Mt. Sherman Trip Report 01/30/2017

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Mt. Sherman - 14,043 feet Mt. Bross - 14,178 feet Mt. Bross - 14,178 feet
Date Posted	01/30/2017
Modified	02/03/2017
Date Climbed	10/13/2016
Author	rpdawes

Climbing Two Easy 14ers
Once the good old summer got behind with four 14ers in my bag, October normally means the initiation of a snow season. At that time, I had no idea whether or not I would be able to continue my pursuit of more 14ers with a lot of snow on a trail anywhere in the Colorado Rockies before my 2016 season would be over. There was a light snowfall during the first week of October and there was nothing since then until the middle of November. Taking advantage of the unexpectedly favorable weather conditions, I was so fortunate to continue climbing more mountains and settled on the two easiest 14ers, Mt. Sherman and Mt. Bross. I decided that there would be no more overnight sleep for me near the timberline during the cold season like I did with the previous 14ers hikes in the summer. Mt. Sherman Summit:14,036 feet Route: Southwest Ridge from Fourmile Creek Total Gain: 2,100 feet RT Length: 5.25 miles Date: October 13, 2016 Partner: Solo Number of successful 14er summits: 16 Early in the morning of October 13, I got up and hit the road to Fairplay. Once past the town, I got on the Fourmile road all the way to the 12,000-foot gate. Upon arrival at 8:37 am, I started my shortest hike of the season toward Mt. Sherman and reached the summit at 1:50 pm. After a brief stay at the top, I returned to my car at 5:25 pm. The hike itself was pleasant, but uneventful except for a few mining facilities in ruins. Even though the day was beautiful, sunny and cold, everything was very quiet except for two souls who said greetings to me. There was no sight of any wildlife at all. Since my trip began above the timberline, I never had a chance to walk through the trees, but only an alpine tundra terrain all the way to the summit, which was a bit boring. View of the first mining facility in ruins at the Dauntless Mine at 12,300' near the gate Far view of Mt. Sherman Looking down from the saddle connecting Mt. Sherman and Mt. Sherdian View of the second mining facility in ruins at Hilltop Mine Hiking toward a saddle connecting Mt. Sherman and Mt. Sheridan Getting closer to Mt. Sherman The Southwest Ridge viewed from the saddle Me before climbing over the false summit Selfie at top Someone plowed around the unofficial man-made summit marker. Looking down at Mt. Sheridan from the summit Horseshoe Mountain Rough edge of the summit ridge Mt. Bross Summit:14,172 feet Route: East Slopes from Mineral Park Mine Total Gain: 2,900 feet RT Length: 9.0 miles Date: October 27, 2016 Partner: Solo Number of successful 14er summits: 17 Since the weather contiuosly looked very favorable, I took another golden opportunity to climb one more 14er. Therefore I drove to the Mineral Mine Park trailhead and spent a night sleeping in my Jeep. At 6:00 o'clock in the morning of October 27th, I began hiking up to Mt. Bross, mainly on an existent driveable road. As I approached the summit, a flock of about 20 mountain sheep grazing about 300 yards away caught my attention . At 12:53 pm I finally reached the summit, solo all the way. There I met another climber who was doing a loop from Kite Lake trailhead. Since there was a gentle wind, I did not need to sit behind the wind shield recently piled up with rocks by some good-hearted volunteers. After spending 50 minutes at the top, I returned to the trailhead at 5:16 pm. The weather was very pleasant and serene. The Class 1 trail was very easy although the RT distance was 9 miles long. Mineral Mine Park Sunset viewed from the Mineral Mine Park View of Mt. Bross from Mineral Mine Park Road heading to East Slopes Mining facility in ruins Road past 13,500 feet altitude View of Alma Flock of about 20 mountain sheep grazing on East Slopes Road past 13,900 feet altitude Some people made a wind shield against high-speed winds coming from the west me at the summit. View of Mt. Lincoln, a 14er View of Torreys and Grays Peaks, both 14ers View of Mt. Democrat, a 14er View of "South Bross" Bristlecone Pine woods Unique Tree With 17 fourteeners under my belt, I look foward to summiting at least three 14ers during the 2017 season, God keeping me in good health regardless of my advanced age. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Climbing Two Easy 14ers

Once the good old summer got behind with four 14ers in my bag, October normally means the initiation of a snow season. At that time, I had no idea whether or not I would be able to continue my pursuit of more 14ers with a lot of snow on a trail anywhere in the Colorado Rockies before my 2016 season would be over.

