W0C/PR-110
Green Mountain
3143 m / 10313 ft
First Activation
Sep 13, 2014
By KX0R
There are many summits named “Green Mountain” in Colorado. Green Mountain W0C/PR-110 is a wild, rarely-climbed mountain on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The ascent is not difficult, but good planning and route-finding are necessary. Although there is no marked route to the summit, a major trail leads more than half way, followed by a good game trail up the northeast ridge.
Green Mountain Route
Here’s how to access this peak:
1) Drive to the west side of the National Park via US 34.
2) Find the Green Mountain Trailhead, located about 2 miles north of the Grand Lake Entrance Station, and park there. The elevation at the trail-head is about 8800 feet.
3) Hike up the easy Green Mountain Trail about 1.7 miles to a small saddle at 9480 feet, just before the trail descends a short distance into Big Meadows, the huge valley of Tonahutu Creek. From this saddle you can look south and see the NE ridge of Green Mountain.
4) Head off the trail for the NE ridge of Green Mountain. First go over or around a small bump, east of a marshy pond. Stay east and out of the swamp. Start up the NE ridge of Green Mountain and continue up the obvious ridge.
5) There is a good game trail most of the way up. The grade is moderate, and the forest is relatively open, with few fallen trees. It’s about a mile and about 900 vertical feet up the ridge. This is as nice an off-trail hike as you will find on a forested ridge in this part of the Park!
6) There is a false summit at about 10,120 feet – continue past it to the WSW, climb over another false summit at about 10,280 feet, and continue south along the ridge about 0.2 miles to the actual summit at 10,313 feet. A pile of rocks marks the spot.
Green Mountain Summit
The peak is forested with large live and dead trees. There are limited views in several directions from this very prominent peak.
Green Mountain View Southwest
The summit area is craggy, but several good spots are available for a nice SOTA activation. The summit falls away steeply on the east and west, and it’s an excellent HF radio site. VHF/UHF coverage is probably limited by higher mountains nearby. No pole is needed, if you can get a line over a tree branch with a small fishing pole or other tool.
Green Mountain Activation Site
Green Mountain Antenna
Green Mountain Radio Gear
Be sure to descend via the same route up the NE ridge that you came up. Descending via the shorter route down the north or NW slope of the mountain may lead into a lot of fallen trees and rough country below – perhaps an unpleasant ordeal. The NE ridge route is a proven no-hassle way in and out.
Stay on the Ridge or Pick Your Way Through This – or WORSE!
The round-trip distance for this expedition is about 5.8 miles, with a vertical gain of about 1600 feet.
Be aware that the entire area has a healthy population of elk, moose, and other wild animals. This is definitely a wilderness SOTA trip.
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!
There is no trail to the top of Gray Jay, but a little-used, un-maintained trail runs to Long Meadows, about 1/2 mile east of the summit. The off-trail hike to the summit is a classic bushwhack trip through a swampy sub-alpine forest full of downed trees and slippery logs. Please do not attempt this trip, unless you actually enjoy this kind of travel, and only if you have enough navigation experience to do this right. The area around Gray Jay is wilderness, and the penalty for error might be extreme.
Gray Jay Route 1
To reach the trail-head, drive to Estes Park, continue into the Park, drive over Trail Ridge Road, and descend into the Colorado River drainage on the west side of the Park. Continue south for about 1.5 miles from the last switchback, and park at the marked Timber Creek trail-head.
The trail starts at 9050 feet and leads south, gradually ascending the west side of Jackstraw Mountain. The route is steep from 9200 to 10,000 feet, and then it moderates. Unfortunately there is a huge mudslide at about 9900 feet, and a tricky detour is required to climb above the head of the slide and back down to the trail. There are strict warning signs; crossing the slide is virtually impossible, because it is a dense 3-D matrix of interlocked trees and branches. Getting around the slide is the hardest part of the hike – hopefully the trail will be restored in 2015.
Landslide Warning on Timber Lake Trail
To climb Gray Jay, follow the Timber Creek Trail west past the mudslide, continue up to about 10,200 feet. Keep an eye out for a sign and a trail heading right (south). Other than the main trail up to Timber Lake, there is only one trail that splits off and crosses Timber Creek. You must find and follow the trail that goes to Long Meadows and eventually leads into the Onahu Creek area. Note that the Long Meadows trail is incorrectly located on the USGS maps, Google Maps, National Geographic-Trails Illustrated, and my Garmin GPS map – those maps show the trail junction and creek crossing place at about 10,600 feet, but my GPS track puts this spot near 10,200 feet. Perhaps the trail has been re-located. This junction was clearly marked in 2014.
