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Peak: "Drift Peak"
Route: Northwest Ridge
Approach: Mayflower Gulch
Length: About 5 miles RT
Vertical: About 2700 feet
Ascent party: Solo
..Best viewed with large images..
After doing Atlantic, Pacific and Fletcher last year, I decided I wanted to give Drift Peak a shot. It looked pretty easy and I had a little time on my hands so I gave it a try. Turns out it was a little tougher than I thought, but the wildflowers in Mayflower Gulch were spectacular.
Flowers on the way up to the ridge The flowers were amazing
My route up would take me up the bump on the right, along the top of the ridge across the small bumps and then up to the summit. From the ridge above the Boston Mine
It turned out the crux - for me anyway - was the first bump. It was much steeper than it looks in this photo. Plus, it was VERY loose. I decided I would try to find a different way down so that I wouldn't be knocking any rocks loose on someone coming up. Didn't matter as I was the only one on the mountain that day.
I'm on the second or third of the small bumps looking at the rest of the route. The ridge seemed longer than it looked from below. On the ridge
Looking back down the ridge
The summit is in sight. The summit ridge
From left to right, Pacific, Atlantic and Fletcher. With Grays and Torreys in the distance. The ridge to Fletcher
There is a pole at the summit. Sunk in concrete. Not sure who lugged up the concrete, but they are tougher than I am! Not going anywhere
Interesting summit register container. Ammo and beer. That's what I'm talkin' about!Summit register container
Maybe Bill should make a 13ers.com sticker! Bill was here!
On the way down - A view of Decalibron
I decided to drop down from the saddle on my return. It was also steep and loose but not quite as steep as the first bump. And I could see that there was nobody below me. My route down
Once down in the bowl, I followed this little stream on the way out. A nice little stream
Gotta love columbine
It looked like something out of The Wizard of Oz. Flowers, flowers, flowers..
This was a fun little climb. Be warned that the rock stability is all over the place on this one. Sometimes I was boulder hopping on solid rock, other times struggling with loose talus and occasionally on very slippery dirt. But if you are looking for solitude, this one is worth doing.
Thanks for taking the time to read this! Please be careful out there.
Some miscellaneous flower shots...
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Thanks guys! I sincerely appreciate your compliments. I have lived in Colorado a long, long time and I don't ever recall a summer where the flowers were as pretty or lasted as long as they have this year. Makes it pretty easy to take nice flower shots..
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