge north of Raleigh. At any convenient point, leave the Colorado Trail and follow the road up the ridge past a small quartz mine, and continue up toward the summit. The road fades away as the slope increases, but a path continues on up the north side of the Peak. If you miss this path, just head for the saddle between the Raleigh summit and the smaller peak to the east.
Old Road Leading to Raleigh Peak
North Side of Raleigh Peak
Raleigh Peak is very steep on the east, south, and west sides. The least steep approach that I found is from a point northwest of the saddle and northeast of the Peak. This approach is a steep climb up a little gully that leads up to some rocks and ledges just below the summit.
Route to the Summit
Note that the saddle between Raleigh and its sister is below 8000 feet, and the Peak is at 8183 feet. About 100 feet of the climb is a steep slope, followed by an easier route over some rounded rocks and ledges with little exposure. It is not necessary to do anything worse than class 2 and 3 scrambling to get to the Activation Zone near the peak, and exposure is minimal – unless you try some other route. The actual summit is a large boulder, at least 15 feet high, and I did not attempt to climb it.
The route that I used for the last part of the climb showed little wear from other climbers. It is possible that there are other ways up there that I did not find. With clouds gathering, I was in some hurry to activate the mountain, so I didn’t explore the top or around the sides for other routes.
There is plenty of room among the large summit outcrops to set up a comfortable activation. I set up just east of the summit, with my pole tied to a convenient tree, and I just ran my wire to another tree. The peak is so prominent that there is no point in worrying much about where to put the pole or the wire. There are many bushes and other plants, and thousands of harmless little flying insects as well. This is a weird summit for sure! It is much better for HF than for VHF/UHF, as it doesn’t have a clear view of much of the eastern Plains.
Raleigh First Activation
Raleigh Sub-Peak to the East
View East from Raleigh
Even though the summit is a relatively low SOTA peak, and the trail would be fun on a good winter day, the shadowy north side of Raleigh is probably snowy and icy in cold weather. I suspect that there are lots of ticks in the bushes in April and May. All things considered, it’s a good summit for a fall activation!
It looks like there is a western approach to Raleigh via the Colorado Trail from Deckers Road 126. This requires much less vertical ascent than the eastern route up from the River; the horizontal distance is also less. Some online accounts mention that there is private land on the east side, but it should be possible to hike on the Colorado Trail and then climb up from the north side as I did.
No matter how you do it, Raleigh Peak provides an interesting 2-point activation. It’s a great place to view the South Platte Canyon country with its numerous granite outcrops and other weird rock formations.
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
View West from Raleigh
South Platte Hotel at Confluence
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
W0C/FR-044
Green Mountain 3170 m / 10421 ft
First Activation
Sep 20, 2014
by KX0R
There are many Green Mountains in Colorado, but W0C/FR-044 is one of the best for SOTA. What it lacks in points, it makes up for in prominence and satisfaction for the successful activator. Best of all, it has reasonable access from the Denver Metro area, and it makes a nice day trip. This is a true SOTA “Classic”!
Green Mountain West Side
Start by driving up Highway 285 to Bailey, and at the bottom of Crow Hill, turn left where the road curves to the right as it enters the town. Pass the Liquor, Tobacco, and Firearms store and take Road 68 southeast. This road is paved a short distance, but after it enters the Pike National Forest, it becomes dirt. Follow 68 for several miles, up and over some large, steep hills, and through the scenic forest. Follow the signs to Wellington Lake. Road 68 forks into Road 105, which leads through some ranches to the Lake. Wellington Lake is a private resort, but it’s OK to drive past the lake on the bumpy road, in order to reach the Stoney Pass Road at the SE corner of the Lake. If you pay a fee you can camp or fish at the Lake – it is spectacular. Huge rock formations called The Castle tower above the Lake. The Castle is W0C/FR-161, and it has not been activated at this writing.