Sign on Timber Lake Trail
Trail Sign from Timber Lake Trail to Long Meadows
After the creek crossing – there was a bridge in 2014 – the trail heads southwest and ascends up the slope to the broad saddle at the head of Long Meadows. In 2014 this trail was un-maintained and had several large downed trees across it. “Long Meadows” is an understatement – this incredible, lush, sub-alpine swamp is almost two miles long. Look for elk, moose, and other animals.
Long Meadows near Gray Jay
At the saddle, the trail heads south and initially leads along the east side of Long Meadows before disappearing. Gray Jay is the broad, forested summit west of this saddle. To climb Gray Jay, do not head into Long Meadows, but cross the north part of the saddle, head west through the boggy fallen-down forest, and aim for the northeast side of Gray Jay. Avoid the steep east side of the mountain. This is all easier said than done. You may find a game trail that leads right to the top, as I did. The elk know their territory, so use their trails, if they go in the right direction.
Gray Jay Route 2
Gray Jay Route 3
Above 10,600 feet on the northeast side, the climb gets progressively easier – the forest opens up, the slope is less steep, and the route is pleasant. Kinnikinnick covers the forest floor, and you can see where you’re going. The broad summit is easy to find, and it’s bright and pleasant, unlike the route below.
Gray Jay Mountain Summit Area
The top of Gray Jay has a large activation zone, with tall trees and plenty of open space for an antenna. There is a pile of rocks near the top, but there are few outcrops and no cliffs. Either take an antenna pole, or bring what you need to hang a wire in a tree. This is an excellent wilderness RF site, quiet and fine for HF, but probably not so good for VHF/UHF, due to the surrounding mountains blocking signals from many directions.
Gray Jay Activation Rig
Be sure to return back to the Long Meadows saddle and the trail that descends to Timber Creek. Don’t even think of shortcuts or alternate routes! Some of the slopes below are very steep, covered in heavy timber, with numerous fallen trees and other problems.
The round-trip from Timber Lake Trailhead to Gray Jay is about 10 miles, with about 1900 vertical feet of gain – perhaps 2100 vertical feet with the detour around the mudslide.
Weather and time permitting, Gray Jay can be combined with nearby Jackstraw Mountain, for a challenging dual activation. I did this when I was there, and it worked out OK. See the report on Jackstraw for the rest of the story.
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!
There is no trail to the top of Jackstraw, but the popular Timber Lake Trail runs within 0.6 miles of the summit. The remaining 1-plus-mile off-trail hike is a nice introduction to the sub-alpine zone of the National Park.
To reach the trail-head, drive to Estes Park, continue into the Park, drive over Trail Ridge Road, and descend into the Colorado River drainage on the west side of the Park. Head south for about 1.5 miles from the last switchback, and park at the marked Timber Creek trail-head.
The trail starts at 9050 feet and leads south, gradually ascending the west side of Jackstraw. The route is steep from 9200 to 10,000 feet, and then it moderates. Unfortunately there is a huge mudslide at about 9900 feet, and a tricky detour is required to climb above the head of the slide and back down to the trail. There are strict warning signs; crossing the slide is virtually impossible, because it is a dense 3-D matrix of interlocked trees and branches. Getting around the slide is the hardest part of the hike up Jackstraw. Hopefully the trail will be restored in 2015.
Landslide Warning on Timber Lake Trail
When I climbed Jackstraw, I followed the Timber Lake Trail to about 10,150 feet, and then I headed north up the slopes. After several hundred vertical feet of steep bushwhacking up through fallen trees, the mountain’s slope is more gentle, and the sub-alpine forest opens up. There are obvious game trails. The remaining 1000 vertical feet are along a pleasant ridge leading up to alpine meadows bordered by krummholz thickets. There is a false summit – Jackstraw’s peak is near the north edge of the alpine plateau.
There is a nice alternate route up Jackstraw. Instead of heading up through the steep woods at 10,150 feet, as described above, continue climbing on the Timber Lake Trail to about 10,800 feet; near the “Rockslide” camp site, head up northwest into a deep valley leading up the south side of the summit. There are well-used game trails in the upper levels of this lush wilderness. Follow the drainage up a steep grassy slope to the saddle south of Jackstraw, between the two summits, and climb the ridge to the top. I descended this wonderful route, and I think it’s more scenic than the southwest ridge, provided most of the snow is melted out.
