| A Windy Day in the Mosquitos |
Horseshoe Mountain 13898-East Ridge via Horseshoe Creek
6.2 miles RT
2418ft elevation gain
Horseshoe Mtn is a centennial peak that is shadowed by it's more popular though less aestetic neighbor Mt. Sherman. It is an easy class I walk-up. I did this hike on a weekday and saw only one other person on the trail. The views of the namesake cirque are breathtaking as one hikes up an old mining road to a saddle between Horseshoe Mountain and Peerless Mountain.
Access to the Trailhead is via the Fourmile Creek Road (CR-1 outside of Fairplay. At the ghost town of Leavick on this bumpy dirt road take a left turn and drive about 0.6 miles to timberline. Park off the road. This is the "trailhead".
Next proceed to walk up a old 4-wheel drive road to the west as it snakes around Horseshoe Creek. The cirque will be visible shortly.
Continue up this road/trail as it heads north
Pass a lake to the west of the trail
Continue up the trail toward a saddle between Horseshoe Mountain and Peerless Mountain and pass some mining building remnants
Old mining building
The saddle will shortly be in better view
Above the saddle the ridge to the summit is visible
The summit-it was very, very windy up there and difficult to stand at times so we did not spend much time up there. Initially, I wanted to continue to the southwest on the ridge and bag Ptarmigan Peak but the winds were just too brutal and some clouds were looking potenially ominous for storms.
Peerless Mountain, Mt. Sheridan, and Mt. Sherman to the northeast
Ptarmigan Peak to the southwest down the ridge
Weston Peak and Pass further to the south on the same rigde past Ptarmigan Peak
Sheep Mountain to the east I believe
A parting shot of the handsome cirque
And in my wildflower identification quest, a few new-to-me species were identified on the hike:Mountain Bladderpod, Alpine Lousewort, and Parry Lousewort-all were in abundance
This was an easy but lovely hike at altidude. I really love 13ers!
Happy trails!
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