Wellington Lake and The Castle
Follow Road 105 along the shore to the T-intersection with Forest Road 543. Go straight on Forest Road 560, and continue to the far SE corner of the Lake. First ford a small creek – this pool is several inches deep, and OK to cross in a car in summer or fall, but it might be more serious during the spring runoff- or after a heavy rain. After the ford, Road 560 passes through posted private land for a short distance, and then it enters the Pike National Forest again. The road climbs steeply up to Stoney Pass, which is not as bad as it sounds. In cold weather, this north-side road may be gated or impassable due to snow and ice. Access might or might not be available from the south side of the Pass. At Stoney Pass there is parking and dispersed camping in the aspen trees. This area was minimally burned in the recent fires, so it is special – the huge burn area begins a couple of miles south of Stoney Pass.
From the pass, hike along a closed forest road that leads roughly east up to a plateau area with open pine woods. Follow the main fork of the road until it begins to descend SE, down toward a meadow area in a valley. From the apparent high point of the road, head slightly left, and follow an easy game trail east along the obvious gentle ridge, keeping Green Mountain in mind and in view, and gradually climb up a draw northeast, through open aspen forests toward the distinct south ridge of Green Mountain.
Green Mountain Hike through Aspens
I headed up the draw southwest of Green Mountain’s South Ridge, and then I went up steep slopes to the craggy ridge. Pick your way up the South Ridge through prickly bushes and over rocks and fallen trees, following game trails, and go either left or right of any problematic cliffs or large blocks – there are several.
Green Mountain Ridge Route – Typical
There is no serious climbing required, just use good judgment and look for alternatives; go back down a little, and try another route if you come up against anything worse than a bit of Class 3. The part from 10000 to 10,200 feet is the crux. Much of this route is fun, and it leads very efficiently up to the summit. It all gets better near the top. It’s all south-facing, so it looks like it would be hot in summer – be sure to carry enough water. It’s about 2000 vertical feet and about 3 miles from Stoney Pass to the top of Green Mountain.
Green Mountain and Buffalo Peak
After a small sub-peak you come to the summit. This area is forested and has limited views – but after the wide-open South Ridge, you may be happy to trade for the security and peace that exists up there. Few people climb this mountain, despite the fact that it dominates the landscape and looks really high from below.
Green Mountain Activation with Antenna in Tree
Green Mountain Activation Gear
The activation zone is large and convenient, with plenty of trees and rocks, and some shelter from wind. It looks like this summit would work for UHF/VHF as well as HF skip, since the view includes most of the South Platte Drainage, as well as the eastern Plains and some of the South Denver area. Green Mountain looks dangerous if lightning is a possibility – especially the South Ridge! Plan your trip for a good weather day to make sure that you make the best of this wonderful summit.
Green Mountain Summit
Green Mountain USGS Benchmark
When descending, try not to be too creative – there surely are many other workable routes than the South Ridge, but it would be easy to get off course in bad weather or after sunset. GPS is very useful for accurate backtracking.
Beware of hunters in the fall – there are deer and elk up here. I met some courteous bow hunters the day I climbed on September 20.
73
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
Green Mountain View NorthwestGreen Mountain Aspens
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
Buffalo Peak (Freeman Peak)
W0C/FR-032
3525 m / 11589 ft
First Activation
Oct 5, 2014
by KX0R
Buffalo Peak, also called Freeman Peak, is a broad, prominent summit in the Pike National Forest, a couple of miles south of Wellington Lake. It’s about three miles inside the Lost Peak Wilderness, and at 11,589 feet, it’s the highest point in Jefferson County. Some time ago I found that it had not yet been “activated” in the SOTA (Summits on the Air) program. Since I started climbing and activating SOTA peaks in 2013, I’ve particularly enjoyed doing “first activations” of local summits. Since the SOTA program has been going for several years, most of the easy, accessible summits have been activated many times, but there are still many peaks in our state that have never been put on the air within the SOTA program.
Buffalo Peak from Green Mountain
I decided it was time to get up there before the route was buried under snow for the winter. I had seen Buffalo first-hand when I first-activated nearby 10,421’ Green Mountain W0C/FR-044. I studied the topo map, which shows no trail up Buffalo; but a reasonable-looking ridge runs 3000 vertical feet in 3 miles up to the summit from Stoney Pass at about 8,500 feet. I knew my VW bug could do the road, although it is a “first gear grade” part of the way. Sometimes climbing a high forested ridge is not too bad – there are game trails, and the slopes are reasonable to climb in good weather. Right before I went down there, I read an online trip report by two tough young ladies who climbed Buffalo in the snow in late October 2013. They pulled it off with no map or GPS – why? – but they posted wonderful photos and clearly “aced it” – I decided to do it. The ladies warned that it was a steep “bushwhack” route most of the way. I posted my “Alert” on the SOTA page, set the alarm for early, got my stuff ready, slept, and drove to Stoney Pass.