Southeast Valley of Jackstraw and Mount Ida
The broad summit is almost flat, with convenient thickets providing protection from wind. You can set up and activate wherever you like in the large activation zone. This peak sees few human visitors, but there are signs of many animals. The views of Mount Ida high above – Specimen Mountain to the north – and Timber Lake in its cirque to the southeast – create a feeling of being deep in the wilderness.
Specimen Mountain from Jackstraw
View North from Jackstraw Summit
Because Jackstraw sits immediately below and west of the huge wall of the Continentental Divide, signal propagation to the east is surely reduced, especially at VHF and UHF. This is a wonderful HF site because it’s RF-quiet; I made 36 contacts on 20 and 15M CW, with no hint of a problem in any direction. Jackstraw might be difficult to activate at VHF-UHF, because except to the south, the summit is surrounded by higher mountains.
First Activation Site on Jackstraw
First Activation of Jackstraw by KX0R
KX0R Radio Gear on Jackstraw
It’s probably possible to climb Jackstraw from the trail leading from Milner Pass along the Divide to Mount Ida. When I activated Ida in 2013 and 2014, I had a good look at Jackstraw from above. There is a saddle at 12,000 feet on the Divide, about 1 mile north of Mount Ida. This saddle would be the best place to descend 800 vertical feet west to the Jackstraw saddle at 11,200 feet. From there a craggy ridge climbs 400 vertical feet up the southeast side of Jackstraw. Even if there are problems on this ridge, there surely is a practical route and game trail on the southeast side of the mountain. A detour southwest into the valley described above might work OK. However, the east and north sides of Jackstraw are very steep and should be avoided.
The round-trip from Timber Lake Trailhead to Jackstraw Mountain is about 11 miles, with about 2600 vertical feet of gain – perhaps 2800 vertical feet with the detour around the mudslide.
Weather and time permitting, Jackstraw can be combined with nearby Gray Jay Mountain for a challenging dual activation. I did this when I was there, and it worked out well. See the report on Gray Jay for the rest of the story.
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/PR-025
Rogers Peak
4082 m / 13391 ft
August 16, 2014
By KX0R
Rogers Peak is a nice SOTA peak on a convenient ridge above the Mount Evans Highway. It can be climbed quickly from the road, so it’s possible to combine this summit with another SOTA peak in the Mount Evans alpine zone – for a dual activation.
Drive up the Mount Evans Highway to the 12,600 foot contour. This is just south of Lincoln Lake, visible far below the highway.
Lincoln Lake and Mount Evans Highway from Rogers
Mount Evans from Rogers
Near where the road curves around a ridge that leads NW up to northeast side of Rogers, find a place to park off the pavement. Climb up the grassy slope to about 13,000 feet, and then head SW up the ridge to the Rogers Peak summit. The immediate area around the summit is almost flat and very rocky – essentially a boulder field.
Rogers Peak Summit
There are good spots to set up and operate in the activation zone just below and east of the summit. The views are spectacular, and on a good day, Rogers Peak is a great place for a SOTA activation.
Rogers Peak Activation
Rogers Activation Rig
Rogers Peak Antenna with Link
The southwest ridge of Rogers is shorter to climb from the road, but parking near the obvious saddle is limited.
Multiple activations in one day are possible in the Mount Evans area. Unless you’re somewhat acclimated to the thin air above 13,000 feet, an extended stay up there may have progressively adverse effects upon your body and brain. Don’t underestimate the effects of high altitude, and head to a lower elevation if you don’t feel well.
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/PR-020
Gray Wolf Mountain
4146 m / 13602 ft
Aug 16, 2014
By KX0R
Gray Wolf Mountain is a high alpine summit located about 2-1/2 miles northeast of Mount Evans. On a nice summer day it’s a pleasant retreat into the wilderness, and it’s also a fine SOTA peak.
Gray Wolf Mountain from Mount Spalding
To climb Gray Wolf, first drive up Mount Evans. Traverse the long rocky West Ridge of Evans – a trail leads through the rocks around the south side of this ridge, and it’s heavily used by hikers on nice days. Follow this trail down to the Evans – Spalding saddle.
