• Pike National Forest
• High altitude hike
• No marked trail to the summit
• Route follows the Continental Divide
• Fine alpine scenery
• Excellent HF site
• 2.5 miles round-trip
• ~1000 vertical feet total
Madonna Dome, East Side
Driving Directions:
• Drive west on Highway 285 and cross Kenosha Pass.
• Continue west on Highway 285 about 10 miles.
• Turn north on CR 33 and drive about ½ mile to Como.
• Pass through Como and drive up CR 33 about 9 miles to Boreas Pass at 11482 feet.
• The route follows a historic narrow gauge rail line and continues all the way across to Breckenridge.
• CR 33 is an OK unpaved road, with several rough, rocky sections, but most cars can make the trip along the railway roadbed.
• Park off the road at Boreas Pass, near the old Section House.
Madonna Dome – Section House
• This is the trailhead.
• Boreas Pass also can be reached from the north, via I-70, Highway 9, and Breckenridge.
The Hike and Climb:
• Google Maps show none of the hiking trails near Boreas Pass.
• GPS is very useful in this area.
• The hike begins just to the right of and behind the C&S rail car at the Pass.
• The route follows the Continental Divide all the way.
• Hike southwest through willows along an unmarked road through a relatively flat area.
• Follow the old road through some trees and up a large hill.
• Continue up the road and across a small summit near 12,000 feet.
• Descend southwest about 100 vertical feet to a saddle.
• There’s an old mine part way down the hill.
• Continue southwest up the next tundra ridge for about 1/3 miles and 400 vertical feet to Madonna Dome.
• A cairn with a post marks the summit.
Additional Details:
Although Madonna Dome is easily climbed from Boreas Pass, few people visit this prominent, pleasant peak.
The summit offers great views of several higher peaks and parts of South Park below. Broad Boreas Mountain stands east of the Pass, and Bald Mountain stands much higher to the north.
I set up my radio gear slightly below the summit ridge to escape the breeze. There are no trees, so I guyed my pole to some rocks. I ran the wire to the post at the summit cairn. I had a fun SOTA activation, with 37 CW contacts on four HF bands.
Madonna Dome – Summit Activation – Bald Mountain to North
Madonna Dome is a fine HF summit. It falls away in all directions, and the noise level is very low. Almost no development is visible nearby. A power line runs across the Divide on the west side, but it’s relatively quiet. This peak is likely a poor VHF/UHF summit, with coverage limited to parts of South Park and the area near Breckenridge.
Madonna Dome from Boreas Mountain
For a dual activation, consider these high summits nearby:
!! 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-172
9166
2794 m / 9166 ft
Sep 16, 2015 First Activation
Aug 9, 2016 Second Activation
By KX0R
Summit 9166 is an obscure summit near Stove Prairie, west of Fort Collins, Colorado.
Key Points:
• Roosevelt National Forest
• Access via forest road
• No marked trail
• Game trails and serious bushwhacking
• Burned by the High Park Fire in 2012
• Flood damage in 2013
• Rarely visited
• Fine HF site
• ~ 4.6 miles round-trip
• ~ 1400 vertical feet
9166 stands about 3.2 miles west of Stove Prairie. Most of the peak and the surrounding forest burned in the huge High Park Fire of 2012. The torrential rains and resulting floods of 2013 further eroded and damaged the burned area. For a long time these parts of Roosevelt National Forest were closed to recreation.
9166 East Side from Ranch
In 2015 I learned that County Road 52E, the Old Flowers Road, was open to the public; this 4WD road provides access to 9166, as well as the National Forest further west.
Driving Directions:
• From Highway 287 in Loveland, drive west on Highway 34 about 6.5 miles
• Turn north on CR 27 and continue north about 5 miles to Masonville
• Follow CR 27 Buckhorn Road northwest about 13 miles to Stove Prairie
• Stove Prairie also can be accessed via Rist Canyon Road 52E from Fort Collins
• At the crossroads by the school, turn west on 2WD Road 52E
• Follow 52E about 3 miles through private ranches to the National Forest
• Continue west up a creek on Old Flowers Road FR-152 (4WD)
• The trailhead is about 2 miles west of the National Forest gate near the top of a big, open saddle at 8420 feet.
Road Details:
Initially 52E is a good unpaved 2WD road; it runs through several beautiful private ranches – driving by is OK, but signs warn that no parking or trespassing is allowed. After about 2 miles, 52E goes up over a low pass; then it descends through another ranch, down to a small creek. The Old Flowers Road FR-152 leads west up the narrow valley and enters the National Forest. The road shrinks, becomes rougher, and starts to look and feel like a jeep road. I was able to drive my old VW bug over a mile, up to a steep section east of the trailhead. There are a few pullouts and informal campsites along the road.
9166 Old Flowers Road
Where Old Flowers Road leaves the ranch property and enters the National Forest there’s a gate. Please check with the USFS to find out if the gate’s open. It’s likely closed for most of the winter and spring.
Except near the creek, most of the forest back there is burned up. Almost all the trees are black, but most are still standing. The area is now full of weeds and other plants that came in after the fire.
The Hike:
• From the top of the pass at 8420 feet, walk west a short distance along the road to a Forest Service marker that prohibits access to motorized vehicles.
9166 Trailhead Sign
9166 Sign
• Hike south along a track into a huge meadow
• Follow a game trail along the east side of the meadow for about ¼ mile
9166 Meadow Trail
• Head east up a draw, on a good game trail, to the saddle at 8700 feet, north of 9166
9166 North Ridge Route – View North
• Hike south on rough game trails up the rocky north ridge of 9166
• The summit is only about 0.3 miles from the saddle at 8700 feet
• The ridge has plenty of thickets, deadfall, and other challenges
9166 Thicket – North Ridge
• In spots you can choose between scrambling up big rocks or bushwhacking through hells of small trees!
