Route Description

Take I-70 to the Bakerville exit (#221). Leave the highway and drive south over to the dirt parking area near the start of Forest Road 189. This is the winter trailhead and, even if the upper road is open, low-clearance passenger cars should park here. It’s almost 3 miles to the summer trailhead. Reach a junction after one mile - stay straight and follow the sign for the Grays Peak trailhead. Continue another 2 miles to the trailhead at 11,280'. There are restrooms and a few dispersed camping spots near the parking area.

Details:

From the trailhead parking area, cross the large bridge that spans the stream in Stevens Gulch. Continue up the road-like trail to get your first good look at Grays and Torreys (Photo #1). Continue up into the basin to reach an information sign about half way into the hike - Photo #2 and Photo #3. Shortly after this point, hike through some bushes and across a rocky area near 12,300' - Photo #4. The trail gradually turns left as it climbs behind a small ridge that runs south up to the east side of Grays. As you hike around this area and past a basin, Torreys is to your right (Photo #5) and Grays is ahead to the southwest - Photo #6.

Continue on the trail to an intersection near 13,200'. Going left will continue up to Grays. The trail to Torreys starts to the right. If you look up the slope (to the right), you can see large cairns that mark this trail as it climbs towards the Grays-Torreys saddle - Photo #7. Leave the Grays Peak trail and follow the Torreys trail toward the saddle (southwest). Photo #8 looks down on the route from this area. Continue towards the left side of the Grays-Torreys saddle (Photo #9) and hit the saddle just above 13,700' - Photo #10.

From the saddle (Photo #11), turn right and follow a trail less than 1/2 mile up the ridge to the summit - Photo #12. Photo #13 is another look at the approach to the Grays-Torreys saddle. Photo #14 looks northeast from the top.

Skiing?:

Heading down the ridge: Photo #15, Photo #16, Photo #17, Photo #18, Photo #19
Dropping off the saddle: Photo #20, Photo #21
Skiing back to the upper basin: Photo #22, Photo #23, Photo #24, Photo #25
A look back: Photo #26