West Ridge Trail of Mount Evans
Mount Bierstadt from Evans
West Ridge Area of Evans
From this saddle you can either follow the trail north over Mount Spalding, or contour around the west side of Spalding. The trail eventually goes down a craggy ridge to Summit Lake, and it’s a popular route for climbing Spalding and Evans.
Mount Evans from Spalding Slopes
Leave the trail and descend about 750 vertical feet north to the Spalding – Gray Wolf saddle at about 13030 feet. The broad saddle area is marshy, so try to pick a dry route. From the saddle, hike north across the tundra, and then climb the easy southeast ridge of Gray Wolf.
West of Evans North to Spaulding
Mount Spalding, Saddle, and Gray Wolf
Gray Wolf Looking Back at Spalding and Evans
The summit is broad, rocky, and pleasant; the activation zone is large. Rocks southwest of the top provide shelter from the west wind.
Gray Wolf Summit
Grays and Torreys from Gray Wolf
Gray Wolf is a great radio site – it’s far from man-made sources of RF noise, and it has an open view across the Denver Area, the Plains, and the mountains. Few people visit this summit.
Gray Wolf Activation
Even though this hike looks like an easy stroll across the tundra, it requires about 6 total miles of hiking. Most of the route is rough trail or off-trail. The total vertical ascent is about 2000 feet, and the entire trip is above 13,000 feet. Pick a good day for this interesting activation, and start early!
It looks like the route to Gray Wolf can be shortened by starting at Summit Lake. Hike up the ridge trail northwest of the Lake, climb to the north slope of Spalding, and then leave the trail and head north to Gray Wolf. The total hiking distance is reduced, but the total vertical ascent is still about 2000 vertical feet. I have not climbed up the ridge above Summit Lake, but it looks like an efficient route.
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/FR-047
Mount Judge
3140 m / 10301 ft
Dec 20, 2014
By KX0R
Thanks to AG5CQ for his first activation of Mount Judge on August 9, 2014!
Mount Judge is an easily-overlooked summit about 2 miles southeast of Squaw Mountain and about 7 miles northwest of Evergreen. This seldom-visited mountain has no marked routes, and climbing it requires navigating up through a thick forest on the north side of the mountain. The ascent is about 1100 vertical feet, and about 1.2 miles. It takes about an hour to climb.
Drive up I-70 west of Denver, take exit 252 onto Evergreen Parkway, route 74, and drive several miles west to Bergen park. Turn right, northwest, on marked route 66, the Squaw Pass Road, and climb this paved road for several winding miles. At a pass and intersection where Road 475 forks off down to the south, a convenient trailhead is located on the north side of the road. There is a large gate with a closed USFS road leading north across a huge meadow; Santa Fe Mountain dominates the view 2 miles to the north. The forested slopes of Mount Judge beckon above to the southwest, but there is no trail.
Trailhead along Squaw Pass Road
Cross the highway and walk up along the paved road for about 500 feet. Note the position of Mount Judge, head up into the forest at any convenient place, and climb southwest toward the summit. Try not to head too far to the east. Except for an unreadable sign at an old closed road down near Road 475, there are no signs along this section of Squaw Pass Road, or on the forest route I used for the climb. Several hundred feet up into the woods I found an old abandoned logging trail, and I was able to follow it to an elevation exceeding 9800 feet.
Mount Judge Hidden Logging Road
Mount Judge Secret Route
If you don’t find this or another logging road, the route is through a thick lodge-pole pine forest. There are numerous fallen trees and old logs, and it gets worse as you go up the steep section about half way to the top. I was on snowshoes in about 5-6” of snow the day I ascended, and the logging trail was pure joy compared to the alternatives I saw.
Mount Judge Lodgepole Forest
Be sure to take a map and compass. I used GPS for primary navigation, and it was very helpful. The summit is not visible from the route in the forest. At about 10000 feet, the position of the peak can be inferred, although it isn’t visible. The last 300 vertical feet is a bushwhack hike, a bit tricky on snowshoes, with fallen trees, rocks, and other obstacles. There may be a better, more gentle route west of where I went up. I came up at the east summit, which is a large rock with a couple of stones placed on top. This is a false summit – the actual peak is a hump in the woods about 300 feet to the west – the real summit is about 10 feet higher.
Mount Judge Summit
The top part of the mountain is flat and is forested with medium and large trees; the activation zone is large and convenient. There are a couple of viewpoints off the south and east sides. The views are impressive – the vertical relief down to Bear Creek below is about 2700 vertical feet.