• The route gets much nicer near the summit
• The peak’s at the top of a large rock outcrop in a relatively flat area.
9166 Summit Outcrop
Summit Details:
The activation zone of 9166 is large, with plenty of dead trees for supporting a pole or antenna wire. The mountain has a pretty good view east to the Plains – I could see a wind farm out near the Wyoming state line. East White Pine Mountain stands higher to the southwest, but the raised horizon is no problem in that direction. HF propagation should be fine in most other directions. There’s limited VHF/UHF coverage to the east. With no development close by, the RF noise level is very low. 9166 is an excellent SOTA peak, once you get up there.
9166 SOTA Activation Aug 9, 2016
9166 SOTA Activation Gear
When I first climbed 9166 in 2015, I left FR-152 northeast of the mountain near 8000 feet and began ascending southwest up the valley there. That route was so overgrown that I climbed up to the saddle at 8700 feet on the north ridge; I continued up the ridge as described above. The route up the grassy valley northwest of the mountain is far superior to anything northeast of the peak.
When I was on 9166 in 2015, there was no evidence that anyone had visited the peak for a long time. This is probably one of the least-visited SOTA peaks near the Front Range area.
On August 9, 2016, the north ridge and the summit area were covered with millions of ripe raspberries. It was incredible – these plants flourish after a big fire!
9166 Raspberries
9166 could be combined with other SOTA peaks in the area for a dual activation:
It might be possible to hike the burned northeast ridge of East White Pine mountain to Summit 9166 and back. It’s more than 2 miles from one summit to the other. Possibly all three summits could be done in one very long day: West White Pine, East White Pine, and 9166. The access from Old Flowers Road might work as well as the washed-out Forest Road/Trail 100 from Buckhorn Road.
9166 – View to East White Pine Mountain
Don’t try this unless you’re Superman…the route requires miles of bushwhacking through burned forest.
73
George
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!
• Colorado State Forest
• Roosevelt National Forest
• Long scenic drive up Poudre Canyon
• Access via a steep, efficient trail
• No marked trail up the ridge
• Route finding required
• Nice alpine summit
• Spectacular views
• Superb HF radio site
• ~ 2.5 miles round-trip
• ~ 1550 vertical feet
• SOTA Classic!
Diamond Peaks from Table Iron
Driving Directions:
• Drive to Fort Collins, Colorado.
• Drive north on Highway 287 almost 10 miles to Ted’s Place.
• Turn west on Highway 14.
• Drive Highway 14 for about 60 miles, all the way up the Poudre Canyon, to Cameron Pass at 10,276 feet.
• Turn north into the Cameron Pass Rest Area – this is the trailhead.
• This trailhead may be very busy on summer weekends.
The Hike:
• Google Maps show few of the hiking trails or trailheads in this area.
• The trail leading up toward the Diamond Peaks isn’t an official trail.
• From the north end of the parking area, walk west a short distance and look for the trail to Diamond Peaks – there’s no sign.
• Don’t follow the larger, marked “Cameron Connection” trail.
• Follow the trail WSW up the steep hill, just south of a small creek.
• The trail ascends rapidly through the woods to a lush meadow near the creek. This is a good place to see columbines and other wildflowers in mid-summer.
North Diamond Peak Trail
North Diamond Peak – Bench near Treeline
• Follow the path to a bench just above 11,000 feet.
• Small social trails lead west up the steep slope to the long ridge between North and South Diamond Peaks.
North Diamond Peak – Trail to Saddle
• Pick your route based on the amount of snow remaining along the ridge.
• If there’s a lot of snow, or early in the season, there may be too much snow to climb up safely without proper equipment.
North Diamond Peak – Snow Bank
• An alternate route may be required, or you may choose not to ascend the peak.
• On July 29, 2016, I was able to step up through the melting snow cornice at one spot in the middle; alternate routes were visible, but they would have required more effort.
• Once above the snow, the route’s an easy stroll north along the top of the ridge to the open, grassy summit of North Diamond Peak.
North Diamond Peak Summit
• South Diamond Peak stands about 0.6 mile southeast along the lovely ridge.
North Diamond – View of East Diamond Peak
Additional Details:
This peak is probably best saved for some time between mid-July and November, unless you have the equipment and skills required to climb steep snow. This area gets heavy snowfall, and there may be avalanche danger on this route in winter. Snow-slide paths are easy to see on the satellite images!
Plenty of good spots are available for setting up SOTA radio gear along the summit ridge near the peak. The activation zone isn’t large, but there’s plenty of room to set up a pole and a decent wire antenna. A large metal pipe stands in the summit cairn, and this could be used to support a pole or a wire.
Because of wind on top, I set up slightly below the south side of the summit and enjoyed a pleasant activation in a calm, sunny spot. I guyed my pole securely, ran the 52-foot wire up to the ridge, and tied the end to some rocks. It was a compromised alpine activation – not like in many SOTA photos, with the activator sitting right on top, by an impressive antenna system – but a simple, effective, multi-band arrangement. I made 32 CW contacts on 3 HF bands.
North Diamond Peak SOTA Antenna
North Diamond Peak is a near-perfect radio summit. It falls away in all directions, and the noise level is very low. There’s almost no development nearby. This peak may be useful for VHF/UHF contacts with parts of southeast Wyoming and northeastern Colorado. It’s blocked for VHF/UHF by many peaks and ranges, but it looks right down into North Park, and it may be able to hit some spots far to the east as well.