Even though it was a perfect Indian Summer day, there was no one at the pass. I locked my GPS on, headed west, up through the easy woods, and glanced at my map as I started up the huge, steep ridge. Gradually the grade increased, and I tried to stay on the faint game trails, dodging numerous downed trees. In less than an hour my GPS said I’d gained 1000 feet.
Buffalo Peak East Slopes Route
I noticed than there were more and more aspen trees, and fewer lodgepole pines…for the next mile I climbed through endless thickets of dead and live aspens, often with so many fallen trees and dead standing trees that passage was possible only in zig-zag fashion.
Buffalo Aspen Hell
Typical Buffalo Forest Route
More Aspen Hell on Buffalo Route
I was glad that I’d left my 4-foot Black Widow fishing pole at home – I needed both hands to deal with the rocky 3-dimensional thickets I had to traverse. At about 10,200 feet the aspens were no longer a problem, and the deep forest became more open and easier to climb through; but the grade was unrelenting.
Buffalo Easy Sub-Alpine Route
At 11,000 feet everything opened up, the grade decreased, and I was cruising toward the summit. I had to bypass the south summit and then find and climb the north summit; that turned out to be easy class 3 – the route requires a scramble up about 30 feet.
Buffalo Easy Fun Summit Pitch
Then I was on top of a huge elongated orange granite ridge, and the summit rock was right there! The 360-degree view was so incredible I didn’t want to look at first! There was a notebook in a water bottle under some rocks – I opened it – the first signature was Jennifer Roach, guidebook author and wife of climber-author Gerry Roach. Only a few people had signed in 2014 – and 2013, etc. The brass USCGS primary triangulation station bench marker said “FREEMAN”, 1953. This was it! I started getting ready to “activate” SOTA W0C/FR-032.
Buffalo South Ridge and Pikes Peak
Buffalo Peak Summit – Lost Creek Wilderness
USCGS Geodetic Survey marker Freeman
Windy Peak West of Buffalo
I figured I wouldn’t need a tall pole for my antenna, because the summit is forested…but the trees on top of the exposed granite ridge-top are all small, and the good trees are over 30 feet down below. I wanted to operate from the top, because the weather was perfect. Then the answer gradually came to me in the thin air. I took my 6-foot telescoping fishing pole out of the pack – I usually bring it to throw a weight over a tree to pull up the wire – but this time I tied my antenna wire to the top of the little pole. Then I stood on a big rock, reached up as far as I could, and tied the pole into the top of the only significant dead tree near the top. I took the wire spool and moved carefully down the spectacular exposed ridge stringing out 67 feet of #24 teflon and another 20 feet of Dacron.
Buffalo Improvised Activation on Summit
Buffalo Antenna Far End
Detail of Fishing Pole DX Antenna
I found a dead tree trunk and used that for the end support. I tightened it up – it held – and then I climbed back across the rocky ridge and adjusted the feed end so I could connect the tuner. I got out my gear, connected up, got slightly comfortable, pulled out the clipboard with the log, put on the phones, plugged in the Palm Paddles, set up the ATS-3B for 15M, plugged in the battery, and immediately head loud CW signals on 21.060. I adjusted the tuner for peak noise, finished the match with the LED bridge, and got on 21.063 with 5W. I called CQ and in about a minute there was a pile! The lash-up antenna worked just fine! QSO #10 was DJ5AV Michael – 579 him, 539 me – just fine. 20M was even better than 15; after that I opened the link in the antenna, tuned up on 17M, and got a few more. At the end DJ5AV got me again on 18.093 – 569, 539. There were 32 contacts.
When I climbed down off the rocks, I found the site-built tripod that the USCGS surveyors built for their instruments back in 1953 – it was propped against the rocks, over 60 years later.