There was a light snowfall during the first week of October and there was nothing since then until the middle of November. Taking advantage of the unexpectedly favorable weather conditions, I was so fortunate to continue climbing more mountains and settled on the two easiest 14ers, Mt. Sherman and Mt. Bross.

I decided that there would be no more overnight sleep for me near the timberline during the cold season like I did with the previous 14ers hikes in the summer.

Mt. Sherman
Summit:14,036 feet
Route: Southwest Ridge from Fourmile Creek
Total Gain: 2,100 feet
RT Length: 5.25 miles
Date: October 13, 2016
Partner: Solo
Number of successful 14er summits: 16

Early in the morning of October 13, I got up and hit the road to Fairplay. Once past the town, I got on the Fourmile road all the way to the 12,000-foot gate. Upon arrival at 8:37 am, I started my shortest hike of the season toward Mt. Sherman and reached the summit at 1:50 pm. After a brief stay at the top, I returned to my car at 5:25 pm.

The hike itself was pleasant, but uneventful except for a few mining facilities in ruins. Even though the day was beautiful, sunny and cold, everything was very quiet except for two souls who said greetings to me. There was no sight of any wildlife at all. Since my trip began above the timberline, I never had a chance to walk through the trees, but only an alpine tundra terrain all the way to the summit, which was a bit boring.

View of the first mining facility in ruins at the Dauntless Mine at 12,300' near the gate

Looking down from the saddle connecting Mt. Sherman and Mt. Sherdian

View of the second mining facility in ruins at Hilltop Mine

Hiking toward a saddle connecting Mt. Sherman and Mt. Sheridan

The Southwest Ridge viewed from the saddle

Me before climbing over the false summit

Someone plowed around the unofficial man-made summit marker.

Looking down at Mt. Sheridan from the summit

Mt. Bross
Summit:14,172 feet
Route: East Slopes from Mineral Park Mine
Total Gain: 2,900 feet
RT Length: 9.0 miles
Date: October 27, 2016
Partner: Solo
Number of successful 14er summits: 17

Since the weather contiuosly looked very favorable, I took another golden opportunity to climb one more 14er. Therefore I drove to the Mineral Mine Park trailhead and spent a night sleeping in my Jeep. At 6:00 o'clock in the morning of October 27th, I began hiking up to Mt. Bross, mainly on an existent driveable road. As I approached the summit, a flock of about 20 mountain sheep grazing about 300 yards away caught my attention . At 12:53 pm I finally reached the summit, solo all the way. There I met another climber who was doing a loop from Kite Lake trailhead. Since there was a gentle wind, I did not need to sit behind the wind shield recently piled up with rocks by some good-hearted volunteers.

After spending 50 minutes at the top, I returned to the trailhead at 5:16 pm. The weather was very pleasant and serene. The Class 1 trail was very easy although the RT distance was 9 miles long.

Sunset viewed from the Mineral Mine Park

View of Mt. Bross from Mineral Mine Park

Flock of about 20 mountain sheep grazing on East Slopes

Some people made a wind shield against high-speed winds coming from the west

View of Torreys and Grays Peaks, both 14ers

With 17 fourteeners under my belt, I look foward to summiting at least three 14ers during the 2017 season, God keeping me in good health regardless of my advanced age.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

osprey	Yes 1/30/2017 5:44pm May you continue to be blessed with good health and enjoy the beauty of the mountains and your life. Would we all age as gracefully as you.
BenjaminTaylor	Congrats! 1/30/2017 10:07pm They may be two of the easiest 14ers, but they're still two that I haven't done yet. Nice report, good luck on your future endeavors!
Jay521	Keep on keeping on! 1/31/2017 9:11am Very, very nice Richard! As always, I wish you continued success in the mountains.
jmjr2k	Way To Go! 2/12/2017 9:43pm Congrats on your 14'er accomplishments! Give thanks everyday, and continue being an inspiration!

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