• Spectacular views from the Activation Zone
• Beautiful alpine scenery
• Short, steep, fun hike
• Summit is on top of the Medicine Bow ridge
• Long scenic drive to the trailhead
• Superb HF radio site
North Diamond – Thunder, Lulu, East Diamond, Nokhu, Richthofen, Mahler
North Diamond isn’t for everyone. The hike’s too steep for many activators, especially because of the moderately high altitude. The exposed summit ridge is very dangerous in thunderstorm season, and it’s nothing to mess with in cold weather or high winds. This is no beginner’s SOTA peak.
However, on a nice summer day, North Diamond is truly a jewel! Save it for just the right time…
!! 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/SP-070
11356
3461 M / 11356 ft
Sep 5, 2015 First Activation
July 23, 2016 with N0TA
Peak 11356 stands north of Highway 285, a few miles east of Kenosha Pass.
Key Points:
• Pike National Forest
• Access via Hall Valley
• Hike up Burning Bear Trail
• No marked trail to the top
• Navigation and route-finding required
• Easy off-trail hike
• Seldom visited
• ~ 6.6 miles round-trip
• ~ 1700 vertical feet ascent
11356 Summit – Pikes Peak Granite?
Driving Directions:
• Drive west from Denver on Highway 285.
• Continue west past Bailey.
• About 3 miles past Grant, turn north on Hall Valley Road CR 60.
• Drive almost three miles up this 2WD dirt road to the marked trailhead for the Burning Bear Trail 601, on the east side of the road.
11356 – Burning Bear Trail 601 West Trailhead
11356 Burning Bear Trail 601 Trailhead Sign
11356 Burning Bear Trail 601 Trailhead Sign
Trail 601 runs across a saddle northwest of Peak 11356. This moderately popular hiking trail runs through Pike National Forest between Hall Valley Road 60 and Geneva Road 62 (southern part of Guanella Pass Road).
CR 60 is the west end of the Trail, and the elevation at the trailhead is about 9650 feet. Burning Bear Trail is closed to motorized vehicles, and it’s open only to horses, bicycles, and hikers. The western approach to the summit is shorter.
The east end of Trail 601 can be accessed from a trailhead along Geneva Creek, via the southern section of the recently-rebuilt Guanella Pass Scenic Byway. This paved road joins Highway 285 at Grant, west of Bailey.
The Hike:
• Trail 601 heads uphill through bristlecone pines.
• Soon it joins Lamping Creek.
• The route continues up the Creek and a tributary to a saddle at 10,750 feet.
• Most of the trail is an old road. Parts of the route are moderately steep and somewhat rocky
11356 Burning Bear Trail 601 East Side
11356 Burning Bear Trail East of Pass
• The route is efficient.
• The trail’s high point, at the saddle, is only about ¾ mile from the summit
• From the saddle, head southeast along a forested ridge
11356 Easy Off-trail Route near Pass
• Climb up the ridge about 0.6 miles to the western sub-peak at about 11,200 feet
• Continue ESE about 0.3 miles along the ridge to the SOTA peak at 11,356 feet
Details:
When I climbed 11356 in September 2015, it was a totally pleasant first activation. Perhaps this peak had not been activated previously because there’s no marked trail to the summit. Otherwise 11356 is an accessible, convenient, fun mountain to climb.
The vertical gain from the saddle to the peak is about 600 feet. Most of the off-trail route is through open sub-alpine forest, with a moderate grade up to the summit. The peak is not visible along most of the hike, but at the western sub-peak at 11,200 feet, the summit is apparent about 0.3 mile to the east. The peak is a prominent, partially-forested, granite knob. There are good views of Mount Logan W0C/FR-017, Mount Bierstadt W0C/PR-015, and Squaretop W0C/PR-018 to the east and north, as well as South Park to the southwest.
11356 View North to Square Top Mountain
11356 View of Mount Bierstadt
The rocky summit has a large SOTA Activation Zone. Some nice sheltered spots are available among the boulders. Setting up an antenna and operating out of the wind is no problem. Trees for supporting a pole or an antenna are there.
11356 KX0R SOTA Activation Sep 5, 2015
11356 KX0R SOTA Activation July 23, 2016
The site is far from development and power lines, so HF radio noise is minimal. 11356 isn’t a good VHF-UHF site, because it’s partly surrounded by higher mountains, and it’s mostly blocked from the populated areas to the east. For HF it’s almost ideal – no close mountains significantly block skip signals. Few people visit 11356, so there’s no need to set up away from the peak.
The summit looks like it could be activated even when there’s snow on the trail. If Hall Valley Road is open to the trailhead, a winter activation using snowshoes or skis might be practical.
73
George
KX0R
11356 – Trail 601 Bristlecone Pine
!! 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!
• Start at Garden Drive, at the northwest corner of Garden of the Gods Park, north of Highway 24 in Colorado Springs.
• The bumpy, heavily-used gravel road FR 300 ascends the range via numerous switchbacks.
• FR 300 then leads northwest along the Rampart Range.
• After ascending for several winding miles, the road levels off somewhat.
• It continues north along the ridge at about 9200 feet.
• About 1-1/4 miles north of the turn to Eagle Lake, marked FR 303 heads .northeast at an intersection at about 9320 feet.
• FR 303 is a good 2WD dirt road.
• Follow FR 303 for about ¾ mile to a fork.
• Turn right on FR 302 and follow it southeast toward Ormes Peak.
Woodland Park Access:
• From Highway 24 at Woodland Park, turn north on Baldwin Street at a stop light at the east side of town.
• This becomes Road 22 and is called “Rampart Range Road” locally.
• Follow this paved road about 3 miles, northeast and then east, up into a canyon.
