OTHER Trip Report 05/13/2008

Peak(s):	Almagre Mountain - 12367
Date Posted:	05/13/2008
Date Climbed:	05/10/2008
Author:	DHatfield

Almagre Mountain from Gould Creek
Almagre Mountain (12,367') Almagre Mountain South (12,349') 10.5 miles, 3,730' gain Trailhead: Gould Creek and Gold Camp Road Partners: susanjoypaul and Espen Jansen I have been wanting to do Almagre Mountain for a few years now, and my first trip to Almagre was an attempt during Dec 2005, then I tried again back in January of this year and due to it getting late I was only able to summit the Almagre Mountain South. So for this trip Susan graciously agreed to join me (as usual) and Espen also agreed to join us as well. Espen is a friend of ours that works out in the same gym we do and I know him through the Colorado Springs CMC BMS classes and Susan took an avalanche class with him and knowing that he was a very competitive skier who once tried out for the Olympics we figured he wouldn't have any problems even though he hasn't climbed anything since last year. We left the Springs at 5:45am and headed up Old Stage Road and then Gold Camp Road to Gould Creek, approximately 1.6 miles past Penrose-Rosemont Reservoir, where we were able to find a nice little pullout in the road on the south side. We arrived at the trailhead about 6:50am. 7:15am we started up the trail by having to work our way around a pond that now resides where the road should be, before being able to continue up the road, global warming I guess. The weather from the start was great since it was just slightly overcast, no wind, and a nice balmy 30 degrees. We followed the 4WD road from the trailhead to the first 4wd road heading west, approximately 0.20 miles from trailhead, as it heads up into the hills. Heading on up the 4wd road under fresh snow with Mount Big Chief (11,224') in distance The first part of the trail had a very light dusting of snow from what fell overnight. The road started to climb more steeply shortly after the road junction while being mostly a rutted road, then eventually becomes a rutted and rocky road where after about a little over a half mile past the road junction we come to a very large meadow that allows our first views of Almagre Mountain South. As the road stated to head north alongside the meadow the snow started to get deeper, however we didn't have to use snowshoes since the snow was very consolidated and supported our weight for the most part, or at least for most of us. Eventually we lost the road under all the snow so we just did an ascending traverse up toward Point 11,454 before realizing we climbed too early so we descended back down and after wallowing for a while we finally put on our snowshoes for the first time. Continuing downhill we were relieved to be back on the road we had lost. We stashed our snowshoes at the saddle between Deer Park and Elk Park since it appeared like the rest of the climb was void of any deep snow. After stashing our snowshoes we started up a steep gully just south of Baldy Benchmark to gain the ridge which ended up getting a little steep and eventually it started to snow just as the wind picked up, but luckily the snow only lasted for about 30 minutes as a small squall passed by. Me and Espen far below Baldy Benchmark Susan heading on up toward Baldy Benchmark as it starts snowing with Deer Park on left in distance. Are we there yet? Almost there. From Baldy Benchmark it was a nice easy short stroll to Almagre Mountain South. We arrived on the summit at 11:34am, congrats Susan and Espen!! Susan and Espen on Almagre Mountain south summit with Pikes Peak, Congrats Susan and Espen!! Almagre Mountain still a ways away!! The views were great from the summit, being able to see Pikes Peak as well as most of the other El Paso county summits I have been working on and some that I still need to do. The only unsightly thing was the old abandoned communication towers that reminded me of the summit of Colorado Mines Peak. We didn't stay on the summit very long since the wind had quite the nip to it so we retreated down a ways to get out of the wind the best we could to eat lunch. After a quick lunch we started heading north at 11:45am toward the Reservoir in the basin below between Almagre Mountain and Almagre Mountain South. Susan and Espen crossing the dam at the Reservior with Almagre Mountain South Getting a little windy at times. We follow the road to the saddle in center. From the Reservoir we reconnected with the road and followed it up to a saddle and then we headed west to a taller mound and once we reached the top we started to get blasted by a furious wind that started to knock us all around and we also realized we weren't on the really summit since a bump to the north looked taller, rats! Susan and Espen wondering, what do you mean this isn't the summit with Almagre Mountain South in distance However it was a short stumbling walk in the wind to the true summit of Almagre Mountain where we arrived at 1:07pm. Congrats Susan and Espen on another peak today. Susan bracing for dear life in the wind atop Almagre Mountain *Good ol Colorado Springs* From this summit you received a much better view of Pikes Peak and could see much of Colorado Springs as well. In the distance we could see a wild fire in progress out on the plains. Due to the strong winds we didn't stay at all and just started heading back down by following the road like we should have on the way up and took a break down by the Reservoir and once we were all fueled back up we started the climb back up Almagre Mountain South. From Baldy Benchmark we started the long slow descend back to the snowshoes, which due to the warming temps the steep slope was pretty slippery so we all did a little slipping and falling here and there. After retrieving our snowshoes we followed the road southwest to a meadow that kind of threw us off since there was a junction of two roads, one very well worn that headed west and north down into Elk Park, while the other headed south up through the meadow, but appeared like it hasn't been used in eons. So we followed the main road for 100 yards and realized this isn't the way we need to go, so we turned around and headed back up the road through the meadow where we had to cross a barbed wire fence through a gate. From there we just followed creek all the way down to the 4wd road that we lost in the morning and realized that the tree lying across the road is what threw us off in the morning. The remaining descent went well and quickly especially since a lot of the snow that was on the road had melted since earlier in the morning. Susan and Espen I had a wonderful time and enjoyed your guys' company. Looking forward to hiking with you guys again someday. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Almagre Mountain from Gould Creek