Mount Judge View to the Southeast
Mount Judge Southeast Ridge
This is an excellent, quiet HF site, as well as a good VHF and UHF site, with good coverage of much of the Denver area. I had a fine activation up there, despite the temperature in the mid-20’s at 1 PM, and it was well worth the climb up through the forest.
Mount Judge Activation near Summit
Mount Judge Activation Gear
Mount Judge Activation Antenna
There are other routes to the summit, and at least one other trip report is available online. The natural NW ridge route from Squaw Pass appears to cross private land SE of Squaw Pass. There is an old closed road that contours around the east side of Mount Judge following the 9200 foot contour – this might provide access via a steep slope up to the long south ridge – but I have not attempted this route. The route I used appears to have no access problems, and it’s the most direct route from the trailhead. In summer it should be a shady, cool route to the top. Since the road is usually plowed in winter, Mount Judge provides a practical 4-point summit close to Denver, with snowshoe access and a 3-point seasonal bonus. I don’t recommend doing the north-side route in deep snow, unless someone has broken trail.
Please be careful on Mount Judge – and tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return.
73
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
Mount Judge Activation Temperature
!! 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-137
10720
3261 m / 10720 ft
First Activation
Nov 1, 2014
by KX0R
10720 is a seldom-visited summit located in the Roosevelt National Forest, several miles north of the flood-ravaged town of Glen Haven. Activating this peak requires a long, strong hike, culminating in a one-mile off-trail trip through the woods along the summit ridge. The summit itself is a prominent block with dramatic views of the mountains and plains of Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming. This hike is a natural follow-up to activating Signal Mountain.
10720 Summit from Indian Trail
Drive toward Glen Haven from Estes Park on Road 43, or up from Highway 34 to Drake; find Dunraven Glade Road 51B; drive up this road almost 3 miles; and park at the convenient Dunraven Trail-head. This is the same trail-head as for Signal Mountain. Hike up the steep gated dirt road NW of the trailhead, and find the marked Bulwark Ridge Trail at the saddle at the high point of the road. Ascend the steep trail to about 8700 feet, and come to a signed junction with the Indian Trail.
Bulwark Ridge Junction with Indian Trail
If the hike seems really hard so far, I recommend you not follow the Indian Trail as it descends 1000 vertical feet down to Miller Fork. You will have to come back up this trail near the end of the hike, and it’s steeper than the Bulwark Ridge trail’s first section. The Indian Trail is a built trail, with many switchbacks, and it exists to get past the private land that blocks hiker-access to the Miller Fork drainage.
Once you drop down the Indian Trail, you can hike either up or down Miller Fork on a decent, scenic trail, as both routes connect eventually and go up to Donner Pass. Follow the signs to Donner Pass and stay on the trail.
Donner Pass Sign near Miller Fork
Miller Fork Creek Crossing
Donner Pass Trail Sign
I traveled upstream less than a mile, where there is a marked fork to the right; there the trail crosses a tributary to Miller Fork and then heads up gently to the southeast, which is not intuitive. This is actually a very practical route. Don’t be fooled by the incorrect trail and other errors on Google Maps! Google Maps does not even show the Indian Trail descending to Miller Fork, or the Miller Fork Trail, or much of the well-built Donner Pass Trail. Instead Google shows an old abandoned trail – called Indian Trail – leading up a steep gulch; this is probably not a viable route now, due to floods and fallen trees.
Follow the Donner Pass Trail – it crosses some steep old logging roads, but don’t be tempted to short-cut up or down these. Stay on the trail and march a few miles, and you’ll be up the sub-alpine zone before you know it. There are a couple of nice viewpoints along the route. The entire Donner Pass approach is never very steep – but it is long. The trail climbs about 2500 vertical feet from Miller Fork to near Donner Pass, and then there are 520 additional feet along the one-mile summit ridge to 10720, for a total of about 3000 vertical feet.
As the route approaches Donner Pass, it passes by a beautiful meadow, and then the grade becomes very gentle – the only problem is fallen trees.
