Peak(s):	Cronin Peak - 13,872 feet "Lo Carb" - 13,598 feet Cyclone Mountain - 13,616 feet Carbonate Mountain - 13,662 feet
Date Posted:	07/27/2011
Modified:	09/12/2018
Date Climbed:	07/22/2011
Author:	USAKeller
Additional Members:	mtgirl, comin2getcha

Southern Sawatch Medley: Cronin Group 13ers - Baldwin Gulch TH
Cronin Peak & Associates 13ers Ridge Run Date: Friday, July 22, 2011 Crew: Vicki, Lance, and myself Route: East Ridge to Cronin Pk > descend SW Ridge to NE Ridge on "Lo Carb"/PT 13,591' > continue S-SE to Cyclone Mtn. and then over to Carbonate Mtn. A > re-ascend Cyclone to "Lo Carb" > descend East Ridge of "Lo Carb" loop back to Baldwin Gulch 4WD Jeep Road. Stats: 10 miles; 3,800' climbed; 7 hrs 40 min RT Topo of the route: The 13ers have been the name of our game this summer; so Vicki, Lance, and I had another FMC (Friday Morning Club) planned in the Sawatch. We left Boulder at 3:00am and picked Vicki up at the bottom of the 4WD road heading to Baldwin Gulch. The road is definitely rougher than I remember it - it took us about 75 minutes to drive it to where we parked high on a switchback near 12,600'. We started up the road and quickly reached the Antero-Cronin saddle just below 13,100'. From here, it was an easy hike up Cronin's East Ridge. I topped out on Cronin at 9:10am; Vicki and Lance a little earlier. Lance and Vicki begin the straightforward hike on Cronin's East Ridge: Vicki, myself, and Lance on the summit of Cronin Peak with Tabeguache Peak behind: The remaining objectives for the day - "Lo Carb", Cyclone, and Carbonate (our descent route in green): We left Cronin at 9:30am, descending her Southwest Ridge en route to "Lo Carb"/PT 13,591'. We gained "Lo Carb's" Northeast Ridge and were on the summit at 10:20am (~1mi. summit-to-summit). We briefly paused to evaluate a possible descent route to avoid having to re-gain Cronin. We descended south and continued S-SE for Cyclone. The gentle Northeast Slopes to "Lo Carb": Once past the "Lo Carb"/Cyclone saddle, the short summit push to Cyclone definitely gets steeper (and loose) quickly. We topped out on Cyclone at 11:00am. Lance descending "Lo Carb"/PT 13,591' and heading to Cyclone: The route to Cyclone Mtn.: The weather was wonderful; nothing threatening. So, we decided to grab Carbonate Mtn. as well. We left Cyclone at 11:10am and continued another ~1/2mi. southeast to Carbonate (summiting at 11:50am). It felt good to snag all four of those peaks! Lance and Vicki heading Carbonate from the summit of Cyclone: The remaining route to Carbonate Mtn.: We were definitely feeling tired and not particularly excited about hiking back over Cyclone and "Lo Carb". But that was the only option. We refueled on the top of Carbonate and left at 12:10pm. Our legs were certainly feeling it back over Cyclone and over to "Lo Carb". Rather than re-gaining Cronin, we decided to take the East Ridge on "Lo Carb" that we previously scoped out along the way up and found it to be a rather mild descent. We crossed a stream at 12,500 and after some easy bushwhacking, reached the jeep road a few hundred feet higher. Descending the East Ridge of PT 13,591': Another look at our descent route, taken from the summit of Carbonate Mtn. A: From here, it was an easy walk back up to the Antero-Cronin saddle and arriving back to the car at 3:00pm. Our bodies were tired, but we were pleased with the work that day and more so excited for another FMC excursion! My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload): Login required to view this map... Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Southern Sawatch Medley: Cronin Group 13ers - Baldwin Gulch TH

Cronin Peak & Associates 13ers Ridge Run

Date: Friday, July 22, 2011
Crew: Vicki, Lance, and myself
Route: East Ridge to Cronin Pk > descend SW Ridge to NE Ridge on "Lo Carb"/PT 13,591' > continue S-SE to Cyclone Mtn. and then over to Carbonate Mtn. A > re-ascend Cyclone to "Lo Carb" > descend East Ridge of "Lo Carb" loop back to Baldwin Gulch 4WD Jeep Road.
Stats: 10 miles; 3,800' climbed; 7 hrs 40 min RT

