OTHER Trip Report 11/26/2012

Peak(s):	11,180
Date Posted:	11/26/2012
Date Climbed:	11/17/2012
Author:	Bethie

Point 11,180 - Lost Creek Wilderness
Saturday 11/17/12 Lost Creek Wilderness Point 11,180 TH: Lost Park Campground Mileage: 12.7 Elevation Gain: 3,000ft Bob & Sharon Dawson, Steve Cassin, Beth & Keith Bershader We hadn't been back in LCW for quite some time and Bob suggested 11,180 since Sharon, Steve & I still needed it. We started off at Lost Park Campground on the Wigwam trail at 7:40am under bluebird skies & a relatively warm morning. We quickly traveled the 3.5 miles on pretty flat trail through the healthy forest & past funky rock formations before turning right on a less traveled trail into a drainage. We descended into this drainage next to the partially frozen creek scrambling up & over boulders enjoying the cool rock cliff face opposite of us. We passed an awesome waterfall with views of an incredible rock tower nearby. Gotta love the LCW. As we reached a confluence where the creek we'd been following joined another creek we turned right & headed off trail. Now our 2,000 ft bushwhack started traveling over less than 1 1/2 mile. I love bushwhacks, the adventure of finding your way & fighting up & over deadfall, around rocky outcrops. So much more interesting than a trail & a better workout! It was nice having Bob's GPS with way points on it, very helpful! We finally reached a saddle with Point 11,180 off to our left. We scrambled around one side and it didn't look familiar to Bob or Keith so we came back around to where we were before & tried going up a different area of the jumbled rocks. We soon found ourselves in the coolest rock garden I've ever seen. Huge funky dead trees with a giant flat sandy spot & huge rock formations surrounding the area. Wowsa! We took a snack break here while Bob talked us through the route up the rock formation in front of us. Whoever discovered climbing this first I thank because it was pretty freakin fun. We did some minor class 2 with an occasional class 3 move up to the bottom of a chimney. Then we took turns shimmeying our way up the 4th class chimney that was very similar to being in a slot canyon & then we were spit out at the top of it. If Bob hadn't been up here before, it would've been hard to distinguish which rocky bundle was the actual summit. We scrambled over to the last 4th class move to the very top. The views of LCW spread out before our eyes. SA-WEET! Signed the register that had less than 20 names on it since 1996, all names from people we knew then downclimbed back to the rock garden where we relaxed in the warm sun enjoying another snack. The wind picked up & it got chilly as the sun disappeared behind the rocks so we headed down bushwhacking back to the trail. Then it was a nice jaunt back the car which we reached at 4:20pm. After stretching & enjoying a few beers we hit the road & had some good eats at 3 Margaritas in Conifer. Another GREAT outing in the LCW where was saw no one!! I highly recommend this little gem but it's very helpful to go with someone who's climbed it before! Beth Bershader Posts: 8 Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:16 pm

Point 11,180 - Lost Creek Wilderness

Saturday 11/17/12
Lost Creek Wilderness
Point 11,180
TH: Lost Park Campground
Mileage: 12.7
Elevation Gain: 3,000ft
Bob & Sharon Dawson, Steve Cassin, Beth & Keith Bershader

We hadn't been back in LCW for quite some time and Bob suggested 11,180 since Sharon, Steve & I still needed it. We started off at Lost Park Campground on the Wigwam trail at 7:40am under bluebird skies & a relatively warm morning. We quickly traveled the 3.5 miles on pretty flat trail through the healthy forest & past funky rock formations before turning right on a less traveled trail into a drainage. We descended into this drainage next to the partially frozen creek scrambling up & over boulders enjoying the cool rock cliff face opposite of us. We passed an awesome waterfall with views of an incredible rock tower nearby. Gotta love the LCW. As we reached a confluence where the creek we'd been following joined another creek we turned right & headed off trail. Now our 2,000 ft bushwhack started traveling over less than 1 1/2 mile. I love bushwhacks, the adventure of finding your way & fighting up & over deadfall, around rocky outcrops. So much more interesting than a trail & a better workout! It was nice having Bob's GPS with way points on it, very helpful! We finally reached a saddle with Point 11,180 off to our left. We scrambled around one side and it didn't look familiar to Bob or Keith so we came back around to where we were before & tried going up a different area of the jumbled rocks. We soon found ourselves in the coolest rock garden I've ever seen. Huge funky dead trees with a giant flat sandy spot & huge rock formations surrounding the area. Wowsa! We took a snack break here while Bob talked us through the route up the rock formation in front of us. Whoever discovered climbing this first I thank because it was pretty freakin fun. We did some minor class 2 with an occasional class 3 move up to the bottom of a chimney. Then we took turns shimmeying our way up the 4th class chimney that was very similar to being in a slot canyon & then we were spit out at the top of it. If Bob hadn't been up here before, it would've been hard to distinguish which rocky bundle was the actual summit. We scrambled over to the last 4th class move to the very top. The views of LCW spread out before our eyes. SA-WEET! Signed the register that had less than 20 names on it since 1996, all names from people we knew then downclimbed back to the rock garden where we relaxed in the warm sun enjoying another snack. The wind picked up & it got chilly as the sun disappeared behind the rocks so we headed down bushwhacking back to the trail. Then it was a nice jaunt back the car which we reached at 4:20pm. After stretching & enjoying a few beers we hit the road & had some good eats at 3 Margaritas in Conifer.
Another GREAT outing in the LCW where was saw no one!! I highly recommend this little gem but it's very helpful to go with someone who's climbed it before!
Beth Bershader

Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:16 pm

Comments or Questions

Kevin Baker	Sweet! 11/26/2012 7:26pm 11180 sure is a heck of a peak. I think I knew every name in that register. Glad you had a great time on it, Beth. The LCW holds so many treasures!
Bethie	LOL!! 11/26/2012 8:52pm Kevin, We looked at the names in the register & had to laugh as we knew every single person in it!
Derek	Thanks! 11/27/2012 9:47pm You followed the route I've been planning to take from Lost Park TH, thanks for writing this up! I had been wanting to avoid the Twin Eagles approach, but I wasn't sure how awful the bushwhack from the north would be. Sounds like it'll work just fine! Hopefully they wont close the gate anytime soon and I can still make it there this fall. --D
Bethie	The gate... 11/27/2012 9:54pm Hey Derek, Usually after the first big snowfall they close the gate. Just know there are 2 key turnoffs for this route. 1. Out of Lost Park off to the right into the drainage. 2. At the confluence turn right & head off the trail here to start your bushwhack up to the left of the huge thumb like rock tower. Also, once you get to where all the rock formations are near 11,180 it's very difficult to discern which formation is the one you need to climb.

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