Almagre Mountain (12,367')
Almagre Mountain South (12,349')
10.5 miles, 3,730' gain
Trailhead: Gould Creek and Gold Camp Road
Partners: susanjoypaul and Espen Jansen

I have been wanting to do Almagre Mountain for a few years now, and my first trip to Almagre was an attempt during Dec 2005, then I tried again back in January of this year and due to it getting late I was only able to summit the Almagre Mountain South. So for this trip Susan graciously agreed to join me (as usual) and Espen also agreed to join us as well. Espen is a friend of ours that works out in the same gym we do and I know him through the Colorado Springs CMC BMS classes and Susan took an avalanche class with him and knowing that he was a very competitive skier who once tried out for the Olympics we figured he wouldn't have any problems even though he hasn't climbed anything since last year.

We left the Springs at 5:45am and headed up Old Stage Road and then Gold Camp Road to Gould Creek, approximately 1.6 miles past Penrose-Rosemont Reservoir, where we were able to find a nice little pullout in the road on the south side. We arrived at the trailhead about 6:50am.

7:15am we started up the trail by having to work our way around a pond that now resides where the road should be, before being able to continue up the road, global warming I guess. The weather from the start was great since it was just slightly overcast, no wind, and a nice balmy 30 degrees. We followed the 4WD road from the trailhead to the first 4wd road heading west, approximately 0.20 miles from trailhead, as it heads up into the hills.

Heading on up the 4wd road under fresh snow with Mount Big Chief (11,224') in distance

The first part of the trail had a very light dusting of snow from what fell overnight. The road started to climb more steeply shortly after the road junction while being mostly a rutted road, then eventually becomes a rutted and rocky road where after about a little over a half mile past the road junction we come to a very large meadow that allows our first views of Almagre Mountain South.

As the road stated to head north alongside the meadow the snow started to get deeper, however we didn't have to use snowshoes since the snow was very consolidated and supported our weight for the most part, or at least for most of us. Eventually we lost the road under all the snow so we just did an ascending traverse up toward Point 11,454 before realizing we climbed too early so we descended back down and after wallowing for a while we finally put on our snowshoes for the first time. Continuing downhill we were relieved to be back on the road we had lost. We stashed our snowshoes at the saddle between Deer Park and Elk Park since it appeared like the rest of the climb was void of any deep snow.

After stashing our snowshoes we started up a steep gully just south of Baldy Benchmark to gain the ridge which ended up getting a little steep and eventually it started to snow just as the wind picked up, but luckily the snow only lasted for about 30 minutes as a small squall passed by.