Meadow along Donner Pass Trail
Donner Pass Trail above 10,000 Feet
After a while Donner Pass is almost visible ahead, and you must choose whether to head northeast up to the ridge-line on the right, or keep going toward Donner Pass. If you cut up the slope too soon, you will be in a maze of fallen dead trees. Wait until the route looks easy, and then head up to the ridge, perhaps ¼ mile before Donner Pass – or go all the way to Donner and avoid the hassle. Once on the forested ridge, follow it southeast. This ridge leads over several small sub-peaks, through a goblin forest with large twisted trees, and through sections with some dead and downed trees.
Goblin Forest on 10720 Ridge
There are hints of a game trail as the route climbs progressively to the summit. Near the summit the route steepens and finally leads up to a large block of crystalline pegmatite, which you must climb to see the stunning view.
10720 Summit Block North Side
10720 Summit View
Mummy and Hagues Peaks from 10720
Remains of an old triangulation station – pieces of wood and wires – are on top of the summit rock.
Survey Station Remains on 10720
There is also a register jar with a few names – amazingly, the peak is actually climbed by others. The day I did it, I found the name of a runner I met on the trail earlier that morning!
There are a couple of good spots to activate this mountain – I set up just northwest of the summit block, out of the wind, right on the ridge. With many useful trees on the site, you don’t really need a pole. Dead tree trunks are available to use as a mast, and you can also use the summit block!
10720 First Activation
For the return trip, just backtrack along the ridge toward Donner Pass.
10720 Ridge View North
If in doubt about where to descend, continue safely on to Donner Pass. If you descend too soon, you will find yourself in a hell of fallen trees on steep slopes!
I recommend using GPS with a topo map set to navigate this and other off-trail mountains. GPS navigation facilitates perfect backtracking, catches errors, and makes off-trail travel more efficient.
The return trip is fast and easy, down to the junction where the Indian Trail climbs back up to the Bulwark Ridge Trail.
Miller Fork Junction with Indian trail
This section is 1000 vertical feet up, and it will test your tired legs. From the top of the Indian Trail, there remains 1000 vertical feet back down to the parking area. The total vertical gain – and loss – is about 5000 vertical feet for the complete 14.9-mile round trip. The trail quality is much better than what Google Maps suggest. Donner Pass and 10720 may be climbed from the north and east, but I have not done this. It might be possible to reduce the amount of vertical gain by coming up from one of the alternate routes.
If you like activating Signal Mountain, by all means try 10720. The latter summit is longer and harder than Signal, because of the additional work required to descend and later ascend the Indian Trail. They make a nice pair, because each summit is visible from the other.
Unless you are Superman, forget about a dual activation of Signal and 10720 in the same day. However, if you are Superman, the way to do both summits together would be to climb Signal first, hike north one mile to the points near 10,500 feet, head southeast about 2.5 miles along the ridge toward Lookout Mountain, head for Donner Pass, and then pick up the ridge that leads southeast to 10720. To complete the loop hike, descend via the Donner Pass Trail to Miller Creek, and then return via the Indian and Bulwark Ridge trails. I have not tried this huge hike, so you are on your own – it would require a full day for sure!
10720 is a big hike with a SOTA activation of the Peak included for a nice rest break.
73
KX0R
George Carey Fuller
!! 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!
1) Drive west on Highway 285, down Crow Hill and past Bailey, and continue about 10 miles west to the town of Grant. Turn right at Grant on Road 62. This is the Geneva Road, and it also goes to Guanella Pass.
2) Drive up Road 62 about 3 miles to the Three Mile Trailhead. There is limited parking.
3) The marked trail 635 starts at about 9100 feet and heads up Three Mile Creek through a beautiful, moderately steep canyon.
Three Mile Creek Trail 1
Three Mile Creek Trail 2
Three MIle Creek Trail 3
Three Mile Creek Trail 4
Cliffs along Three Mile Creek Trail
Willows Far below Mount Logan
The trail gains altitude efficiently and eventually leads to a high pass at about 11,900 feet. However, if you stay on the trail all the way to the pass, as I did, you will end up too far north and will have to do extra work to climb Mount Logan.
4) Follow the trail up the canyon past the north side of Spearhead Mountain. The canyon splits at about 10,600 feet, and the trail heads up a small creek east of Spearhead and then climbs southeast. Follow this trail up steeply through willows and open high country. You can see the slopes of Mount Logan up to the southeast. After climbing straight up the hill for several hundred feet, the trail switches back to the left and makes a sharp turn to the north at 11,565 feet elevation.
The GPS Coordinates of this point are: N39 30.725 W105 38.807
5) Leave the trail at this bend and continue up southeast through meadows and sparse trees.
