| Report Type | Full |
| Peak(s) |
Sheep Mountain - 13,304 feet Greenhalgh Mountain - 13,228 feet Denver Hill - 12300 Pt 12,340 - 12340 Brown Mountain - 13,347 feet Hurricane Peak - 13,459 feet Seigal Mountain - 13,281 feet Trico Peak - 13,329 feet |
| Date Posted | 09/07/2018 |
| Modified | 09/10/2018 |
| Date Climbed | 09/01/2018 |
| Author | bergsteigen |
| Additional Members | RyGuy, Tony1 |
| Silverton 4x4 adventuring |
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Day 3: Brown Mtn A, Hurricane
With the lightning and the rain starting at 6:30 am, we weren't going anywhere for the morning. So we headed into town for breakfast. Mmmmm bacon! It's better than hiking in the rain. We got to check the weather forecast and watch the radar. It looked like we would have a short window till the next storm system. So we went 4x4 and easy 13er picking. Too bad I've already done that, so I was mostly along for the drive. Note on our vehicles. I have a Subaru 3.6R, which is awesome for speeding along on highways and for ski/snow travel, but I wouldn't be crazy enough to take something with a measly 8.7" of clearance up any of these roads. Real 4Lo is needed, not that barely adequate for driving down Stevens Gulch from G&T, X-Mode. Of course I'm biased and enjoy my big truck, but I also don't want to ruin the stealth sports car either. So after all the bacon, eggs and hash browns the 3 of us could eat, we drove up to Hurricane Pass to check out the weather. Not terrible, but not great either. Ryan and Tony wanted to run up Browns Mountain, so we went over to that pass a bit north. We hung around waiting for a bit, when I see them rushing out of the BJ to say they were making a run for it. Go for it! I'll put on my zoom lens and capture the action. It's like watching someones Delorme on a screen, but much better! No 10min delays. Though, when they lulligagged on the summit for a long time, I didn't know what they were doing. Hmmmm....           After the guys got back down, we decided to try for Hurricane from a 4x4 road from the other side. The weather had cleared a bit for a nice donut hole. So off we went! Too bad when we got to the other road, we could have driven much further up - in fact the entire length of my gps track, since that is where Ryan and I stopped. Tony made a run for the summit. I didn't care enough for an unranked peak, so I was not going to risk the approaching storm. Still a nice bit of exercise for the day after 2 big ones the previous 2 days before!         After checking out the mining ruins, we drove over and up Corkscrew Pass for the views        We drove into Silverton to get supplies and to meet Anastasia and Ezra. They were going to camp with us that night before heading up to Ice Lakes Basin the next day.  Back at camp, Ryan helped me articulate my truck on a rock. I've wanted to do this for a long time, so yay #bucketlist    After the 4x4 silliness, we started the camp silliness. We were fully prepared for rain, but that didn't happen!     Day 4: Sheep Mtn A, Greenhalgh
With a decent weather window in the morning, we decided to go after the only other viable option for new 13ers I had in the neighborhood. So up and over Stoney Pass we went, to where the Rio Grande River crosses the road for the first time. We parked and waited through a rainstorm, till we wouldn't get soaked from above, just from the bushes and grasses below. Would be a short day, but a wet one!        
       At the ridge edge, the guys pounded down another loose talus gully. I started after them, then thought better of it. The ridge to the right was solid and quite pleasant! I recommend!           Instead of going back over Sheep, we had to decide wether to dodge to the left or right. The left and down near the road was more appealing.          Day 4.5: Denver Hill,12,340 Seigal Mtn
After dinner at Handlebars, we had beautiful weather, so we decided to head up and hike some more. The guys would go for the 13er Seigal, and I would go up Denver Hill and the Denver Lakes for some photography.    I hiked up the first hill, Denver Hill, and noticed that there was a higher point in the distance. Based on the guys progress uphill, I would have enough time to hike over there.   Great views of the setting sun from the next point, and I made it just before the guys summited the 13er in the clouds behind me.     Day 5: Trico
With the guys heading home today, and the weather being only good in the morning, we went for another hearty breakfast and 4x4 day. I would be extremely lazy and just ride up with Tony and Ryan in the BJ up to Black Bear Pass. Figured I could listen to Ryan's running commentary on how to drive up there, and learn something!           Back at the end of the road, we parted ways. They guys back home, and me back to Silverton for V5 the next day. This mini vacation with friends was exactly what I needed! Thanks for letting me hang out!
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow): 
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Still an easy day, I think just over 3 hours round trip; something that can be snuck in during a thin weather window.
