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Peak(s):  Sheep Mountain  -  13,304 feet
Greenhalgh Mountain  -  13,228 feet
Denver Hill - 12300
Pt 12,340 - 12340
Brown Mountain  -  13,347 feet
Hurricane Peak  -  13,459 feet
Seigal Mountain  -  13,281 feet
Trico Peak  -  13,329 feet
Date Posted:  09/07/2018
Modified:  09/10/2018
Date Climbed:   09/01/2018
Author:  bergsteigen
Additional Members:   RyGuy, Tony1
 Silverton 4x4 adventuring   

Day 3: Brown Mtn A, Hurricane

  • 4x4 Equipment: 2002 Toyota Tacoma with 2.5" lift for 13.5" of clearance, Toyota BJ74 from Japan
  • Hikers: Ryan & Tony (I sat and watched them)

With the lightning and the rain starting at 6:30 am, we weren't going anywhere for the morning. So we headed into town for breakfast. Mmmmm bacon! It's better than hiking in the rain. We got to check the weather forecast and watch the radar. It looked like we would have a short window till the next storm system. So we went 4x4 and easy 13er picking. Too bad I've already done that, so I was mostly along for the drive.

Note on our vehicles. I have a Subaru 3.6R, which is awesome for speeding along on highways and for ski/snow travel, but I wouldn't be crazy enough to take something with a measly 8.7" of clearance up any of these roads. Real 4Lo is needed, not that barely adequate for driving down Stevens Gulch from G&T, X-Mode. Of course I'm biased and enjoy my big truck, but I also don't want to ruin the stealth sports car either.

So after all the bacon, eggs and hash browns the 3 of us could eat, we drove up to Hurricane Pass to check out the weather. Not terrible, but not great either. Ryan and Tony wanted to run up Browns Mountain, so we went over to that pass a bit north. We hung around waiting for a bit, when I see them rushing out of the BJ to say they were making a run for it. Go for it! I'll put on my zoom lens and capture the action. It's like watching someones Delorme on a screen, but much better! No 10min delays. Though, when they lulligagged on the summit for a long time, I didn't know what they were doing. Hmmmm....

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Up to Hurricane Pass
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Poukipsie Gulch - not sure super Taco or I are ready for that road...


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Hurricane from Hurricane Pass
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Making a run for it


They're looking at me!
Making the ridge


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The guys are near the nipple on the ridge.


Sky goes clear with them on summit
Walking back down


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Hurricane in the weather window

After the guys got back down, we decided to try for Hurricane from a 4x4 road from the other side. The weather had cleared a bit for a nice donut hole. So off we went! Too bad when we got to the other road, we could have driven much further up - in fact the entire length of my gps track, since that is where Ryan and I stopped. Tony made a run for the summit. I didn't care enough for an unranked peak, so I was not going to risk the approaching storm. Still a nice bit of exercise for the day after 2 big ones the previous 2 days before!

Hiking up the other side of Hurricane


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Hiking up the road
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Hurricane from where you can park


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Tony on the summit
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Some mining ruins, in the fore and in the back


SHEEP!
Ryan checking out a deep shaft
Another deep shaft with the Holy Marmot Shit Farm in front. Ewwwwww!

After checking out the mining ruins, we drove over and up Corkscrew Pass for the views

Down one road, up another
Corkscrew action shot
Descending Corckscrew


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Future 4x4 model


Taking the husky for a walk
Alpine Looping


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The mine disaster cleanup, with the Storm Peaks behind

We drove into Silverton to get supplies and to meet Anastasia and Ezra. They were going to camp with us that night before heading up to Ice Lakes Basin the next day.

Note near our campsite. A few years ago, a porcupine got under my truck at 2am and I had to drive back and forth through a stream really fast to get it out. So the warning is real, if misspelled.

Back at camp, Ryan helped me articulate my truck on a rock. I've wanted to do this for a long time, so yay #bucketlist

Taco Love!


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Foot under an airy tire
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Check out that clearance!

After the 4x4 silliness, we started the camp silliness. We were fully prepared for rain, but that didn't happen!

Camp
Double fisting the P Noir



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My meat is sooooo hot, it's on fire!



Lightsabers rule!