• Loy Creek Road forks off to the right.
• Follow Loy Creek Road about one mile up to the actual Rampart Range Road FR 300.
• Turn right, south, on the Rampart Range Road FR 300.
• Follow FR 300 for about 6 miles, well past the marked road to Rampart Range Reservoir.
• Marked FR 303 heads northeast at an intersection at about 9320 feet
• FR 303 is a good 2WD dirt road.
• Follow FR 303 about ¾ mile to a fork.
• Turn right on FR 302 and follow it southeast toward Ormes Peak.
Ormes Peak – FR 302 Signs
Ormes Peak – FR 302 Signs
Regardless of how you drive there:
• Follow Road 303 and then FR 302 up over a little hill and down a gully toward Ormes Peak, which is visible to the east.
• If this road is wet or snowy, 4WD may be required. The section where the road leads down has bad drainage and can become muddy.
• If the road is muddy or snowy, it may still provide a good hiking route to Ormes – the distance is only about a mile from the 2WD section of the road to the south side of Ormes.
• If the FR 302 is dry, it may be passable in cars with adequate clearance.
Ormes Peak – FR 302 Bad Section
Note: in May of 2016 the muddy spot had an official “Road Closed” sign, but a few people were driving 4WD vehicles through the mud or around it. If the road is closed, park back up at the top of the hill west of the closure and hike in.
• FR 302 is good east of the muddy section – it contours around the southwest, south, and east sides of the mountain.
Ormes Peak Summit from FR 302
• Follow this FR 302 to a point about 0.3 mile southwest of the summit
• Find a small side road leading north up into the woods on the left (north) side of FR 302.
• This is the only such road on this side of the peak.
• The only marking is a small sign with a letter “P”, indicating that it’s OK to park there.
• Follow the little side road up to a large campsite on a low ridge.
• Continue east along the ridge to a second campsite; then follow a faint social trail east up the hill toward the summit.
• This trail gradually gets steeper as it ascends.
• Occasional cairns mark the route as it approaches and climbs the southwest side of the peak.
Ormes Peak – South Side Trail near Summit
• The path leads north up a sloping ramp through some rocks to the top.
• The actual summit is a short distance up to the north.
• This route measures about 0.4 miles, with about 375 vertical feet of gain, from FR 302 to the summit.
Ormes Peak Summit
There’s also an OK route up the moderate southeast ridge of Ormes.
• There’s a large marked parking spot where the road bends sharply around the southeast ridge toward the east side.
• Hike northeast along the partially-burned ridge toward the summit.
• There’s no marked trail, but game trails lead through the open forest.
• The south ridge is rocky near the top.
• Skirt around the outcrops as required.
• Near the top, hike along the west side of the ridge.
• A small trail is marked with cairns (see above).
• The path leads north up a sloping ramp through some rocks to the peak.
• The actual summit is a short distance up to the north.
• This route to the top is about 2/3 mile from the road, with a vertical gain of about 350 feet.
The top of Ormes Peak is mostly open, with fine views in several directions. Pikes Peak stands high to the south, Devils Head is up north, and Mount Herman rises northeast above the Plains. Thunder Butte W0C/FR-048 is lined up with nearby Rampart Range Reservoir and some alpine peaks on the other side of South Park, way out to the northwest. Some of the Collegiate Peaks, including Mount Princeton, are visible on the horizon. Huge burned areas stand dead, killed by the Waldo Canyon Fire southeast of the peak.
Ormes Peak – View West
Ormes Peak – View of Pikes Peak
The SOTA Activation Zone is large; there are useful trees and many bushes. I found a pleasant spot to set up my gear southeast of the peak. Setting up on top would be OK if the weather’s ideal.
Ormes Peak – KX0R SOTA Activation
Ormes Peak is an excellent HF summit, with no close development; the RF noise level is low. It also is fine VHF/UHF peak – it has coverage of populated areas in and near Colorado Springs, as well as large areas of the Plains.
Ormes could be combined with other SOTA peaks nearby for a dual activation:
Ormes has relatively good access in late spring, summer, and fall. It’s easy to climb and activate, and it offers a pleasant summit not visited by many people. Give it a try!
73
George
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!
• Relatively easy high summit
• Access via Loveland Pass
• Trail to the top
• Fine HF site
• Great scenery
• ~ 3.6 miles round trip
• ~ 1350 vertical feet to the summit
• ~ 100 vertical feet on the return
Mount Sniktau from Kelso Mountain, Oct 16, 2015
Driving Directions:
• Drive west from Denver on I-70
• Exit east of the Eisenhower Tunnel on Route 6
• Follow the highway several miles up to Loveland Pass
• Park near the 12,000-foot Pass
• Loveland Pass is a popular spot, and parking is limited
• There’s additional parking south of the Pass
Mount Sniktau – Loveland Pass Trailhead
The Hike:
• Hike about 0.8 mile northeast up the ridge trail to a higher ridge at 12900 feet. This part of the route is along the Continental Divide.
Mount Sniktau – View Down Trail along Divide to Loveland Pass
• Continue north along the higher ridge for about 1.0 mile to Mount Sniktau
Mount Sniktau Trail Looking North along Upper Ridge
Details:
Because of the high location, dangerous afternoon thunder storms may occur in spring and summer; an early start is recommended.
The entire hike is above tree-line along rocky ridges.
Mount Sniktau Upper Ridge Route, View South
On a day with wind, this might be a challenging hike. The temperature may be cold, even in summer. If conditions are good, this is one of the easier high summits near Denver. The views of the nearby mountains are spectacular.