USCGS Triangulation Platform from 1953
On the way down the steep ridge, I used my GPS to backtrack, since it’s easy to get off-course going down in the thick forest, where you can’t always tell where you’re going. In a couple of hours I was back at the car; I was home in time for dinner.
Buffalo Peak was another incredible SOTA Classic!
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
KX0R with Improvised HF Antenna on Buffalo
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
W0C/FR-015
Mount Jasper
3931 m / 12923 ft
First Activation Sep 27, 2014
By KX0R
Mount Jasper is a challenging, potentially fun summit in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, high on the Divide, directly west of Boulder, Colorado. This is a wild summit with several ascent routes, and you will earn all of your 8 SOTA points if you manage to activate Jasper! I tried to activate it in 2013, and I made it to the top – but the weather looked tricky, so I descended without activating. This year I waited until a perfect day came along in late September, and I totally enjoyed activating this nice peak for the first time.
Jasper First Activation South Side
There are some resources online with climbers’ trip reports, and Jasper is detailed by Gerry Roach in his book on the Indian Peaks. Study topo maps and climbing info before attempting this peak. There are no marked trails, only paths used by climbers; sharp navigation and good off-trail hiking skills are critical. In particular there are only a few good descent routes leading down to the east. Your ascent may take longer than you expect. I have climbed Jasper several times by different routes over the years, so I knew what to expect. It’s only about 8.5 miles round trip, with about 2800 vertical feet of gain, but much of the route is in the rocks.
Man on Jasper Sub-Peak
The standard access is from the Fourth of July Trailhead, located about 7 miles up rough dirt road 111 west of the town of Eldora (not Lake Eldora) – several miles west of Nederland. On busy weekends the parking spaces fill quickly. Start up the Arapaho Pass Trail, and turn left at the sign for Diamond Lake.
Jasper Route from Arapaho Pass Trail
Hike an additional 1-1/2 miles, until the route descends and crosses the main creek down in the valley. Cross the creek on a log bridge near a waterfall, leave the Diamond Lake trail, and head up the south side of the creek on a small path. Walk about 100 yards and then hike southwest on an unmarked, spotty trail up through the woods. Try to find and use game trails that run through the sub-alpine forest wilderness. Travel up the steep slopes to treeline, and then climb up several hundred vertical feet into a large cirque – stay on the south side as you head up toward this cirque.
Route to Deep Lake and Jasper
No rock-climbing is required. This route is easiest in late summer – it holds snow very late. At about 11,400 feet, head toward the un-named lake at about 11550 feet. This lake is called Deep Lake by some. This is a very special place.
View East of Deep Lake at 11550 ft
The remains of a crashed single-engine airplane are located about 500 feet west of the lake.
Radial Airplane Engine
Crashed Airplane on Route to Jasper
From the crash site, you can see your future high above – you need to decide whether to proceed. If the weather is good and you’re enjoying the rich off-trail experience of this corner of the Indian Peaks Wilderness, by all means climb on up to the summit! On the other hand, if there is any doubt, try it again another day. From the airplane wreck, you can choose one of two viable late summer or early fall routes:
1) Jasper Northeast Ridge – this is the long rocky ridge north of the Lake. It’s mostly a class 2 walkway up the dramatic ridge-top all the way to the summit. There are only a few spots where it approaches class 3, and there are ways around anything that seems tricky. The hardest part is climbing up to the ridge from the airplane. You will see climbers’ trails heading up through the rocks. If it’s really windy, the ridge might be rough or worse. This is an exciting climb with relatively little real exposure! At the top of the ridge you must go over a false summit to climb Jasper itself.
Deep Lake and Jasper NE Ridge
OR
2) Climb the valley to Jasper’s East Ridge – this pleasant ascent goes up progressively to a saddle at about 12,500 feet on the East Ridge. It’s mostly tundra at first, and it ends up on a pretty solid talus slope below the saddle. If there’s snow it would be more serious. From the saddle, head west up a climbers’ path along the ridge, and just to the right of the ridge, and climb 300 vertical feet up dirt, rocks, and scree to the northeast sub-peak. Head SW over the rocky sub-peak and climb a short slope up Jasper.