Day 4: Sheep Mtn A, Greenhalgh

  • Mileage: 4.89
  • Elevation gain: 1,945'
  • Partners: Ryan & Tony

With a decent weather window in the morning, we decided to go after the only other viable option for new 13ers I had in the neighborhood. So up and over Stoney Pass we went, to where the Rio Grande River crosses the road for the first time. We parked and waited through a rainstorm, till we wouldn't get soaked from above, just from the bushes and grasses below. Would be a short day, but a wet one!

Am I stoked over the snow or is an Offspring song playing on the radio?


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Stoney Pass Peak and Canby Mtn
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Crossing the Rio Grande River. Sooooo easy here!
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Sheep Mountains gentle slopes
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Along Sheep's ridge, looking at its more cliffy side.
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The guys nearing the summit
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A bit of rocky ridge to the summit


Final steps up Sheep, photo:Ryan


greenhalgh_21.jpg

Wemi


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Pano south, where I haven't hiked much at all
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Pano north, where I've hiked virtually everything in view


Half Peak


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Graupel
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Heading to Greenhalgh
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The edge

At the ridge edge, the guys pounded down another loose talus gully. I started after them, then thought better of it. The ridge to the right was solid and quite pleasant! I recommend!

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Greenhalgh
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Looking back on Sheep and the slope vs ridge on left
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Another graupel pause
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Heading up Greenhalgh


graupel and fall colors


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A ridge cairn


RGP and the Window



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The Poles, wanted to get these, but another time


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Pano SW
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Pano north

Instead of going back over Sheep, we had to decide wether to dodge to the left or right. The left and down near the road was more appealing.

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Sheep with our contour route
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Ryan is sure fast pounding down loose gullies!


Fall is here - What I felt like after 4 days of hiking after not hiking in a month!


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Contouring
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Old shack with Sheep behind
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Game trails made this trek easy!


Pretty flowers still


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I see the Toyotas!


Driving back up to the pass


Day 4.5: Denver Hill,12,340 Seigal Mtn

  • Mileage: 1.75
  • Elevation gain: 517'
  • Partners for 12ers: solo
  • Seigal: Ryan & Tony

After dinner at Handlebars, we had beautiful weather, so we decided to head up and hike some more. The guys would go for the 13er Seigal, and I would go up Denver Hill and the Denver Lakes for some photography.

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Denver Hill from below
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Denver Hill from the way up
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Summit of Denver Hill with Houghton to the right

I hiked up the first hill, Denver Hill, and noticed that there was a higher point in the distance. Based on the guys progress uphill, I would have enough time to hike over there.

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Denver Lakes
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Denver Lakes

Great views of the setting sun from the next point, and I made it just before the guys summited the 13er in the clouds behind me.

Ryan and Tony on Seigal
View down from Seigal of me somewhere


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Sneffels and company
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Seigal and Denver Lakes

Day 5: Trico

  • Hikers: Ryan & Tony (I sat and watched them)

With the guys heading home today, and the weather being only good in the morning, we went for another hearty breakfast and 4x4 day. I would be extremely lazy and just ride up with Tony and Ryan in the BJ up to Black Bear Pass. Figured I could listen to Ryan's running commentary on how to drive up there, and learn something!

Spotting the line
Ryan directing Tony
Pass Bagger!


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Ryan and Tony heading up Trico
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Stormyness
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T10, I remember this peak!
Summit of Trico, can always tell which one is Tony by the orange
Tony on Trico



Tony getting silly
Really silly, like we all just spent 5 days together !

Back at the end of the road, we parted ways. They guys back home, and me back to Silverton for V5 the next day. This mini vacation with friends was exactly what I needed! Thanks for letting me hang out!


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




Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50


Comments or Questions
Tornadoman
User
Looks fun!
9/9/2018 12:45pm
Lots of cool adventuring down there. We enjoyed Trico from US 550. I didn't think the corolla's 5" of clearance couldn't handle the road. Still an easy day, I think just over 3 hours round trip; something that can be snuck in during a thin weather window.


bergsteigen
User
4x4 on rainy days
9/11/2018 1:53pm
Yeah, I think a Corolla would eventually get stuck, or else you would be leaving it there! I've hiked down the road when my traverse had to be cut short years ago. At least there's easy access to the peaks!


Trotter
User
nice
9/28/2018 9:42pm
those 4x4 roads make for some easy summits



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