So far this spring has granted me seven summits of North Twin Mtn (10,500 ft), with lots of steep ups and downs to get there, and one of Del Norte Peak (12,300 ft) for longer durations at lower grades. I still want to explore trails closer to Wolf Creek, but a series of events have made routes accessible from home more desirable. This became an opportunity to run my own marathon on the DN Peak's forest roads before bushwhacking to the top.
Just after leaving the parking lot:
An ATV type road forks off at the two mile mark. They are still pretty muddy and wet. Follow the road as it turns left:
Up a steeper segment, then get views of the neighboring valley including Blue Ridge and North/South Twin, and start to get views of the Sangre de Cristos on the opposite side of the valley:
Once the road turns south again you hit what I call the "4-mile cattle guard." During the summer the cattle from our ranch are hanging out on one side or the other of here at ~9500 ft:
The road starts flanking the actual ridge as it continues to ascend at 2-12% grades. Coming up on 7.2 miles is the turn off that allows a longer approach but also a western (read: snowless) ascent. Turn before the "7-mile cattle guard", now at 10,500 ft:
The grades of ascent are numerically the same but feel greater because there's less variance, but after another good mile there's a downhill piece that lets your legs get their feeling back. It also brings a glimpse at the northern face of Del Norte Peak:
The bottom of the hill navigates through a logging area. I never have figured out if this is commercial or part of the burn protection, but there have been downed trees hanging around here even since last year when Nathan and I last made a full summit and took this route:
Another look on the inside of the bend. Currently at 10,700 ft:
A bit more climbing as you travel west, then the road flattens for a couple miles while passing what can be camp sites or areas for folks (like us with permits) to collect wood. At 11.5 miles, after wondering for some time if you blew right on past the peak, is the initial turn towards the summit. Now at 11,000 ft, there's lots of mud and swampy areas due to continued melt and runoff:
I stayed on the road for something like a quarter mile, maybe a half mile. Now you are getting closer, 11,300 ft:
And at some point you just have to decide to turn off and bushwhack. Just keep the top in your view and climb straight up:
The trees begin to thin as you work your way up and increasing incline:
And now the real work begins - 20-45% grades per my GPS watch. Above tree line is always awesome. Just over a half mile and another thousand feet of gain remaining:
This was during one of the 45% grade sections. Eye on the prize while trying to beat the clouds and weather:
I beat the clouds by about a minute, so my proof-of-summit shot meant I stood with my head at the base of a cloud. 13-ish miles completed. Here is looking east.
There's a glass jar with multiple registers, pencils, and a few odds and ends left by previous summiters. Someone also stowed a tequila bottle amongst the rocks, but that is long ago consumed:
Clouds start to thicken, so time to descend. Looking to whence I came, to retrace my steps back to the bottom:
After retracing my steps and getting back to the logging areas thunder starts to roll in to the south. I'm in the clear before any lightning chance has sprouted. Hey, I was just up there:
The long downhill also means less effort and more looking around. Saw a bunch of cow prints, but also a few elk who had crossed the road between the 4- and 7-mile cattle guards. Lightning was starting to strike back by the peak, so I didn't longer long:
Below the 4-mile cattle guard, a glimpse at the baby aspen trees filling in areas of burn recovery. There were much more ashen stumps visible last year:
Once back at the parking lot I had a solid 26 miles, so I went ahead with the silly loop around the lot for an even marathon of 26.2. Total ascent was just shy of 5000 ft of gain. Satisfying and peaceful day.