Jasper North Slope RouteJasper East Ridge RouteJasper East Ridge Climbers
The south and west slopes of Jasper are large grassy meadows. The West Slope and the Divide spread out for miles and miles, as far as you can see. The rugged east side of the Divide lies far below in sharp contrast to the gentler, less-glaciated western slopes.
Jasper View to Upper Diamond Lake and SE Ridge
On a good day you can activate right near the summit; I set up on the south side, far enough below the summit to keep the area clear for visitors – people do travel up here, and usually you’ll meet some fellow climbers. The people I met were intrigued with the radio set-up. I used my 20-foot pole guyed to two rocks, with a 67-foot wire running down the south slope. It was a fine HF activation, with 45 contacts on 4 bands. If the summit is windy, you may have to set up in the lee of the peak – wherever you can find cover.
Jasper Activation on the Divide looking SouthJasper Activation Rig
Your best bet is to avoid this summit unless everything is just right! Bad weather up here could be deadly! This is a real mountain – don’t be fooled because it’s less than 13,000 feet high!
I suggest descending only by a route that you have previously ascended. Most of the ridges have serious problems and may be too difficult. In particular, avoid going over Mount Neva – the craggy ridge north of Neva is difficult/technical.
Jasper Route Down from Saddle
Jasper Route More Down
Iceberg Lakes and Mount Neva from Jasper
The long Southeast Ridge will work OK, provided you descend the steep north slope just southeast of Upper Diamond Lake – but the hike back to the Fourth-of-July Trailhead is much longer. Going south along the Divide from the Jasper summit is a pleasant route, but you still have to get back to your vehicle somehow. Other descents are possible, but I say again – climb it first and descend what you know! The routes described here via Deep Lake Cirque are the most efficient.
It is possible to climb Jasper via Rollins Pass – Corona Pass. If you can drive to Rollins Pass from Winter Park, on the old railroad grade, park at the pass, hike north along the Divide over several smaller peaks. It’s about 4 miles over varied alpine terrain each way. Don’t try this except early on a good day. This might be the preferred route early in the summer.
Any way you do it, activating Jasper is a SOTA Classic!
73
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
KX0R Selfie on Jasper
White Gentians on Jasper
Jasper View of Indian Peaks North
Jasper Sub-Peak and North Arapaho Summit
Jasper NE Sub-Peak on Route
Blue Gentian on Jasper
Apache and Navajo Peaks from Jasper
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
W0C/FR-087 (Bennett Mountain)
2447 m / 8045 ft
Activated Nov 8, 2014
By KX0R
Bennett Mountain eluded me the first time I tried to activate it; here’s how to find this easy SOTA peak.
Start with the SOTA web page for Bennett. Study the maps showing where Bennett is. Google maps is pretty good; the DeLorme atlas is also useful; the Garmin GPS maps are good. The online satellite image is your best resource – it clearly shows the forest roads and the final path up the mountain.
Drive southwest from Denver on Santa Fe, Highway 85, to Sedalia, and then head southwest on paved highway 67. Continue up steep Jarre Canyon, pass the marked Rampart Range Road, and drive almost 2 additional miles on winding highway 67 to a hilltop community called Moonridge. Look sharp to the northwest side of the road, find a dirt road with a sign that says “Archery Range”, and turn onto this one-lane road that looks like someone’s private driveway. This road goes up steeply and provides access to the Pike National Forest, but it’s not so marked! After passing several houses, come to a locked gate and a parking area next to the Archery Range. Park here and hike north on the closed forest road, as it climbs along a gentle forested ridge toward Bennett Mountain. Eventually you can spot the modest summit in the distance.
The road climbs up a long ridge southwest of the summit and then descends slightly while heading northeast. Continue toward Bennett – you can see the summit not far away. To climb Bennett you must leave the road where it bends sharply to the left and descends, and then follow an obvious path northeast across a meadow on the saddle, and then climb up to the broad summit ridge.
Bennett Mountain and Path to Top
There are several places to set up in the large Activation Zone. Convenient trees and some shelter from the wind are available.