Mount Sniktau – View Southwest toward Loveland Pass
The alpine summit has a convenient, relatively flat top; the activation zone has plenty of room for an HF antenna. If there are many other hikers, it might be best to set up away from the actual peak. A pole is needed for erecting a wire antenna.
Mount Sniktau SOTA Activation July 25, 2015
Mount Sniktau SOTA Activation Nov 9, 2016
Sniktau has no development close by, and the HF noise level is low. The peak looks down on I-70, the Eisenhower Tunnel, and ski areas far below.
Mount Sniktau – View of I-70 Tunnel
There are several higher peaks to the south and north. VHF/UHF coverage of the populated areas to the east is partially blocked by numerous mountains, but it may be possible to make some contacts anyhow.
Mount Sniktau – View Northeast
Mount Sniktau is a fine HF site. I had a relatively short activation, with only 18 contacts on 10, 14, and 21 MHz CW. However, one of those contacts on 21 MHz was VK5CZ, Ian, in South Australia; and Jean, VE2JCW/M, worked me on 14 MHz, mobile from Quebec! On Nov 9, 2016, I made 41 CW contacts on 10, 14, and 18 MHz.
There are numerous other high SOTA peaks within sight of Sniktau. A few of these summits might be combined with Sniktau for a dual activation, although long hikes are required to reach the summits of most high peaks. Possibilities include:
W0C/PR-022 Grizzly Peak 4084 m / 13427 ft 2-1/2 miles south W0C/SR-025 Pettingell Peak 4123 m / 13553 ft 4 miles NW W0C/PR-044 Coon Hill 3881 m / 12757 ft 5 miles west W0C/FR-054 Douglas Mountain 2905 m / 9550 ft near Empire
Mount Sniktau is a fine alpine SOTA peak with relatively convenient access. On a good day, it offers an ideal alpine SOTA activation!
73
George
KX0R
Mount Sniktau – View of Torreys Peak
Mount Sniktau – View of Torreys Peak
!! 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/PR-019
Bald Mountain
4171 m / 13,684 ft
Sep 19, 2016
By KX0R
Bald Mountain is a challenging, exciting, alpine summit near Boreas Pass, south of Breckenridge.
Key Points:
• White River National Forest
• Challenging high altitude hike
• Marked trail part way
• Ridge route partly on the Continental Divide
• No marked trail to the summit
• Superb alpine scenery
• Excellent HF site
• ~ 6.5 miles round-trip
• ~ 2700 vertical feet total
• SOTA Classic!
Bald Mountain and Section House
Driving Directions:
• Drive west on Highway 285 and cross Kenosha Pass
• Continue west on Highway 285 about 10 miles
• Turn north on CR 33 and drive about ½ mile to Como
• Pass through Como and drive up CR 33 about 9 miles to Boreas Pass at 11482 feet
• The route follows a historic narrow gage rail line and continues all the way across to Breckenridge
• CR 33 is an OK unpaved road, with several rough, rocky sections, but most cars can make the trip along the railway roadbed
• Park off the road at Boreas Pass, near the old Section House
• This is the trailhead
The Hike and Climb:
• Google Maps shows none of the hiking trails near Boreas Pass
• You need a detailed topo map to navigate the area
• GPS is very useful up there
• Follow the marked Black Powder Pass Trail as it leads north of the Section House along a water ditch
Bald Mountain – Black Powder Pass Trail
• The pleasant trail heads northeast up a gulch and climbs to Black Powder Pass at about 12,160 feet.
• Leave the trail and climb north up the ridge from the Pass.
Bald Mountain Climb – Boreas Mountain and Black Powder Pass
• Continue climbing generally northwest along the rocky ridge for almost 2 miles, across several sub-peaks, and climb up to the alpine summit.
Bald Mountain Route – South Ridge to South Peak
• The actual SOTA summit is the north peak, but the highest of the southern sub-peaks is almost the same elevation; be sure you traverse the entire rocky ridge and activate the SOTA peak.
Bald Mountain South Summit – Ridge to North Summit
• This is not an easy 13-er with a pleasant trail up through grassy tundra, etc. It’s a serious mountain, and you have to watch your steps and be careful!
Additional Details:
Black Powder Pass is a nice tourist destination, with fine views off both sides. I saw a herd of mountain goats there.
Some route-finding is required along the high ridge to the summit. There are some cairns, and a climbers trail runs along much of the ridge; however, in some spots you may have to ascend talus or climb over boulders to get over the sub-peaks. The entire route need not exceed class 2, but you may find yourself doing a few simple class-3 moves, just because it’s a big mountain with many choices.
Bald Mountain – South Ridge Route
Bald Mountain – Talus on Ridge Route
Bald Mountain is an excellent 4000+ meter climb! There’s no serious exposure anywhere along the ridge route. The views are continuously awesome! Mount Guyot is particularly impressive less than 2 miles off the northeast side.
Bald Mountain View South, Boreas Mountain, Little Baldy, and Siverheels
Many 14-ers are visible in the distance – Quandary, Grays,Torreys, etc. Pikes Peak is easy to spot about 60 miles to the southeast! This is real high country in all directions! The summit is a nice climax for the long hike up over so much rock.
This hike is also a geology field trip. Steeply dipping paleozoic sedimentary multi-colored rock beds appear along the high ridge, over toward Guyot, and in the peaks to the southwest.
Bald Mountain – Paleozoic Sedimentary Beds West of French Pass
The summit of Bald Mountain seems to be made of blocky Sawatch quartzite.
Bald Mountain – Sawatch Quartzite Blocks on Summit
The historic gold mines of Breckenridge are right down below. Lots of gold is still inside these mountains.
