Every Mountain Trip Report 10/01/2019

Peak(s):	"Every Mountain" - 13,691 feet "Cooper Creek Peak" - 13,688 feet
Date Posted:	10/01/2019
Date Climbed:	09/28/2019
Author:	bergsteigen
Additional Members:	Reg0928, TaylorHolt, Trailrunner, Missy_Goat, Tornadoman

Climb Every Mountain
Every Mountain, Cooper Creek Peak mileage: 9.69 elevation gain: +3,732' -3,806' trailheads: Cooper Creek (start), Grizzly Gulch (end) partners: Taylor, Andrew, Jess, Missy, Tyler, Bowser (dog), Mark Fall Gathering time is always special. More special when I can actually inspire partners to tackle the 13ers in the region! It was a beautiful drive in and a pleasant Friday night around the fire hanging with friends new and old. One of these is not like the other After a night too short and weird dreams inspired by Fantastical Beasts we drove up in 2 trucks for the car shuttle. Andrew thought we could all get cozy in the Oklahoma truck up to the upper trailhead, so we piled 7 into it! At the upper trailhead, we met Mark, who was doing the 3 peaks to the west, but would share the hike up Cooper Creek valley with us. The hike started out with headlamps, but as soon as we left the trees, we could start to see a bit better. Cooper creek valley We had some fun at the stream crossing that was still a bit chilly as the logs and rocks were covered in frosty verglace. Old vehicle There will be crawling Higher into the valley, we were treated to sunrise. We chose to ascend the trail to the ridge, versus going further up the valley to a very gentle tundra ramp. If the wind was any worse, we likely would have elected to stay lower for longer. But thankfully the wind was holding off, for now. Handies and Whitecross with morning sun Ascending the trail to the ridge Where Mark left us to go up Gudy Peak F-f-f-frosty Looking down Cooper Creek Looking up Cooper Creek We chose to go up to the right on the ridge versus the left, but both sides seem to have "trails". Going up the steep traill Gudy Peak from the ridge When we got up to the ridge, we took a break in the wind and got ready for the final push to the summit of Every Mountain. Every Mountain from the start of the ridge Looking down the ridge Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre On the ridge bump, looking at Every Mountain Good Boi - Photo: Andrew Missy, Tyler and Bowser After the breezy ridge walk, we were soon on the summit of Every Mountain. Cooper Creek Peak San Luis color Every Mountain group Every pano north Every pano south Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre with fall colors After a short rocky descent, we were at the saddle with just an easy stroll to the summit of Cooper Creek Peak. Missy and Tyler decided to descend at this point with their 6mo old pup Bowser. He had done a wonderful job, but the talus was getting to be too rough for him, and the remainder of the route, till we got to the Redcloud trail, would be very rough on his young paws. Easy route up to Cooper Creek Peak Looking back on Every Mountain Final stretch to the summit Me approaching my final Lake City 13er! - Photo: Jess/Andrew Another nice 13er summit with friends on a pleasant day! Unnamed Centennials San Luis and color Every Mountain Handies and friends Sneffels group Wetterhorn Uncompahgre Cooper Creek pano east Cooper Creek pano west We descended down the SE ridge for a bit, until we just descended into the drainage and down to the trail. Heading down the SE ridge Redcloud has its red dress on! We took a nice break when we reached the trail, to let our talus heated feet rest a bit. Pretty valley from when we reached the trail Hiking down the fall colored trail As we got lower into the valley, more and more avalanche damage became visible. It seemed like every path ran this winter! There was only one path in the Cooper Creek drainage. Approaching the first avy snow Creek tunnel through avy snow Walking on thick snow in September Flowers and fall leaves Taylor telling a story on the snow Almost prime! Avalanche debris everywhere After a fairly distracting hike down through the fall foliage, we arrived at the Grizzly Gulch trailhead, where Missy and Taylor were hanging out. Bowser was dead asleep! Trailhead views A short drive back to the campsite for another evening of campfire fun! Thanks everyone for hiking my last 2 peaks in the Lake City area with me! It was a fun day! Windy Point fall foliage My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload): Login required to view this map... Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Climb Every Mountain Google Map Included

Every Mountain, Cooper Creek Peak

mileage: 9.69
elevation gain: +3,732' -3,806'
trailheads: Cooper Creek (start), Grizzly Gulch (end)
partners: Taylor, Andrew, Jess, Missy, Tyler, Bowser (dog), Mark

Fall Gathering time is always special. More special when I can actually inspire partners to tackle the 13ers in the region! It was a beautiful drive in and a pleasant Friday night around the fire hanging with friends new and old.