Bennett Activation RigBennett Activation near Summit
This is a pleasant 2-point summit with an easy 1-1/2 mile hike, with only about 400 vertical feet of gain. Finding the forest road to the Archery Range is the key to the activation. Bennett has nice views of the surrounding terrain, including Devils Head to the south. Beware during hunting season!
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
Devils Head from BennettView West from Bennett Mountain
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
The Lawn Lake Trail is the standard approach to Hagues Peak. This trail runs from the Fall River Road all the way up the Fall River to Lawn Lake. In 1982 the old Lawn Lake Dam failed, and the Fall River flooded. Most of Lawn Lake came rapidly down the steep valley, causing a fatal flood and massive damage for miles downstream. Lawn Lake still exists, but the dam was not rebuilt, so the Lake is smaller than before the flood. It’s a beautiful place, so it’s a popular hiking and backpacking destination.
Hagues from Lawn Lake
The trail starts at 8550 feet, and it’s over 6 miles to Lawn Lake, at 11,000 feet. The trail was damaged in the September 2013 floods, so it’s rocky in spots, but it’s still a fast route up into the Mummy Range. The trail continues past Lawn Lake on the east side, and it efficiently ascends to “The Saddle” at 12,400 feet. From The Saddle it’s possible to climb Hagues Peak via the southwest ridge. This is mostly a rocks-and-blocks climb, and the crux is near the top. Depending on the amount of snow, there are several ways to access the summit from the southwest ridge – some scrambling may be required.
Fairchild, The Saddle, and Hagues
The day I climbed Hagues it was dry, sunny, and very windy; I wanted nothing to do with The Saddle and the southwest ridge! I climbed via the steep tundra slopes south of the Hagues Summit. This unmarked route leaves the main trail at about 11,700 feet, just above where another trail heads southwest toward Crystal Lake. It is possible to climb gullies and steep grassy slopes, eventually heading diagonally, northeast up the slope. The immediate goal is to reach the long saddle between Hagues and Mummy. The higher part of the route up the slopes is easier to the east, but then the trip along the saddle back toward Hagues is longer. The slopes are mostly grass toward the east, and mostly steep scree and rocks toward Hagues. There are many ways to climb, and it’s just personal preference to pick a route.
Hagues South Slopes
The route along the ridge between the Mummy-Hagues saddle and Hagues summit is mostly rocks and blocks, and it may be easier and safer to hike north of the ridge-top to avoid some of the larger blocks and occasional problems on the ridge. Eventually the ridge reaches the summit, which is a class 2 ascent if everything is dry.
Mummy and Lawn Lake from Hagues
There is a solar-powered NPS repeater on top of Hagues. This is an excellent site with coverage of a huge area, and relatively few visitors climb Hagues, so the location of this device makes good sense. It’s best not to activate close to the repeater, to avoid any possibility of interference.
NPS Repeater on Hagues
I was able to set up about 30 feet below and north of the summit in a spot where the wind was reduced. Had I not been able to do this, I’m not sure I could have done a successful activation. The wind was gusty and harsh on the summit and ridges, but it was amazing how well everything worked in the lee of the Peak! I had to securely guy my pole and use the tension on the wire to help stabilize the dancing, gyrating mast. The temperature was about 40 degrees during my activation, the sun was bright, and there was corn snow on the shady rocks.
Hagues First ActivationAntenna, Rowe Peak & Rowe Glacier
The route I took to Hagues was approximately 18 miles round trip, with 5000 feet of vertical gain. It took about five hours to hike to the summit. With a normal activation this peak requires most of the day to do. While the weather is windier and colder in late summer, there are more dry days. Hagues and Fairchild Peaks have long approaches and are difficult to activate in mid-summer, because thunderstorms often develop by mid-day, so a very early start is required to reach the summit before storm clouds gather.
The views from Hagues are some of the best in Rocky Mountain National Park. The entire Mummy Range is heavily glaciated, and it’s half a mile vertically down to Lawn Lake. Rowe Peak and Rowe Glacier to the north are a nice surprise, the Rawah Wilderness is impressive up north, and the Laramie Range is visible in Wyoming. The Plains are visible out east, from north to south, and most of the local high summits are easy to see.
View Down Hague Creek to NWView off the Back Side of HaguesView North from Hagues
Numerous SOTA peaks in the Estes Park area and elsewhere stand far below!