Me and Espen far below Baldy Benchmark

Susan heading on up toward Baldy Benchmark as it starts snowing with Deer Park on left in distance.

Are we there yet?

Almost there.

From Baldy Benchmark it was a nice easy short stroll to Almagre Mountain South. We arrived on the summit at 11:34am, congrats Susan and Espen!!

Susan and Espen on Almagre Mountain south summit with Pikes Peak, Congrats Susan and Espen!!

Almagre Mountain still a ways away!!

The views were great from the summit, being able to see Pikes Peak as well as most of the other El Paso county summits I have been working on and some that I still need to do. The only unsightly thing was the old abandoned communication towers that reminded me of the summit of Colorado Mines Peak. We didn't stay on the summit very long since the wind had quite the nip to it so we retreated down a ways to get out of the wind the best we could to eat lunch.

After a quick lunch we started heading north at 11:45am toward the Reservoir in the basin below between Almagre Mountain and Almagre Mountain South.

Susan and Espen crossing the dam at the Reservior with Almagre Mountain South

Getting a little windy at times. We follow the road to the saddle in center.

From the Reservoir we reconnected with the road and followed it up to a saddle and then we headed west to a taller mound and once we reached the top we started to get blasted by a furious wind that started to knock us all around and we also realized we weren't on the really summit since a bump to the north looked taller, rats!

Susan and Espen wondering, what do you mean this isn't the summit with Almagre Mountain South in distance

However it was a short stumbling walk in the wind to the true summit of Almagre Mountain where we arrived at 1:07pm. Congrats Susan and Espen on another peak today.

Susan bracing for dear life in the wind atop Almagre Mountain

Good ol Colorado Springs

From this summit you received a much better view of Pikes Peak and could see much of Colorado Springs as well. In the distance we could see a wild fire in progress out on the plains. Due to the strong winds we didn't stay at all and just started heading back down by following the road like we should have on the way up and took a break down by the Reservoir and once we were all fueled back up we started the climb back up Almagre Mountain South. From Baldy Benchmark we started the long slow descend back to the snowshoes, which due to the warming temps the steep slope was pretty slippery so we all did a little slipping and falling here and there.

After retrieving our snowshoes we followed the road southwest to a meadow that kind of threw us off since there was a junction of two roads, one very well worn that headed west and north down into Elk Park, while the other headed south up through the meadow, but appeared like it hasn't been used in eons. So we followed the main road for 100 yards and realized this isn't the way we need to go, so we turned around and headed back up the road through the meadow where we had to cross a barbed wire fence through a gate. From there we just followed creek all the way down to the 4wd road that we lost in the morning and realized that the tree lying across the road is what threw us off in the morning. The remaining descent went well and quickly especially since a lot of the snow that was on the road had melted since earlier in the morning.

Susan and Espen I had a wonderful time and enjoyed your guys' company. Looking forward to hiking with you guys again someday.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Kevin Baker	Nice 5/13/2008 6:08pm Nice alternate route up Almagre, guys. Almagre was pretty windy when I did it too. It seems to attract the wind for some reason. So when do you plan on finishing the EP summits, Doug and Susan? I see you are working on the unranked ones too. I‘m looking forward to seeing what you guys do on the forbidden Fremont Fort group.
DHatfield	EP summits 5/13/2008 6:39pm Kevin, I hope to have them done either this year or next for sure. No rush, just too much to climb and not enough time. The Fremont Fort group I am waiting for the full moon again . I wonder if the landowner will let me by so easily like the last time, probably not!! Time for going stealth.
susanjoypaul	Many more to go 5/13/2008 8:34pm I still have 27 ranked and 44 unranked left (I think ?), so it may be awhile. We got 5 last week, and we‘re shooting for 2 more this week, but I expect the ”county summits goal” to get put on hold as soon as the 14ers and Centennials become more accessible. We have some ideas for some of the more... ”elusive” ones, Kevin - in addition to tracking moon phases. But you probably won‘t see a trip report!

Caution: The information contained in this report may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this report provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the report author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.

Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.

14ers.com

Social

Mobile App