Cronin Peak Trip Report 07/16/2023

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Cronin Peak - 13,872 feet
Date Posted	07/16/2023
Date Climbed	07/15/2023
Author	SpringsDuke

#5 Centennial - Cronin Peak
#5 Centennial - Cronin Peak Camped out at Iron City Campground right outside of the ghost-town St Elmo. Interesting area reading the history of St Elmo and the fact that a few people still live there. 630 am start time hiking up the Mt Antero 4wd road. 3 miles up crossing the Baldwin Creek Easy to cross and no over flowing waters. Unlike other streams and creeks which have been flowing heavy with all the rain, hail, and snow. I had plans to climb other peaks near Independence Pass but the creek there were too strong to cross for the time being. After crossing the creek you get the first view of Cronin Peak on your right. I left the road right at 11,650 feet and went South West through the trees. To me this bushwhacking was the best part of the hike. Plesent soft ground and easy to just walk through the forrest going southwest. Once I caught sight of the ridge I had to go more directly to the East. After the fun forrest bushwhack I came into the open area to drop down and cross the small steam. If you look on the right I actually came across a few cairns on the way up. I did not see any cairns on the way down but as long as you keep your bearings you will end up hitting the right spots. Bash your way through the willows Some more cairns as we head East up through the last remaining trees. Ridge line is now fully in view. Walk up to the middle of the photo and turn left. You will walkthrough some nice soft tundra before the rock hopping begins. I suggest keeping on the tundra as long as you can cause once you start the rocks man they just dont stop. I hit the ridge around 13.100 feet so I may have gone a little to far South to hit the ridge but it all works out again. Looking up you can see the false summit on the left. Looking down the ridge line. I like to try and stay on the ridge direct as often as I can. Might be one or two spots where you drop below it and then gain it again quickly. Still heading up to the false summit. On top of the false summit with Cronin Peak now in view. Final push to the summit. I was very tired here and had to take 5 before I could get my legs to get me up the last pitch. I think as far as elevation gain goes this was my max for the day so it was the perfect peak to fully push myself. On the summit after 4 hours. The summit register is broken with some glass pieces and the pvc pipe is also shattered. I had no room in my pack to take any of the glass out but just fyi incase anyone wants to repair the summit register. Summit views Summit views Summit views. Mt Antero to the left. Summit views Summit views. Zoomed in on Antero and all the 4 wheeler roads. Summit views going back down now after 45 minutes enjoying the summit. Carefully heading back down on the rocks which can be loose. Im aiming to get on the tundra as soon as I can to get off these rocks already! I was careful not to disturb the tundra as it can be so beautiful with flowers of all colors. Looking back at Cronin Peak Going back down just follow the compass North East now and you will find the small creek to cross and then the Mt Antero road. I called the dead trees on the left the Three Amigos just to be sure I was still backtracking the right way. Back to the Baldiwn Creek crossing 3 miles up from the trailhead. I brought my mountain bike to ride down those last 3 miles. Took 20 minutes but I didnt feel as comfortable riding down as I used to as well. I guess my conditioning, while still good, is not AS good as 3 years ago when I was banging out the 14ers. Congrats to the climber I meet at the trailhead who was doing Mt Antero. We hiked up together until I left the road to do Cronin Peak and even with my mountain bike he appears to have beaten me back to the trailhead. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

#5 Centennial - Cronin Peak

22142_01 — Camped out at Iron City Campground right outside of the ghost-town St Elmo. Interesting area reading the history of St Elmo and the fact that a few people still live there.

22142_02 — 630 am start time hiking up the Mt Antero 4wd road.

22142_03 — 3 miles up crossing the Baldwin Creek Easy to cross and no over flowing waters. Unlike other streams and creeks which have been flowing heavy with all the rain, hail, and snow. I had plans to climb other peaks near Independence Pass but the creek there were too strong to cross for the time being.

22142_04 — After crossing the creek you get the first view of Cronin Peak on your right.

22142_05 — I left the road right at 11,650 feet and went South West through the trees. To me this bushwhacking was the best part of the hike. Plesent soft ground and easy to just walk through the forrest going southwest.

22142_06 — Once I caught sight of the ridge I had to go more directly to the East.

22142_08 — After the fun forrest bushwhack I came into the open area to drop down and cross the small steam.

22142_09 — If you look on the right I actually came across a few cairns on the way up. I did not see any cairns on the way down but as long as you keep your bearings you will end up hitting the right spots.

22142_10 — Bash your way through the willows

22142_11 — Some more cairns as we head East up through the last remaining trees.

22142_12 — Ridge line is now fully in view. Walk up to the middle of the photo and turn left. You will walkthrough some nice soft tundra before the rock hopping begins.

22142_16 — I suggest keeping on the tundra as long as you can cause once you start the rocks man they just dont stop.

22142_17 — I hit the ridge around 13.100 feet so I may have gone a little to far South to hit the ridge but it all works out again. Looking up you can see the false summit on the left.

22142_19 — I like to try and stay on the ridge direct as often as I can. Might be one or two spots where you drop below it and then gain it again quickly.

22142_20 — Still heading up to the false summit.

22142_21 — On top of the false summit with Cronin Peak now in view.

22142_22 — Final push to the summit. I was very tired here and had to take 5 before I could get my legs to get me up the last pitch. I think as far as elevation gain goes this was my max for the day so it was the perfect peak to fully push myself.

22142_23 — On the summit after 4 hours. The summit register is broken with some glass pieces and the pvc pipe is also shattered. I had no room in my pack to take any of the glass out but just fyi incase anyone wants to repair the summit register.

22142_25 — Summit views. Mt Antero to the left.

22142_27 — Summit views. Zoomed in on Antero and all the 4 wheeler roads.

22142_28 — Summit views going back down now after 45 minutes enjoying the summit.

22142_29 — Carefully heading back down on the rocks which can be loose. Im aiming to get on the tundra as soon as I can to get off these rocks already!

22142_30 — I was careful not to disturb the tundra as it can be so beautiful with flowers of all colors.

22142_14 — Going back down just follow the compass North East now and you will find the small creek to cross and then the Mt Antero road. I called the dead trees on the left the Three Amigos just to be sure I was still backtracking the right way.

22142_33 — Back to the Baldiwn Creek crossing 3 miles up from the trailhead. I brought my mountain bike to ride down those last 3 miles. Took 20 minutes but I didnt feel as comfortable riding down as I used to as well. I guess my conditioning, while still good, is not AS good as 3 years ago when I was banging out the 14ers. Congrats to the climber I meet at the trailhead who was doing Mt Antero. We hiked up together until I left the road to do Cronin Peak and even with my mountain bike he appears to have beaten me back to the trailhead.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Jay521	Nice! 7/16/2023 9:15am Great pix and write-up. Looks like you had a very nice day to do Cronin.
SpringsDuke	Thanks Jay! 7/16/2023 10:54am I forgot to mention that this is the first trip report using the new iPhone 14 Pro vs my old Samsung Galaxy S10+. Incase anyone was interested to see the quality of the new phone vs the old, or what photos from the new iPhone look like. The new phone still has lots of other features with the camera I plan to look into to see if I can get even better photos out of it next time!
Camden7	Congrats 7/17/2023 2:45pm on a nice summit. Good luck on the Cents, it is an amazing journey. Looks like great flowers up there.
aidanlew	A Pleasure 7/18/2023 11:19am Great report, glad you made it down safely. Thanks to some tunes and the fact I wasn't bushwacking I was able to beat you and your express lift down ;)

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