Bighorn Mountain from Hagues
Fairchild dominates the view south, with the summit of Ypsilon peeping over. A vast wilderness fills the space north of the Mummy Peaks. Mummy Peak stands like Hagues’ sister 1-1/2 miles to the southeast.
Hagues – Mummy Ridge
Unfortunately Mummy is not quite a SOTA peak, but Hagues and Mummy are a nice pair of high summits on the same very high ridge – they are often climbed together. It is not hard to go over Mummy on the way up or down Hagues. The south slopes of Mummy are a convenient, efficient route up or down from Mummy and Hagues. Bighorn sheep live up on these peaks.
With a base camp at Lawn Lake, it would be possible to activate Hagues or Fairchild with the same hike up to the Saddle between the two big peaks. From the camp, with a dry day, activating both peaks is possible. They are less than 2 miles apart, but the rocky route takes time.
Crystal Lake & Fairchild from Hagues
All this alpine terrain above 11,500 feet is exposed to weather, and it’s a dangerous area in stormy, windy, or cold weather – check the forecast and be prepared!
Hagues Peak is certainly challenging, and it’s a true SOTA Classic!
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
Fairchild Mountain is one of the 4000+M Peaks in the Mummy Range in the northeastern region of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a relatively easy mountain to climb, with a marked trail most of the way; however, a long, strong hike is required. Fairchild was my first 4000+M activation, but I had climbed the mountain twice previously.
Fairchild and Crystal Lake from Trail
The hike from the Lawn Lake Trailhead to Fairchild is about 9 miles each way – 18 miles round trip. The vertical gain is about 5000 vertical feet. In order to have a good chance of a successful activation, you should:
1) Choose a long summer day with dry weather predicted
2) Start early – perhaps be on the trail before dawn
3) Travel fast and light, but be prepared for alpine conditions
4) Have the required ability and conditioning
5) You’ll need most of your day – maybe more – for this classic SOTA peak
The Lawn Lake Trail is the standard approach to Fairchild. This trail climbs up the Fall River to Lawn Lake. In 1982 the old Lawn Lake Dam failed, and the Fall River flooded. Most of Lawn Lake roared down the steep valley, causing a fatal flood and massive damage for miles downstream. Lawn Lake is smaller than before the flood, but it’s a beautiful place, so it’s a popular hiking and backpacking destination.
The trail starts at 8550 feet, and it’s over 6 miles to Lawn Lake at 11,000 feet. The trail was damaged in the September 2013 floods – it’s rocky in spots – but it’s still a fast route up into the Mummy Range. The trail continues past Lawn Lake on the east side, and then it efficiently ascends north of Crystal Lake to The Saddle at 12,400 feet. From The Saddle the last mile is an alpine hike of about 1100 vertical feet up the broad northeast ridge of Fairchild, across tundra and progressively larger rocks, to the top. Early in the summer there may be snow along the route, especially above timberline; you may see bighorn sheep.
Crystal Lake below Fairchild
The Fairchild summit is almost flat – the Activation Zone is huge. There is a rock shelter at the top, and it’s a good spot to set up a pole and activate, unless there are other visitors. This mountain doesn’t get a lot of traffic, but there are usually a few climbers on summer days.
KX0R First Activation of FairchildKX0R on Fairchild
I started my hike just before 7:00 AM MDT. I was on the summit at 11:10. That was about as fast as I could go. I stayed over an hour, setting up, doing the activation, and dealing with issues. In retrospect I should have started earlier.
Large alpine rodents called marmots live on Fairchild. These aggressive animals can be a problem for a SOTA activator! Not long after I was on the air, a large marmot tried to steal my Dacron antenna line and pulled my Black Widow pole down! My radio gear went flying across the rocks! I was lucky to get back on the air and continue the activation.
Ypsilon Peak and Weather from Fairchild
The weather was nice when I started on the air, but 20 minutes into the run, a large cumulus cloud moved in from the west, and I heard hissing in the headphones. Within a minute I could hear no callers, as the corona discharge increased. There was no lightning nearby, but I had to get off the air and leave. I still managed to work 22 ops on 20M CW.
