Drift Peak Trip Report 08/01/2011

Peak(s):	"Drift Peak" - 13,915 feet
Date Posted:	08/01/2011
Modified:	08/02/2011
Date Climbed:	07/31/2011
Author:	winmag4582001

Success on our third attempt
My son and I had made two other attempts at Drift Peak this winter, each time getting forced off by weather. We decided to scrap the winter ascent and hike it on Sunday. Conditions couldn't have been more perfect. We were in the parking lot at 6:30am and on our way. We could have drove up to the gate and saved ourselves a mile and a half but I chickened out about 100yds up the trail because of a washout. (*NOTE, after that washout it would have been smooth driving the rest of the way to the gate.) When we reached the gate there were a few 4x4's there and even a Honda Accord. After we made it to the top of the ridge, the walk to the base of Drift was nice. Starting up the boulder filled gully to the summit had me worried a bit because of the size of the rocks and how loose they seemed. There is really not much to follow to the top besides your own choice in routes. The entire time on the ridge and summit we seen nobody. It wasn't until we looked over to Fletcher that we saw two hikers standing on its summit. From car to summit for us was about 4 1/2hrs. My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload): Login required to view this map... Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Success on our third attempt

My son and I had made two other attempts at Drift Peak this winter, each time getting forced off by weather. We decided to scrap the winter ascent and hike it on Sunday. Conditions couldn't have been more perfect. We were in the parking lot at 6:30am and on our way. We could have drove up to the gate and saved ourselves a mile and a half but I chickened out about 100yds up the trail because of a washout. (*NOTE, after that washout it would have been smooth driving the rest of the way to the gate.) When we reached the gate there were a few 4x4's there and even a Honda Accord. After we made it to the top of the ridge, the walk to the base of Drift was nice. Starting up the boulder filled gully to the summit had me worried a bit because of the size of the rocks and how loose they seemed. There is really not much to follow to the top besides your own choice in routes. The entire time on the ridge and summit we seen nobody. It wasn't until we looked over to Fletcher that we saw two hikers standing on its summit. From car to summit for us was about 4 1/2hrs.

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

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Monster5	Fun peak 8/1/2011 11:04pm Congrats on finally getting it.
Erox72	Flethcer Drift traverse 8/1/2011 11:35pm Sounds like you had a good summit on Drift! Was looking at doing Fletcher as well, any beta on how the saddle connecting them looks? Snow looks melted off well.

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