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So I began this journey with the intention of climbing Kelso Ridge up to Torreys and then heading over to Grays, and spending the night on either summit. This was a great trip! I got to the Grays TH around 1000am on Saturday, and headed up the trail to the saddle where the old mine is to begin Kelso Ridge. Thus far the day was a real bluebird.
Torreys from Steven's gulch
Once I got to the mine, I helmeted up(very busy day) and started the fun stuff. The beginning of this route is pretty easy accept for one slight technical pitch. This could probably have been avoided but that would be skipping the best part.
After some scrambling and a few sections that involved some scooting The summit of Torreys was right there... Voila!
The summit was very crowded, and there isn't really anywhere to bivvy, so I decided to seek out greener pastures on Grays. Headed accross the traverse, dodged a couple dogs, and climbed on up to the second summit of the day. I waited here on the summit and decided that the weather was going to hold for most of the night and began setting up my home away from home.
After some dinner and a beautiful sunset I decided to call it an early night with the knowledge that I probably wasn't going to sleep much more than an hour at a time(never do at altitude). Suprisingly I went right to sleep, and managed to stay that way till around 0145 when I was startled awake by voices and some redlense headlamps on the south summit. Turns out a group of four wanted to do a nighttime ascent The wind had picked back up and it was pretty cold by now so the summiteers turned right back around and left me to my own devices. Woke up early to cold winds on top, packed up quick, ate some breakfast, and left quickly. Had an uneventful trip back down. Saw a few brazen mountain goats, and continued on down to the car. All in all a great trip especially just to have stayed on top.
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That‘s sounds like so much fun. What a gorgeous sunset!
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The wind had picked back up and it was pretty cold by now so the summiteers turned right back around and left me to my own devices. Woke up early to cold winds on top, packed up quick, ate some breakfast, and left quickly. Had an uneventful trip back down. Saw a few brazen mountain goats, and continued on down to the car. All in all a great trip especially just to have stayed on top.