I climbed Bald Mountain on an absolutely perfect day. When I ascended the south summit, I felt like I’d gone up to heaven. Why not, with stunning scenery, warm sunshine, and almost no wind? The north summit was a perfect spot to set up and activate, with a cozy wind shelter right on top! I had an incredibly easy activation, with strong signals, etc. I made 42 CW contacts on three HF bands.
Bald Mountain Activation Radio Gear
Bald Mountain Activation
This peak is likely a fair VHF/UHF summit, with coverage across large parts of South Park, the area near Breckenridge, and up north near Lake Dillon.
I had the summit all to myself, although I saw a few other climbers on the ridge. It was so nice I didn’t want to descend and traverse the long ridge back to the south. The longer I stayed up there in the afternoon light, the more beautiful everything became!
Mount Guyot with Mount Evans in the Distance
The return trip over the various sub-peaks takes some time. Each one seems a little higher than it did earlier in the day; it’s a long time at high altitude. It feels really nice to return to the easy trail below Black Powder Pass!
The long alpine ridge of Bald Mountain is a dangerous place in bad weather. In summer an early start is essential. This peak is so nice that it should be saved for a special day when everything is just right.
Bald Mountain East Side – French Pass Sedimentary Rocks
There’s a route up Bald Mountain’s northwest ridge from near Breckenridge, but I have no experience with that approach.
For a dual activation, consider these two nearby summits:
Madonna Dome W0C/SP-051 Easy – access from Boreas Pass
Boreas Mountain W0C/SP-030 More challenging – same access
73
George
KX0R
Bald Mountain – Alpine Fall Color
!! 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!
• Arapaho National Forest
• Good marked trail much of the way
• Near scenic Strawberry Lake
• Off-trail final climb, about one mile to a pleasant summit
• Nice scenery – near-wilderness
• Summit is rarely visited
• ~ 6.4 miles round-trip
• ~ 1700 vertical feet
10004 – View from Near Lake Granby – Forested Peak Just Right of Center
Driving Directions:
• Drive west from Denver on I-70
• Turn north on Highway 40
• Cross Berthoud Pass, drive through Winter Park, and continue north to Granby
• Just past Granby, turn north on Highway 34
• Follow 34 about 5 miles to Lake Granby
• Turn right, east, on Road 6
• Drive east along the lake, toward Monarch Lake, for about 6 miles
• The Strawberry Lake Trailhead is where the trail along Strawberry Creek reaches the road.
• Google Maps shows the trailhead, but not the trail.
• Google Maps trailhead coordinates: 40.1138, -105.804
• USFS maps don’t show the trailhead or the trail
• The trailhead is about ¼ miles west of a visible point of land that extends north along the shoreline.
• The trail may be marked, but there’s no large sign or anything obvious.
• Park on the north side of the road
• Parking is free.
The Hike:
• Even though poorly mapped and marked, the Strawberry Lake Trail is a good built, maintained trail.
10004 – Strawberry Lake Trail
• The trail follows Strawberry Creek up to Strawberry Bench and Strawberry Lake.
• Hike the trail up about a mile to the huge meadows west of Strawberry Lake.
10004 Route – Strawberry Bench
• At a marked trail junction with Strawberry Bench Trail 9, head west on Strawberry Creek Trail 9.1.
10004 – Trail Junction for Trail 9.1
• Trail 9.1 isn’t shown on Google Maps.
• Follow this good trail west for almost a mile, as it climbs to a saddle.
• 10004 is visible to the right, west of the saddle.
• Near the saddle, east of where the trail descends southwest into a valley, head northwest off the trail through open forest.
• Climb NW about 0.2 mile up to a saddle on a low ridge running east-west at about 9350 feet.
• Follow the ridge WSW, and climb about ¼ mile up to another ridge at about 9680 feet.
• Game trails help make this route relatively easy.
• At 9680 feet, follow game trails northwest along the obvious ridge, up to the summit
• The off-trail part of this hike is relatively easy, with little actual bush-whacking, but there’s some deadfall.
10004 Route up Summit Ridge
• GPS is useful and recommended for this hike.
• Be careful to return to the main trail by the same route used for the ascent.
Additional Details:
The hardest part of this trip was finding the Strawberry Lake Trailhead! I was looking carefully for it and still drove right past it. You have to look for the actual trail – there wasn’t much to see when I was there. Perhaps someone removed a sign. The place where the Creek comes down is at an indentation in the shoreline of the Reservoir, just west of a point on the shore, near the west end of Arapaho Bay. Look for the Creek and its valley, and you’ll eventually see the trail. Be sure you have a map or GPS handy when you approach the trailhead.
The summit is pretty easy to find. You can see where it is before you leave Trail 9.1. Once on the ridge, just continue to the highest bump. The large activation zone is forested and pleasant, and there are plenty of trees to support an antenna or a pole.
10004 SOTA Activation Radio Gear
10004 SOTA Activation
There’s no development for miles, so there’s little RF noise, and the site is perfect for HF. It’s not blocked in any direction for skip signals. However, this is likely a poor site for VHF/UHF, except in the area around Lake Granby.
Views from the summit of 10004 are limited by the trees, but Lake Granby is visible far below.
10004 View North Across Lake Granby
From the east ridge, there’s an open view of Strawberry Lake on its immense glacial bench, with the Indian Peaks not far in the distance.
10004 – View East Across Strawberry Bench to Indian Peaks
Along with activating 10004, you might want to take a short side-trip east on Trail 9 to Strawberry Lake. This is a special place, and access is restricted to a protected viewing spot. A sign near the lake explains about the fragile shoreline and why protection from people walking there is important. There are no fish in the lake. The area gets some use from campers and hikers in the warmer months. This might be a good place to see elk or moose, but I saw none – but there are game trails and tracks all through the woods.