Topo of the route:

The 13ers have been the name of our game this summer; so Vicki, Lance, and I had another FMC (Friday Morning Club) planned in the Sawatch. We left Boulder at 3:00am and picked Vicki up at the bottom of the 4WD road heading to Baldwin Gulch. The road is definitely rougher than I remember it - it took us about 75 minutes to drive it to where we parked high on a switchback near 12,600'. We started up the road and quickly reached the Antero-Cronin saddle just below 13,100'. From here, it was an easy hike up Cronin's East Ridge. I topped out on Cronin at 9:10am; Vicki and Lance a little earlier.

Lance and Vicki begin the straightforward hike on Cronin's East Ridge:

Vicki, myself, and Lance on the summit of Cronin Peak with Tabeguache Peak behind:

The remaining objectives for the day - "Lo Carb", Cyclone, and Carbonate (our descent route in green):

We left Cronin at 9:30am, descending her Southwest Ridge en route to "Lo Carb"/PT 13,591'. We gained "Lo Carb's" Northeast Ridge and were on the summit at 10:20am (~1mi. summit-to-summit). We briefly paused to evaluate a possible descent route to avoid having to re-gain Cronin. We descended south and continued S-SE for Cyclone.

The gentle Northeast Slopes to "Lo Carb":

Once past the "Lo Carb"/Cyclone saddle, the short summit push to Cyclone definitely gets steeper (and loose) quickly. We topped out on Cyclone at 11:00am.

Lance descending "Lo Carb"/PT 13,591' and heading to Cyclone:

The route to Cyclone Mtn.:

The weather was wonderful; nothing threatening. So, we decided to grab Carbonate Mtn. as well. We left Cyclone at 11:10am and continued another ~1/2mi. southeast to Carbonate (summiting at 11:50am). It felt good to snag all four of those peaks!

Lance and Vicki heading Carbonate from the summit of Cyclone:

The remaining route to Carbonate Mtn.:

We were definitely feeling tired and not particularly excited about hiking back over Cyclone and "Lo Carb". But that was the only option. We refueled on the top of Carbonate and left at 12:10pm. Our legs were certainly feeling it back over Cyclone and over to "Lo Carb". Rather than re-gaining Cronin, we decided to take the East Ridge on "Lo Carb" that we previously scoped out along the way up and found it to be a rather mild descent. We crossed a stream at 12,500 and after some easy bushwhacking, reached the jeep road a few hundred feet higher.

Descending the East Ridge of PT 13,591':

Another look at our descent route, taken from the summit of Carbonate Mtn. A:

From here, it was an easy walk back up to the Antero-Cronin saddle and arriving back to the car at 3:00pm. Our bodies were tired, but we were pleased with the work that day and more so excited for another FMC excursion!

My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

RoanMtnMan	Nice trip Caroline... 7/27/2011 5:04pm That east face of Cronin is a mighty fine ski as well. May be worth a trip back up there next spring.
mtgirl	Fun day ! 7/27/2011 9:49pm Yet again, I had a great time with you and Lance. Sure glad I joined the ”Friday Morning Club” ! Loving the solitude of the 13ers too. Six 13er summits in two outings - can't complain about that.
Presto	What a good looking group! 7/27/2011 10:03pm Nice trip report ... such a brilliant blue sky and great weather this weekend, huh?! Sounds like you guys took advantage of it. Thanks for posting. Happy trails!
mtgirl	Good Looking Group ? 7/27/2011 10:07pm Presto.....the only girl that can really look good waking up at 2:30 AM for a day in the mountains is Caroline.....clearly not me !
BAUMGARA	Curious 7/27/2011 11:40pm Did you happen to check out the summit register on Cronin??? I was there a couple of weekends ago...
Fred Moore	Your Father! 7/28/2011 1:06am USA Keller - great job on the hike and trip report. Excellent photography and GPS data. I hope you clear for Ranier to go with us.
coop_dogg	Nice work! 7/28/2011 4:31am Great pics of a nice tour de la Carbonites. Looking forward to hitting it this weekend. Love the solitude of the 13ers
globreal	Look at those blue skies! 7/29/2011 1:20am Appears you had one of those stellar summer days. Nice job of documenting the photos with your dots and labels! Maybe you should work full-time for Bill? Great job of multi-peak work! Thanks for posting.

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