Fall Sights from Guanella Pass

Squaretop-sept21.2023….Argentine & Wilcox-sept28.2023

Late morning starts have been a good thing this season. I’ve finished some of my to-climb list, pushed out of the envelope in a good way and found that changing the approach to peaks via alternate routes has improved my climbing skills. This year, I mountain biked some awesome gnarly trails and used my bike to RT to the TH. I’ve not added much to my checklist but working with what was given to me made it a fun summer in the mountains.

Originally, on September 21, my plan was to summit Squaretop Mtn (13794), Argentine(13738) and Wilcox(13408). I finally made it to the Guanella Pass TH 830ish and surprisingly, I was the only person in the W upper parking lot(pic1). The Bierstadt E lower lot was 1/2full(pic2 of snowy summit, sawtooth and MtBlue Sky). Skies were crystal clear, I was hyper and I had packed the warm clothes. The temp was 37degrees: not wearing a summer jacket this trip.

Beginning above treeline, the route and mountains were always in view. The journey began at the building. A sign(pic3) directed to go L. I followed it to a junction marked with a sign(pic4): go R or W-Square top Lakes, Mt. A line of stairs leads to a bridge. Everything was covered with frost (pic5 of plants) and the frosting covering the bridge sparkled(pic6). The continuing single track trail was well maintained and easy to navigate. The trail turns into a double track at the trail closed sign(pic7). However, the path beyond looked well troddened going to the willows(pic8), through the willows and out of the willows(pic9).

Hiking up the hill(pic10), I could see 2 ribs going to SqTop. The Srib was longer in distance and a gradual climb slope. The Nrib was shorter with a steeper climb(pic11). I was on the Nrib. Square Top lakes were L and Naylor Lake was R so it was easy to visually navigate. Looking back to the parking lot(pic12) there was a faint Class1 trail(pic13)I followed along the ridge line pretty much up to the first big hump. Lots of Class2 rock climbing which can be avoided by following the path to the L of the towers(pic14-15). As I rounded the last wall of rocks, the surface was tundra and a path magically appeared(pic16). At its top, SqTop and its snowy top could clearly be seen(pic17). From here, it was a fairly flat walk across grass to cairn#1, grass to cairn#2, rock to cairn#3, rockier to cairn#4 and rock to the base of SqTop. So far, Class1 hiking dominanted. Then the real climbing began(pic18) under gray skies.

I didn’t take pics from here as it began snowing. It was small hard pellet snow that stung through the layers of clothes. This time of the year, lightening and thunder wasn't an issue, but still, I concentrated on getting to the top ASAP. Once on the ridge, there were lots of snow watermelons to dodge as post holing slowed me down. For the most part, it was a fast Class1 walk across the little false summits and the big cairn was the real deal(pic19). The snowy weather stopped me from going to Argentine and Wilcox. I Uturned to carefully and quickly get down the slippery rocks. I descended in reverse. I met 3 climbers who asked if the summit was realistically close. As I was crossing the flattish tundra field with the 4 cairns, I was hiking back under sunny skies, pic20 of N SqTop Lake, but at the last saddle, I angled down to the willows to the path to finish the day. Looking back, the gray snow cloud hung directly over SqTop(pic21). I could see the other climbers coming down the Nrib.

Argentine and Wilcox happened the next week (sept 28). I was on 170 during the moonlight(pic22). This time I approached A&W from Silver Dollar Lake TH. I drove S on Guanella Pass(pic23 of yellow aspen in the dark) for 8.6m, turned R on Naylor Lake Road(pic24) and the TH parking lot was about ¾m. The hard packed dirt road was easily negotiable in a high clearance 2WD. I was at the TH 630am.Yea.

Like last week, I was the only person in the lot(pic25). While I zipped up my jacket and buckled my pack, a couple hunters in their 4WD came up. We exchanged greetings and plans. At 7am, I was on the trail(pic26). Unlike SqTop, this began with a hike through the forest(pic27) which was a relaxing change. Pic28 was more signs of fall, Argentine coming into sight(pic29), going through willows to treeline pic30, Murray Lake(pic31) and following the heavily used trail to Silver Dollar Lake(pic31). I met the hunters again and they said they saw 2 deer way out of reach. Here, the next step was how to get up to Argentine Peak. Going up from the SW (L) side made more sense than going NW(R). In Trailrunners’ 2017 report, they referred to a gully to the L of Argentine that pointed the way up, and indeed it did(pic32). I veered across the grassy field(pic32). I found a distinctive trail, jumped across the narrow stream and the path continued uphill in different conditions (pic33). It was pretty steep going up the Class1 slope so I kept chugging along as it was a great thinking route (go straight up). I stopped to enjoy the views. Here is pic34 looking down at Murray and Silver Dollar Lakes with snowy SqTop prominently at the right. Then staying R of the rocky ridges was Class2(pic35). Lastly, I attempted to hurry up the hill and to the Continental Divide Pole(pic35). Pic 36 shows the last push to the CDpole. My summit pics (pic37).

Tagging Wilcox was next(pic38). I focused on the 3poled electrical tower. From Argentine the downhill slope looked disappointedly steep due to elevation loss and the climb up would be another slow one. Pic39 of a cool rock. However the descent and ascent was surprisingly easy both ways along a faint trail. Getting to Wilcox was a short scramble through some stable rocks and the views were astounding. Cool: I was alone on the peak and humanity was swirling around below me. Here is my summit pic40 with Grays&Torreys in the background.

Mission accomplished. I headed down toward the electrical tower but turned L at the saddle(pic41) to angle down to Murray Lake. I aimed for the passage through the willows and rounded the bottom of the hill to Murray. Others have taken this way as I found a path leading to the dam(pic42). Back on the worn trail, I passed lots of hikers who RT it to the lakes. There were about 40 cars parked around.

This area is super rich in mining history. In my 2020 Make that Two report, I wrote a paragraph about the Waldorf silver mine in the Leavenworth bowl and how Argentine pass was named after silver ore. Guanella Pass was named for Byron Guanella, a Clear Creek road supervisor and commissioner for 50+ years. For a detailed historical account in this area, check out the_hare’s 2023 McClellan the Fauxrteener trip report.

In sum, these 3-13ers were easy doable climbs. Most of the terrain was grass and the rockier surfaces were stable to hike upon. Class1 ruled and the few Class2 spots spiced the adventure. The climb up Argentine made my heart pound a lot more than SqTop because it was a steeper and longer distance. Technique, navigation and routefinding were straight forward meaning that these 3, done together or separate, would be a fun, enjoyable and most importantly, a contemplative climb which was my goal by choosing these 3. Landmarks were prominent and directive. When climbing A&W, SqTop was always the southernly neighbor. If the weather had been favorable for SqTop, I would have spent the day climbing all 3 and exiting E around Naylor Lake as some previous report had mapped. But this is how it turned out for me. Both days resulted in good satisfying climbs in beautiful fall weather. For me the reward was getting official pics of the distinctive cairn peaks, me and my sign. I had climbed SqTop & Argentine from Peru Creek Rd in the past but had no good photos. To end, heres a daylight pic43 of Naylor Lake Rd. On my way home I joined the line of leaf peepers on Guanella Pass(pic44). And saw a herd of big horn sheep(pic45), females and their lambs. Thank ewe for reading this report.