Hope and Quail, the Unlikely Pair, August 30-2023

When gas prices went down a bit, I was outta here to tackle peaks a few hours drive from here. My mind needed a serious unravel so a trail hike with easy routefinding was the remedy. Mt HopeA(13933) and Quail Mtn(13461), centennial peaks, fit that description because they sat on the Colorado Trail(CT) and each way was a straight line to the peaks. Also, I was curious to see the prayer flags cairn on Hope Pass.

On CO24 south of Leadville, fall was in the form of fog in the dips of the road and over ponds. After 20miles, Chaffee County Road 390 was on the right. It was a groomed 2WD dirt surface and a speedy 8.1 m drive to Sheep Gulch TH(pic1) or 1.8m W of the Missouri Gulch TH from which some 14ers could be accessed. Turn R into a flat shaded parking lot(pic2) through which the CT bisects. There were several hikers there so while I laced up my boots I listened to their adventures and hopes of hiking the CT. Since we all were heading up to Hope Pass, we high fived and started our ways.

The TH was flat for a short while(pic3). Still inviting, from the signage at the Y, Hope/Quail can be reached by going R(pic4). It was a steady elevation gain for nearly 3 miles on an easy negotiable trail through the quiet aspen forest, pine trees and tundra(pic5). The last section to Hope saddle were relaxed sloped switchbacks(pic6) and soon I was checking out the prayer flags(pic7) between Hope, on the left, and Quail, on the right. A CT marker stands(pic8) but no physical signs say which hill is which so I rechecked my map for confirmation.

Being hopeful, I went up Hope first(pic9). It started uphill and kept going. The first steps were on a worn path, but the climb was kind of a rock scramble on the way to the false peak. Occasionally I would connect with path segments but for the most part I stayed to the left of the towers, points and gullies while making my way(pic10-14). The real truth was that the Rside of the ridge were jagged flat faces and couliers. I would say this was mainly a Class2+ climb with several touches of Class3. In places I used my hands to stabilize myself to get to the next point. Heres pics15-16 of a chute as the only access going up and down at one point. And a cairn(pic17). After getting over the false summit(pic18), it was a simple tundra hike to the peak(13933)(pic19-20). It was pretty exciting to sign the register(pic21) as it felt like a reward for climbing nearly 3hours. Going down, was the reverse, hug left, aim toward the left N ridge and be careful with the challenge. Pic22 of some cool rocks on the ridge. Eventually Quail and the CT could be seen(pic23) and it was a quick downhill hike to the saddle with the flags. I’m glad I climbed Quail last because starting with the harder climb when fresh means there was some energy left for another push. Climbing Quail was a short and fast trip. There was a semblance of a trail going up the loose surface(pic24) but I angled up on various green patches to the summit(13461)(pic25) and descended by sliding down to the CT within a couple hours round trip.

And just like that the day was nearly done. On the way back to the car, I met some more hikers, saw ptarmigans(pic26), flowers(pic27-28) and signs of fall(pic29). Vicksburg was next(pic30). All the times I have driven CR390, I kept saying next time. It was time to explore history. Vicksburg, founded in 1880, had an interesting start. Research said that while some miners were looking for their lost burros, they found their pack animals drinking water from the Clear Creek bed full of gold, so they say, as silver was the product commodity((pic31-33). However, the founded settlement, was named after Vick Keller, a resident and prospector(pic34-35). Vicksburg and its ghost town twin, Winfield, were riproaring mining towns until the silver market crash ended livelihoods.

Fast forward to 2023. As an established hiking trail of 567 miles, cutting across SW Colorado, Denver to Durango. The CO Trail Foundation and the US Forest Service maintains the trail with the help of volunteers. The goal in 1974 was to connect the numerous worn and social trail segments and forest roads into a hiking gem. Spearheaded by Bill Lucas(US Forest service), Gudy Gaskill(CO Mtn Club) and Merril Hastings(CO magazine), the Colorado Trail was completed on Sept 4, 1987. And the Great Outdoors Colorado plan began taking shape.

The CT is the passage to several 14ers and 13ers. For that reason, it’s easy to navigate and veer off toward a peak. In sum, I would recommend climbing Hope and Quail as a pair. Each offers opposite challenges in distance and technique but equal in peace, time to unwind and steepness. Both peaks are class2 because a trail was apparent. Hope, a difficult class2, had a rocky demeanor while Quail, easy class2, was dirt and a wandering rock surface. Quail was an upright walk up while Hope required some hand holding onto stable rocks. Hope was a molybdenum mine and Quail was silver with cabin remnants(pic). Both shared Twin Lakes as the northern viewpoint(pic), Sawatch Range rocky characteristics and were doable fun climbs.