French Mountain Trip Report 09/10/2024

Report Type	Mini
Peak(s)	French Mountain - 13,942 feet Frasco Benchmark - 13,885 feet Casco Peak - 13,905 feet Bull Hill - 13,758 feet Mt. Elbert - 14,438 feet
Date Posted	09/10/2024
Date Climbed	09/08/2024
Author	Strugglr

French to Elbert Ridge Adventure
My son (16) and I decided that Mount Elbert, being the tallest 14er, deserved more respect than just a "quick" 10 mile jaunt up and down a class one trail. Or that was just our excuse to go for a fun ridge hike and knock out a couple Centennials along the way before bagging the tallest Colorado14er. Big boy Elbert We started at 8:07am from the Elbert trailhead. The lot was full and lots of cars parked on the road. A busy day for Elbert. It was 30 degrees but a t-shirt and shorts felt suprisingly fine, although I wished for my gloves. We hiked the 2.3 miles west on Halfmoon road before turning left on the jeep road to go across the creek. There was a way to get across without getting our feet wet just east of the jeep road. Once on this new spur road we hiked for another 5 miles before the road finally ended between the bases of French and Casco. We filtered and topped off water at the highest stream crossing along the road knowing we would have no more refills the rest of the day. No obvious trail at the end of the road; just a choose your own steep adventure to the saddle between Frasco and French. From there it was a quick 0.4 miles to the French summit. 8.4 miles in, about 3 hours, and almost 4k climbing so far. View of the ridge from French. Frasco, Casco, Bull Hill. Elbert is out of frame on the left. Next up was Frasco. No rush, just a casual walk back down to the saddle and up to the Frasco summit about 0.6 miles away. All easy. Great views throughout. My son on Frasco with French to the left and Elbert in the distance. The Frasco ridge down to the saddle was the only real class 3 part of the day. It wasn't ever exposed, just loose and a few moves here and there. A look back at the downclimb from Fraco. Now at the saddle between Frasco and Casco, it look pretty steep but not technical. 500 or 600 feet of climbing to the Casco summit. On the Casco summit looking across to Bull Hill and then Elbert. On Casco looking back to Frasco and French. About 10 miles in now and 4.5 hours. Strava tells me it took 73 mins to get the 1.5 miles from French to Casco. That included the 5 minute picture stop on Frasco and safe, slow hiking down the ridge. The next part was the longest part of the day, getting to Bull Hill. The ridge was all easy hiking but just kept going and going, up and down, up and down. At a couple points it dips below 13k. Great views of La Plata. Finally arrived on Bull hill around 6 hours from the start and 12.4 miles. Around 6k climbed. On Bull Hill looking back at the route so far. On Bull Hill looking over to Elbert, the last climb. We were getting tired but had one last saddle and then climb up to Elbert. The saddle drops down about 400 feet before the 1200 +/- feet of climbing to Elbert's summit. Some route finding here but only to stay pretty high on the ridge and away from the NW side. The climb was unremarkable but started steep before it mellowed just under 14k. I raced my son to the summit. He had been nice enough to stay with me on the climb despite being less fatigued than I was. So what better way to repay him than taking off in a sprint without warning the last 50 yards. 14.3 miles done, 7 hours, and 7300 vert. On Elbert looking across to Casco and Frasco. French is out of frame to the right. The jeep road route is clearly visible in the basin. All that was left now was an "easy" 4300 feet and 5 miles of class one downhill. All day we could see rain in different directions but we never got wet. Back at the trailhead before 5pm. 8 hours and 45 mins on the day, 7400 vert, and 19.3 miles. Our water consumption had worked out. Make sure you have 2-3 liters per person before heading up French and away from the streams in the basin. We had perfect weather with almost no wind and great temps after it warmed up from the 30 degree start. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

French to Elbert Ridge Adventure

My son (16) and I decided that Mount Elbert, being the tallest 14er, deserved more respect than just a "quick" 10 mile jaunt up and down a class one trail. Or that was just our excuse to go for a fun ridge hike and knock out a couple Centennials along the way before bagging the tallest Colorado14er.

We started at 8:07am from the Elbert trailhead. The lot was full and lots of cars parked on the road. A busy day for Elbert. It was 30 degrees but a t-shirt and shorts felt suprisingly fine, although I wished for my gloves. We hiked the 2.3 miles west on Halfmoon road before turning left on the jeep road to go across the creek. There was a way to get across without getting our feet wet just east of the jeep road. Once on this new spur road we hiked for another 5 miles before the road finally ended between the bases of French and Casco. We filtered and topped off water at the highest stream crossing along the road knowing we would have no more refills the rest of the day. No obvious trail at the end of the road; just a choose your own steep adventure to the saddle between Frasco and French. From there it was a quick 0.4 miles to the French summit. 8.4 miles in, about 3 hours, and almost 4k climbing so far.

22808_08 — View of the ridge from French. Frasco, Casco, Bull Hill. Elbert is out of frame on the left.

Next up was Frasco. No rush, just a casual walk back down to the saddle and up to the Frasco summit about 0.6 miles away. All easy. Great views throughout.

22808_07 — My son on Frasco with French to the left and Elbert in the distance.

The Frasco ridge down to the saddle was the only real class 3 part of the day. It wasn't ever exposed, just loose and a few moves here and there.

22808_10 — A look back at the downclimb from Fraco.

22808_09 — Now at the saddle between Frasco and Casco, it look pretty steep but not technical. 500 or 600 feet of climbing to the Casco summit.

22808_05 — On the Casco summit looking across to Bull Hill and then Elbert.

22808_06 — On Casco looking back to Frasco and French.

About 10 miles in now and 4.5 hours. Strava tells me it took 73 mins to get the 1.5 miles from French to Casco. That included the 5 minute picture stop on Frasco and safe, slow hiking down the ridge. The next part was the longest part of the day, getting to Bull Hill.

The ridge was all easy hiking but just kept going and going, up and down, up and down. At a couple points it dips below 13k. Great views of La Plata. Finally arrived on Bull hill around 6 hours from the start and 12.4 miles. Around 6k climbed.

22808_04 — On Bull Hill looking back at the route so far.

22808_03 — On Bull Hill looking over to Elbert, the last climb.

We were getting tired but had one last saddle and then climb up to Elbert. The saddle drops down about 400 feet before the 1200 +/- feet of climbing to Elbert's summit. Some route finding here but only to stay pretty high on the ridge and away from the NW side. The climb was unremarkable but started steep before it mellowed just under 14k. I raced my son to the summit. He had been nice enough to stay with me on the climb despite being less fatigued than I was. So what better way to repay him than taking off in a sprint without warning the last 50 yards. 14.3 miles done, 7 hours, and 7300 vert.

22808_02 — On Elbert looking across to Casco and Frasco. French is out of frame to the right. The jeep road route is clearly visible in the basin.

All that was left now was an "easy" 4300 feet and 5 miles of class one downhill.

22808_01 — All day we could see rain in different directions but we never got wet.

Back at the trailhead before 5pm. 8 hours and 45 mins on the day, 7400 vert, and 19.3 miles. Our water consumption had worked out. Make sure you have 2-3 liters per person before heading up French and away from the streams in the basin. We had perfect weather with almost no wind and great temps after it warmed up from the 30 degree start.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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