Off-Trail Route to Logan near Treeline
Climb toward the broad pass just north of Mount Logan. There is no real trail or marked route, but this part of the trip is not difficult; avoid willow thickets and talus piles.
Mount Logan NW Slopes Route
6) At about 12,300 feet head south up the north slope of Mount Logan; climb across the tundra to the broad summit.
There are some remains from a helicopter crash north of the summit. A convenient wind shelter made from rocks is at the top – it makes an ideal spot to activate the mountain. Nearby are some old wooden remains from a geodetic triangulation station. Otherwise this mountain is wide open with no large rocks or other features – it is high and exposed. The incredible 360-degree view includes South Park, the Divide to the west, and the impressive alpine area around Mount Evans.
Mount Logan is a nearly perfect radio site. Human-caused radio noise and acoustic noise are minimal at this spot high in the Wilderness. On a day with good weather, it’s a pleasant place to do a SOTA activation. Be sure to bring a pole for an HF antenna.
KX0R Mount Logan HF Activation
This peak has good VHF/UHF coverage of some areas out on the plains, as well as South Park and the surrounding mountains. The stunning views and fun hike make for a rewarding expedition. The total vertical gain is about 3800 feet, and the hike is about 12 miles round trip. It’s not the easiest summit around, but Mount Logan is a SOTA classic!
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
Shower Headed for Mount Logan
Kataka and Mount Logan from Geneva Mountain – Mid-October
!! 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-050
Geneva Mountain
3752 m / 12335 ft
Oct 19, 2014 First Activation
By KX0R
Activating Geneva Mountain for the first time was one my SOTA high points for 2014. Although it’s relatively high and exposed, I had the good fortune to climb it during a period of Indian Summer, on a calm, sunny day. I was up there for hours, and I had it all to myself.
Geneva Summit and Two Sub-peaks
To reach the trailhead, drive up I-70 to Georgetown, exit, and follow the signs to Guanella Pass. A fine paved highway leads steeply up to the Pass. This high road may not be open at all times due to winter conditions – check in advance if in doubt. On busy weekends in good weather, the available parking may get filled – get up there really early. Park near the road crest and find the well-marked Rosalie Trail # 603 that leads south from the parking area into the Mount Evans Wilderness.
Trail 603 Trailhead – Shower on Bierstadt
From the trail-head, contour east around a small summit for about a mile, until the trail splits at a sign; don’t follow Rosalie Trail 603 down toward Scott Gomer Creek, but take the right (west) path along an old closed road.
Trail Split 1 Mile South of Trailhead
Trail Sign 1 Mile South of Trailhead
This pair of ruts efficiently follows the ridge south. In the distance three bumps are visible – Geneva Mountain is the last of the three. Follow the road almost as far as it goes along the ridge. Eventually you’ll come to a cairn marking a place where the ruts turn southwest, but a path leads south.
Trail Split North of Geneva
Leave the road and follow the path – first flat, and then up along the ridge. Just head for the ridge tops and follow the obvious route south across the tundra. There are hints of a trail, but most of the remaining route is in the grass and rocks. You can skirt or climb the small sub-peaks as you approach Geneva Mountain. Geneva is distinctly higher than the other bumps, so keep going until you’re really there. It’s almost 4 miles from the parking area, but it goes fast. The net vertical gain is only about 600 feet, but there’s some additional gain because of the bumps.
This is an easy alpine hike – but it’s at over 12,000 feet; don’t underestimate the weather – the entire route is above tree-line, with little shelter. It takes a long time to hike four miles south to Geneva, activate it, and hike four miles back. With a long multi-band activation, I was gone from my car for 7-3/4 hours. It takes at least two hours to hike each way.
Logan, Kataka, and Geneva Summits
Geneva Ridge North to Guanella Pass
I thought I didn’t have to worry about hunters at such a high altitude, but I was wrong – I saw two parties dressed in bright orange and scouting the ridges. Fortunately they didn’t climb Geneva, and I had the mountain to myself the entire time. The summit is a small rock outcrop, and there is little protection from wind. With only a light breeze, I was able to set up next to the top. Bring a pole, and be prepared for conditions. I was able to run my 67-foot wire out from the pole with a 150-foot cord to the northern sub-peak, to give it some extra height – it looked nice flying up there along that high ridge!
