Deer Mountain Trip Report 06/27/2013

Report Type	Mini
Peak(s)	Deer Mountain - 13,763 feet
Date Posted	06/27/2013
Date Climbed	06/23/2013
Author	Wyoming Bob

Deer Peak via N. Fork Lake Creek
The weekend weather was great and Bicentennial Deer Mountain was on the list. Camped at the trail head on Saturday night and made the acquaintance of another 14'er.com member, Summit Wolf, as she prepared for the next day. Headed out the next morning at 4:30 or so to Deer Mtn. as SW prepared to head for Lackawanna. Had good trail all the way up the valley to the split where I managed to miss the stream crossing but did manage to force a dry crossing a bit higher up valley where the stream braided down some steeper ground. Still no snow as I rejoined the trail and then crossed over a short rocky rib to the last flats before the trail cut up to the perched lake below the saddle between UN13270 and Deer Mtn's west ridge. Did cross a snowfield, actually the termination pileup of a large avi, and nothing that required snowshoes . . . well frozen. Made the short climb to the perched lake and then set off up the west ridge toward the summit. Plenty of trail segments, some strong, some less so, but no route finding issue. True enough, climb this route in the monring and you are climbing to the sun, i.e. right into it. I skirted the ridge to stay in the shade and like Mt. Mamma, a few weeks before, the surrounding peaks provided the illusion that I just was not gaining sufficient altitude . . . had to be getting led onto a false summit. However, as they say in caving, the route "went" and soon enough I was on the summit. Great views, no smoke in sight, and about a 7 hour round trip from the trailhead at the big hairpin curve. No snow left to cross but the frozen mount and lots of mud in the trail trench on the way out. For the usual Climbing with Bob narrative, click here. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Deer Peak via N. Fork Lake Creek

The weekend weather was great and Bicentennial Deer Mountain was on the list. Camped at the trail head on Saturday night and made the acquaintance of another 14'er.com member, Summit Wolf, as she prepared for the next day. Headed out the next morning at 4:30 or so to Deer Mtn. as SW prepared to head for Lackawanna. Had good trail all the way up the valley to the split where I managed to miss the stream crossing but did manage to force a dry crossing a bit higher up valley where the stream braided down some steeper ground. Still no snow as I rejoined the trail and then crossed over a short rocky rib to the last flats before the trail cut up to the perched lake below the saddle between UN13270 and Deer Mtn's west ridge. Did cross a snowfield, actually the termination pileup of a large avi, and nothing that required snowshoes . . . well frozen.

Made the short climb to the perched lake and then set off up the west ridge toward the summit. Plenty of trail segments, some strong, some less so, but no route finding issue. True enough, climb this route in the monring and you are climbing to the sun, i.e. right into it. I skirted the ridge to stay in the shade and like Mt. Mamma, a few weeks before, the surrounding peaks provided the illusion that I just was not gaining sufficient altitude . . . had to be getting led onto a false summit. However, as they say in caving, the route "went" and soon enough I was on the summit.

Great views, no smoke in sight, and about a 7 hour round trip from the trailhead at the big hairpin curve. No snow left to cross but the frozen mount and lots of mud in the trail trench on the way out.

For the usual Climbing with Bob narrative, click here.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

zinj	Looks beautiful! 6/28/2013 2:01pm Not much snow left...The willows haven't quite woken up to summer yet?
Wyoming Bob	No snow and starting to green up 6/28/2013 10:12pm and the willows were pretty low to the ground, no Bierstadtesque willows, pretty much trail all the way. And really pretty up at that perched lake, not beat up and over travelled.
summitwolf	Great meeting you! 7/3/2013 6:49pm It was great chatting with you Saturday night. Looks like you had a great climb. It's always nice to meet fellow 14ers.com members :D Hope you have a safe and fun climbing season!

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