Red and I hiked up Grays Peak (14,270’), the highpoint of the Continental Divide (and of the “official” Colorado CDT route) on June 6th. We walked seven miles of the CDT route. The first three miles is a dirt road from Interstate 70 to the Grays Peak trailhead. The remaining four miles is the Grays Peak National Scenic Trail. Gerry Roach’s guidebook describes the road to this trailhead as “passable for most passenger cars.” However, washouts have rendered this road impassible for any passenger car with a sane driver.
Intermittent snowpack started around 11,200 feet. Solid snowpack began around 12,400 feet. We did not carry any snow gear. This is a very heavily used section of trail, so the route itself was solidly packed down. The snow quality ranged from hard, crusty snow to slushy, depending on the time of the day. We did posthole a bit on the descent, but the snow was never a hindrance on this route.
However, we also made an unplanned attempt to climb the neighboring fourteener, Torrey Peak via the more difficult Kelso Ridge (3rd class scrambling), and failed. We scrambled up this ridge to a stretch above 13,600 feet where we turned back due to very hard packed snow on the ridge crest with steep drop-offs on both sides. I felt that it would have been too dangerous to continue on this section of ridge without ice axes and crampons. Three other people and two dogs turned around at the 13,600 foot level and descended Torrey’s 2nd class north ride. A large group of mountaineers successfully climbed Torreys Peak via the Dead Dog Snow Couloir that day. The basin was ringed with major avalanche deposits, with some cornices hanging off the ridges.
Red and I downclimbed Kelso Ridge to the Torreys-Kelso saddle before rejoining the CDT route to hike up to Grays Peak. We reached the summit of Grays Peak around 4:45 pm. Gray clouds had built up over the area, but there was no precipitation, lightning or thunder.
Considering the rapid snowmelt that Colorado has experienced this season, I was surprised to find so much snow remaining here, but snowshoes would not have been useful under the conditions. My assessment was that conditions are now adequate for hiking up easy routes on high peaks, but it’s still a bit too early for long distance backpacking in Colorado’s high country.
Thought Criminal