Geneva First Activation 67′ EF Wire
KX0R First Activation of Geneva Mountain
Geneva First Activation Site at Summit
KX0R Activation Rig on Geneva
One of the big questions I had as I climbed this summit was “who can I work from this spot?” Even though the mountain towers above the drainages below, it’s dwarfed by 14,000 foot Square Top Mountain, Mount Bierstadt, Mount Evans, and Rosalie Peak, which block low-angle signals to the north and east. The paths west and south are better, but there are higher mountains in most directions. Just for kicks I started out on 21.063 MHz CW, not expecting any miracles. Immediately I was working all around the country, going right over the huge 14-ers to the east. Then I got EA2LU, DJ5AV, EA2IF, as well as many other eastern US stations. With the high solar flux, plus the big horizontal end-fed wire correctly oriented, the high angle path did the trick! On 14 Mhz signals were strong in all directions – it was an outstanding activation! On 40M I worked John, N0TA, 599-579 in Louisville, and that was totally off the sky NVIS! Then I worked several stations on 30M, including Frank, K0JQZ near Colorado Springs – not sure if that was NVIS or more direct. I went back to 20M and made a couple of S2S contacts, plus a whole bunch of other guys, including OK2PDT and CU3AA. It actually was one of my best activations! There were 53 contacts, and I was on the air for over 2 hours. It proved one more time that a low wave angle and power are not required to work DX.
This is a spectacular place to activate – surrounded by snowy higher peaks, away from cars and development, and well inside the Mount Evans Wilderness. The air is thin, the noise level is very low, and Geneva Mountain was a big surprise to me after many high activations. I would never have gone there, were it not for SOTA.
Rosalie Ridge
Square Top Mountain in October
Mount Logan, Kataka, and Scott Gomer Creek
Mount Bierstadt from Geneva Ridge
Check it out – on a good day, Geneva Mountain is a SOTA Classic!
KX0R
George Carey Fuller
!! 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!
To climb Saint Vrain Mountain, first drive along the Peak to Peak Highway 7 to the town of Allenspark. Turn south at the big hilltop, drive south a couple of blocks past some houses, and find dirt road USFS 107. Follow 107 about 1.5 miles south up the valley of Rock Creek. At about 8700 feet the road splits – take the right fork, USFS 116.1, uphill about 1/2 mile to about 9000 feet, where the road dead-ends at the trailhead. There is very limited parking, and access is free, so get up there early!
The beautiful trail climbs steeply up through the forest through aspen groves along a pretty creek.
Saint Vrain Mountain Trail
Saint Vrain Trail Creek
After about 3 miles the trail reaches a scenic alpine saddle just south of Meadow Mountain at 11,200 feet. Follow the trail south about a half mile through the sub-alpine forest and across the tundra to a point just east of Saint Vrain Mountain. Leave the trail and climb 800 vertical feet up the moderate east side of Saint Vrain. Depending on the season, this will either be snow fields or grassy slopes and rock. The route follows the marked National Park boundary.
Saint Vrain Trail near Saddle
Saint Vrain Mountain
Saint Vrain Mountain with Hikers on the Snow
The hike is 4.4 miles and about 3200 vertical feet from the trail-head to the summit. Views from the peak are spectacular in all directions, and many SOTA Peaks are visible.
Mount Audubon and Divide from Saint Vrain Mountain
Wild Basin and Longs Peak from Saint Vrain Mountain
The rocky summit has plenty of room to share with other visitors. It may be better to set up just below the peak to escape people or wind. Saint Vrain is an excellent radio site for HF and VHF/UHF – it is east of the Divide, and it has a wide view across the Eastern Plains, as well as the east side of the Front Range.
KX0R Saint Vrain First Activation with Dipole
KX0R First Activation of Saint Vrain with Dipole East
KX0R Second Activation of Saint Vrain
The region around Saint Vrain Mountain forms many thunderstorms in summer. Small cumulus clouds can turn into dark-bottomed monsters in a short time. Get an early start, and don’t push your luck.
George Carey Fuller
KX0R
Chiefs Head, Pagoda, Longs Peak, and Mount Meeker
Mount Audubon and Paiute Peak from Saint Vrain
Copeland Mountain from Saint Vrain Mountain
Paintbrush Garden on Saint Vrain Trail
Columbines along Saint Vrain Trail
Indian Paintbrush on Saint Vrain
Longs Peak from Saint Vrain
KX0R on Saint Vrain 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!
!! 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!