After a night too short and weird dreams inspired by Fantastical Beasts we drove up in 2 trucks for the car shuttle. Andrew thought we could all get cozy in the Oklahoma truck up to the upper trailhead, so we piled 7 into it! At the upper trailhead, we met Mark, who was doing the 3 peaks to the west, but would share the hike up Cooper Creek valley with us.

The hike started out with headlamps, but as soon as we left the trees, we could start to see a bit better.

We had some fun at the stream crossing that was still a bit chilly as the logs and rocks were covered in frosty verglace.

Higher into the valley, we were treated to sunrise. We chose to ascend the trail to the ridge, versus going further up the valley to a very gentle tundra ramp. If the wind was any worse, we likely would have elected to stay lower for longer. But thankfully the wind was holding off, for now.

19894_04 — Handies and Whitecross with morning sun

19894_05 — Ascending the trail to the ridge

19894_06 — Where Mark left us to go up Gudy Peak

We chose to go up to the right on the ridge versus the left, but both sides seem to have "trails".

When we got up to the ridge, we took a break in the wind and got ready for the final push to the summit of Every Mountain.

19894_12 — Every Mountain from the start of the ridge

19894_15 — On the ridge bump, looking at Every Mountain

After the breezy ridge walk, we were soon on the summit of Every Mountain.

19894_23 — Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre with fall colors

After a short rocky descent, we were at the saddle with just an easy stroll to the summit of Cooper Creek Peak. Missy and Tyler decided to descend at this point with their 6mo old pup Bowser. He had done a wonderful job, but the talus was getting to be too rough for him, and the remainder of the route, till we got to the Redcloud trail, would be very rough on his young paws.

19894_24 — Easy route up to Cooper Creek Peak

19894_25 — Looking back on Every Mountain

19894_27 — Me approaching my final Lake City 13er! - Photo: Jess/Andrew

Another nice 13er summit with friends on a pleasant day!

We descended down the SE ridge for a bit, until we just descended into the drainage and down to the trail.

19894_38 — Redcloud has its red dress on!

We took a nice break when we reached the trail, to let our talus heated feet rest a bit.

19894_39 — Pretty valley from when we reached the trail

19894_40 — Hiking down the fall colored trail

As we got lower into the valley, more and more avalanche damage became visible. It seemed like every path ran this winter! There was only one path in the Cooper Creek drainage.

19894_41 — Approaching the first avy snow

19894_42 — Creek tunnel through avy snow

19894_43 — Walking on thick snow in September

19894_45 — Taylor telling a story on the snow

19894_48

After a fairly distracting hike down through the fall foliage, we arrived at the Grizzly Gulch trailhead, where Missy and Taylor were hanging out. Bowser was dead asleep!

A short drive back to the campsite for another evening of campfire fun! Thanks everyone for hiking my last 2 peaks in the Lake City area with me! It was a fun day!

My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Dolt	Nice Trip Report 10/01/2019 14:53 Great report and gorgeous pictures.
Hoot	Enjoyed the photos 10/01/2019 19:03 I really enjoyed those peaks, the ridge running, and the Copper Creek drainage a couple of years ago. I think I was the only one in the whole drainage that day but it's always fun to have good hiking partners!
Tornadoman	7 on Every 10/11/2019 10:02 Did we set a record? LOL. That view of Unc from Every with the foliage was on point!
bergsteigen	Thanks! 10/13/2019 14:17 Dolt & Hoot - Hurray for fall colors making everything prettier! Andrew - Well if Every only has 92 recorded summits on 14ers and 76 on LOJ, I think it's safe to say it is likely a record!

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