Fortunately the dark cloud passed quickly, and the long exposed trip down the ridge to the Saddle went OK, with no close lightning and only a little rain. Another storm came through as I hiked out near Lawn Lake, and there was a lot of lightning up high. It rained gently for a long time – not bad weather overall. That was a typical summer day in the Mummy Range.
Hagues Peak from FairchildCrystal Lake below FairchildView NW from Fairchild – Clark Peak in Distance
Fairchild offers a Classic SOTA Summit with a long, spectacular hike, fine views, and a high-altitude wilderness experience – as well as a great activation with special challenges.
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
Alpine Flowers below Fairchild
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
W0C/FR-072 (Mt. Olympus) 2679 M / 8808 ft
May 3rd, 2014
by KØMOS
Mount Olympus stands tall right between Big Thompson Canyon (US34) and Little Thompson Canyon (US36) on the east side of Estes Park (CO). It’s a stunning mountain even though it’s elevation is not even 9000 ft (~2800 m) – and therefore only a two pointer in the WØC association.
Mt. Olympus – 2679 m / 8808 ft
I have driven by this mountain numerous times in the past but since it is all bushwhacking to the top and only rewards two SOTA points it had lingered on my ‘to-do’ list… for way too long in turns out. The hike is prettier than expected and the summit provides some unusual views towards the continental divide and Rocky Mountain National Park. Definitely recommended – if you have the necessary route finding skills.
The approach from the south (US36) is difficult since this side belongs to the Crocker Ranch and is therefore private property. So is the actual summit (according to the USGS map) but it is possible to get into the activation zone on NF land from the north. There are no signs, barbed wire fences or any other indication that the summit is on private property. It seems that the owner does not mind hikers reaching the very top.
Trailhead: 7351 ft / 2241 m
Summit: 8808 ft / 2679 m
Elev. gain: 1575 ft / 480 m
Roundtrip: 2.1 mi / 3.4 km
Drive east from Estes Park towards Loveland on US34. After passing Lake Estes, the road goes into the Canyon. There is a little gravel pullout on your right with a NF sign, indicating that you are entering Roosevelt National Forest. That’s your best bet to leave your car.
Parking/Trailhead
Red Tape:
Keep in mind that the summit is on private property, but as mentioned above, there is no indication that the owner has any issue with you climbing to the top.
The Ascent:
The elevation profilePark at the sign
I climbed up the steep slope just behind the sign, keeping my route to the NE (downriver). I traversed numerous rock outcroppings and stayed way left of the steep couloir. Eventually the terrain became less steep and the forest opened up a bit. Plenty of rock outcroppings everywhere, giving you a chance to climb up and take a peek towards the Continental Divide. I ignored the stone cairns here and there since they they did not indicate a clear path and just followed my gut and navigational instincts.
About half way up the terrain flattens out even further, making for a nice hike through the woods. The cairns became more numerous and they seemed to lead into the right direction. I started to follow them, a wise decision since the slope became steeper and the underbrush more dense. Following the cairns led me comfortably through some really thick stuff right to the summit.
The Summit:
The Crocker Ranch below
If you look at the profile of the summit it looks as if somebody took a knife and cut off a piece at the highest point. The south face is very steep and more inclined towards rock-climbing. It allows some great views toward Estes Park, Rocky Mountain N.P and the Continental Divide as well as to the Crocker Ranch just below the rocky face.
The summit is rocky, quite small with a few ‘trees’ to tie your mast to, and a steep drop-off to the south. I was carrying a 16ft fishing pole with a linked EFHW which I wedged between the rocks at the highest point – perfect. With hardly any wind and mostly sunny skies the activation was very pleasant. The rocks even provided some nice options to sit on.
I found two historical photos taken from about the same spot. Take a closer look at the three pictures below… interesting to see the huge changes over time:
Photo taken 2014
Photo taken ~1940 // Courtesy of the OldEstes Collection – Dave and Carol Tanton
Photo taken ~1900 by Enos Mills
The Descent:
I followed the cairns on my way down. At some stage I missed some of them and just followed the general direction to the TH. I missed the car by ~50ft.
If you would like to leave questions or comments, please do so through Youtube.
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
!! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and
bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers.
Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!