10004 – Side Trip to Strawberry Lake
The day I was there, a brief rain squall came in suddenly, and it was fun to be there with rain drops splashing in the lake.
73
George
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/FR-130
Laramie Mountains HP
3359 m / 11020 ft
Aug 29, 2016
By KX0R
The Laramie Mountains High Point is a relatively easy, fun SOTA peak in the Laramie Mountains of Northern Colorado. This route description is for hiking up the mountain (see notes about road access below).
• Roosevelt National Forest
• Highest summit in the Laramie Mountains
• Interesting, moderate hike
• Several interesting adjacent peaks
• Nice scenery – fine views of N CO and S WY
• Fine HF site
• 2WD forest road close to the peak
• Almost a drive-up summit, if you choose
• New communications site on the peak
• Google Maps do not show the roads and trails in this area adequately
• ~ 8.0 miles round trip, via Killpecker Trail route detailed here
• ~ 9.0 miles round trip, including side trip to Middle Bald Mountain
• ~ 1850 vertical feet, via Killpecker Trail route detailed here
Laramie Mountains HP from Middle Bald Mountain
Driving access:
• Drive to Fort Collins
• Continue northwest about 21 miles on Highway 287
• Turn west on Highway 74E at Livermore
• Drive to Red Feather Lakes
• Continue west about 1.5 miles
• Take CR 86 “Deadman Road” – do not follow CR 73C north
• This road is a pretty good 2WD dirt road, except for wash-boarding
• Follow CR 86 for about 7 miles to the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre River
• Look for an obvious parking area and marked trailhead just east of the North Fork Poudre Campground
• Park at the trailhead – parking is free
Laramie Mountains HP Killpecker Creek Trailhead
The Hike:
• The route is via the Killpecker Trail 956
• This trail leads up along Killpecker Creek and climbs all the way up to Middle Bald Mountain
• Trail 956 is not shown on Google Maps
• The USFS map shows the campground, the trailhead, the forest roads, and Trail 956 – but not the W0C/FR-130 summit.
• The trail provides a nice hike and is worth the effort
Laramie Mountains HP Killpecker Trail
Laramie Mountains HP Killpecker Creek
• Follow the maintained Killpecker Trail up south, along the beautiful creek coming down the north side of the mountain
• After about 2 miles the trail leaves the creek and climbs through open forest
• The trail crosses Forest Road FR-300 three times
Laramie Mountains HP Killpecker Trail Crossing
Laramie Mountains HP Killpecker Trail near the Top
• After the third road-crossing, the trail ascends straight south up a moderately steep hill to about 10,960 feet elevation
• At the top of this hill, the trail curves slightly eastward
• Leave the trail near the eastward bend, and hike approximately west to the SOTA peak.
• The peak stands in the forest about 700 feet west of the bend in the trail.
• The actual summit isn’t visible from Trail 956
• The point where you leave the main trail isn’t marked.
• GPS is helpful navigation at this point
• The correct off-trail route runs west, slightly downhill along a gentle forested ridge to a saddle
• Then follow the ridge southwest up to the High Point.
• There are hints of an old trail along the ridge.
• There’s a little cairn and a register in a jar at the summit.
Laramie Mountains HP Summit Cairn and Register
Laramie Mountains HP Communications Facility
• You may not see the radio tower until you reach the peak
• The correct SOTA peak W0C/FR-130 is the highest summit among several high, widely-separated sub-peaks, several of which are near or above 11,000 feet, all part of a high massif of at least two square miles!
• Be sure you climb the correct summit! See details below:
Details:
The last part of the hike is an interesting navigation exercise. You need a topo map of the area, and/or a GPS unit with a waypoint showing the location of W0C/FR-130.
There are possible points of confusion:
1) Trail 956 ascends to about 10,960 feet at the top of the hill where it curves east. It would be easy to assume that you’re on the Peak.
2) The actual summit is almost hidden from view from Trail 956
3) Past the 10,960 foot hill, Trail 956 descends south and along the west side of impressive Middle Bald Mountain, which is 11,002 feet high and really looks like a SOTA peak!
Laramie Mountains HP – Middle Bald Mountain from Trail 956
4) North Bald Mountain stands out to the northeast at 10,982 feet, and is just as impressive!
5) South Bald Mountain stands out to the southeast at 11,003 feet, along with its sister peak at 10,884!
6) There are other rocky bumps up there that could be taken to be the summit, but they’re not.
7) The location of the trail near the High Point is incorrectly shown on the USGS 7-1/2 minute quadrangle “Deadman, CO”. The trail is farther east.
The bad news is that the saddle northwest of Middle Bald Mountain is much too deep for that summit to be in the SOTA Activation Zone! This also applies to North Bald Mountain and South Bald Mountain.
The good news is that the saddle immediately east of High Point W0C/FR-130 is just within the SOTA Activation Zone. This means that the Activation Zone includes that saddle, as well as some of the broad hill at about 10,960 feet to the east. Also included is the rocky point 400 feet south of the High Point; this sub-peak’s elevation is within a few vertical feet of the actual summit.
If you hike to the High Point, several different places are available for setting up radio gear in the large activation zone. These spots include the area near the radio tower, the actual summit just to the northeast, the scenic rocky point 400 feet to the south, or a place some distance away. I did my activation along the ridge about 200 feet east of the tower. I found a sunny, sheltered clearing with good trees for my pole and wire. I couldn’t see the tower, and I felt like I was deep in the wilderness.
