Grizzly Mountain Trip Report 06/24/2018

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Grizzly Mountain - 13,722 feet
Date Posted	06/24/2018
Date Climbed	06/21/2018
Author	Jay521

Gorgeous day in a gorgeous area
Gorgeous area! Trailhead: Junction of Baldwin Gulch and Baldwin Creek Route: Baldwin Creek 4X4 road to mine, then up. Length: 8 miles Vertical: 2900 feet Partners: Solo After doing Mt. Mamma last week (described here ) and eyeing Grizzly Mtn, I just couldn't resist going back to spend another day in such a pretty area. Although that involved the Baldwin Creek Road AGAIN! I have vowed to never ever drive that road unless it is either paved or someone wants to buy me beer for life. And, given that I am 70 years old, that lifetime obligation wouldn't be as bad as it sounds.. <smile> Anyway, I did drive the road without issues and gave a couple guys who were doing Antero a ride up. I parked at the same place I did for Mt. Mamma and followed the same road until the trail split off to Baldwin Lake. That split occurs where there is a large log and a pile of rocks that blocks motorized travel on that trail. Go over the rocks to follow the trail. It's a good and obvious trail to Baldwin Lake Baldwin Lake - I chose to go around the lake on the east side and it was pretty easy working my way through the willows. Approximate route I took. Looking back at the willows. Easy peasy Once above the willows, just pick your route to the top. My route in red Views as I was going up... For the most part, this was an easy climb. It did get a bit loose at the end but I found Grizzly much more enjoyable that Mt. Mamma A pretty loose area I hit the ridge to the right (north) of the summit and it was an easy walk to the summit. Sure looks like the summit. But it isn't Looing north to Mt. Mamma A mine shaft on the ridge. Those hard rock miners were really tough folks to haul timber and tools up the mountain. Speaking of tough..... From that first false summit, looking south The true summit is just beyond that pile of rocks Summit cairn As always (with good weather anyway), the views from the summit were awesome. The San Juans A zoom on the San Juans - Unc and Wetterhorn, I think Princeton Antero and Cronin And a short 360 shaky vid from the summit. The hike down wasn't bad at all - much easier than Mt. Mamma A last look back on the way out. An approximation of my route... The wildflowers were killer - these are some of the pics I took. As always, thanks for taking the time to read this and please be careful out there! Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Gorgeous day in a gorgeous area

Gorgeous area!

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Trailhead: Junction of Baldwin Gulch and Baldwin Creek
Route: Baldwin Creek 4X4 road to mine, then up.
Length: 8 miles
Vertical: 2900 feet
Partners: Solo

After doing Mt. Mamma last week (described here ) and eyeing Grizzly Mtn, I just couldn't resist going back to spend another day in such a pretty area. Although that involved the Baldwin Creek Road AGAIN! I have vowed to never ever drive that road unless it is either paved or someone wants to buy me beer for life. And, given that I am 70 years old, that lifetime obligation wouldn't be as bad as it sounds.. <smile>

Anyway, I did drive the road without issues and gave a couple guys who were doing Antero a ride up.

I parked at the same place I did for Mt. Mamma and followed the same road until the trail split off to Baldwin Lake. That split occurs where there is a large log and a pile of rocks that blocks motorized travel on that trail.

18658_39 — Go over the rocks to follow the trail.

18658_03 — It's a good and obvious trail to Baldwin Lake

I chose to go around the lake on the east side and it was pretty easy working my way through the willows.

18658_08 — Looking back at the willows. Easy peasy

Once above the willows, just pick your route to the top.

Views as I was going up...

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For the most part, this was an easy climb. It did get a bit loose at the end but I found Grizzly much more enjoyable that Mt. Mamma

I hit the ridge to the right (north) of the summit and it was an easy walk to the summit.

18658_15 — Sure looks like the summit. But it isn't

18658_17 — A mine shaft on the ridge. Those hard rock miners were really tough folks to haul timber and tools up the mountain.

18658_19 — From that first false summit, looking south The true summit is just beyond that pile of rocks

As always (with good weather anyway), the views from the summit were awesome.

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18658_26 — A zoom on the San Juans - Unc and Wetterhorn, I think

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And a short 360 shaky vid from the summit.

The hike down wasn't bad at all - much easier than Mt. Mamma

18658_37 — A last look back on the way out.

An approximation of my route...

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The wildflowers were killer - these are some of the pics I took.

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As always, thanks for taking the time to read this and please be careful out there!

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

MtnHub	Great job, Jay! 6/24/2018 8:12pm Warmup for Pyramid? :wink: Really nice flowers again!
Jay521	Pyramid 6/25/2018 9:01am Doug - I sure hope so. I do have some concerns as my strength isn't what it should be. I will email you with some specific questions about the climb. Thanks for the compliment on the flowers. It really was a stellar day. Scenery was killer.
bergsteigen	That road 6/26/2018 3:02pm Despite all the times I've been up that way, I have never driven that road myself. I'll call that a win! Though walking/skiing it is not always a picnic either. Looks like a pretty basin!
Jay521	Road..... 6/27/2018 11:33am I think I've driven it 4 times. Walked it once (winter). Not having driven or hiked the Lake Como road, I can't say the Baldwin Creek road is worse (probably isn't), but it's as bad a road as I ever care to drive. And yeah - it is a pretty basin. I was surprised I didn't see anyone at the lake. I saw fish in it and figured some angler would be after them.
denvermikey	More questions for ya 9/14/2018 9:29am Thinking of doing Grizzy & Mamma tomorrow. The 2nd picture in your report, also where you parked for Mamma - is that where the 4x4 road ends? Looks like it is not very far from the split off? Not a fan of that road either but have a capable truck and would rather drive a bit further if possible and avoid hiking up the road.
Jay521	Kinda late but... 9/17/2018 7:40pm ... sorry - I have been out of town for a few days and just got to see your comment. The road does go beyond where I parked but I was just sick and tired of getting tossed around in my FJ and decided to park where I did. The road goes up to the cutoff fo Baldwin Lake but it appears to be even rougher than the road to the split. Again, this is probably too late to help you and I will be curious how it went for you.

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