Laramie Mountains HP SOTA Activation East of Summit
I was concerned that there might be some RF noise from the comm site, but the RF noise level was very low. W0C/FR-130 is an excellent HF site, with wide-open coverage in all directions. It’s surely a good VHF/UHF site as well, judging from the numerous antennas on the tower. Coverage of northeast Colorado, southeast Wyoming, and parts of the eastern Plains is probably good.
While it’s a shock to see a new communications facility on a peak, it’s certainly an ideal site. The development was done carefully to minimize environmental issues. The summit cairn was not disturbed. The scenic crags just south of the tower were not altered at all – I went over there to look at the impressive view off the south side of the peak – this is recommended!
The communications facility was built by Larimer County, after years of planning and negotiation. When I was there, the site wasn’t posted or fenced off. It appears to be a very professional facility. VHF, UHF, and microwave antennas are on the tower. It looked new when I was there, and I’m not sure if it was operational.
After activating the High Point, I followed Trail 956 south to Middle Bald Mountain, and enjoyed the short climb up its high, open slopes. This rocky, cliffy summit is far more impressive than the High Point!
Laramie Mountains HP View of Middle and South Bald Mountains
The peak falls away to the east, with vast views in all directions, including far out across the Great Plains, up into Wyoming, and west to the Medicine Bow Range. It’s also a good place to see the other craggy peaks in the massif. It’s a nice destination for the pleasant hike up Killpecker Creek!
Laramie Mountains HP Side-Trip – Middle Bald Mountain
If the access road isn’t gated or posted, the High Point might be a drive-up summit. FR-300/517 is a good-quality 2WD dirt/gravel road. It leads up from Deadman Road and runs almost to the top of the massif. Google maps show this road OK, but not the new access road to the comm site; see the satellite image. Also see the Roosevelt National Forest map for details on FR-300 and FR-517.
The Google satellite image shows most of the details of the peak, the radio site, and the hiking route to it. You can also see the access road, which runs up the west side of the mountain from FR-300/517 below. I have no information on vehicle access, or future plans for the site.
Even if the comm site is eventually posted or fenced, there should be no problem operating within the SOTA Activation Zone, in the National Forest east of the peak, or near the top of the 10,960-foot hill where the Trail 956 crosses east of the High Point.
73
George
KX0R
Laramie Mountains HP – Blue Gentians
!! 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!
• Pike National Forest
• Access via forest roads
• No marked trail or trailhead
• Secret closed road leads most of the way
• Some off-trail hiking near the top
• Seldom visited
• Fine SOTA peak
• ~ 2.2 miles round trip
• ~ 800 vertical feet
9889 Summit
Driving Directions:
• Drive to Lake George via Highway 24
• Continue north 0.8 mile, and turn left, west on CR 90
• Follow CR90 almost 4 miles, and turn left, southwest, on CR 92
• Climb up CR 92 into the Puma Hills for about 2 miles
• At a pass or saddle at 9040 feet, the second high point on this road, turn left, southeast, onto FR 246
• FR 246 is a good, humpy 2WD road requiring more clearance than some cars allow
• Drive FR 246 southeast for about one mile, past several dispersed campsites, to a large campsite located near a saddle in the road, on the north side of the road, with an obvious conical hill about 200 feet high on the north side. This is the only campsite in the immediate area with a big hill right behind it.
• The Google Map coordinates are 38.945715, -105.459343
• Park at or near this campsite. This is the “trailhead”. I camped there, and it was great!
The Hike:
• From the campsite above, walk west along FR-246 for about 100 feet.
• On the south side of FR-246, find a closed road with a pile of big rocks blocking access. You can see this junction on the Google satellite image.
• The old road is closed to motor vehicles but not to hikers. This route is not shown on most maps, including Pike NF and Google maps.
• This route is shown clearly on the Google satellite image, which is where I found it. At high magnification the entire trail is visible running through the forest.
• Hike southeast up the closed road as far as it goes. It’s not maintained, and there’s significant deadfall and erosion.
9889 Closed Forest Road
• This convenient secret trail climbs steeply and efficiently toward Peak 9889. It ends at about 9500 feet, about 1/3 mile from the summit.
• Continue south on a game trail leading up the slope from the end of the road – stay on the north side of the draw.
• After about ¼ mile, come to a saddle at about 9700 feet.
• The saddle is between Peak 9889 to the southeast, and its twin sister to the northwest, at almost the same elevation,.
• Make certain to ascend the peak southeast of the saddle!
• Hike up less than 0.2 mile, through easy open woods, to the rocky summit.
9889 Summit Cairn
Details:
The Pike National Forest Map is useful for planning a hike to 9889; it shows roads CR 90, CR 92, and FR-246.
The top of prominent Peak 9889 is a small rock formation with trees on it. The remains of a triangulation station lie near the peak – boards, wires, etc. There’s a cairn, maybe with a register-jar inside it, on the top. There’s little evidence of visitors. Most of the summit is forested, and views are limited.
9889 Survey Station Remains
The large activation zone extends along the ridge-top, with sheltered spots, trees for a pole, etc. I set up immediately north of the peak; I ran my wire from a pole up to a tree at the summit rocks.
9889 SOTA Activation
The land falls away on the east side of the summit – it’s possible to see down into Eleven Mile Canyon.
There’s no development on the mountain, and the RF noise level is very low. This is a fine HF site! There are no close summits to block skip signals. This site has some VHF/UHF coverage of South Park, including around Hartsel, near Elevenmile Reservoir, near Lake George, Divide, and the country northwest of Pikes Peak.
It might be possible to activate Peak 9889 in the same day as another local summit. Possibilities include:
This area is popular with hunters – there were bow hunters in the area when I was there. Wear bright color – be cautious.
73
George
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!
!! 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!
