Helen and I began another weekend at the Pine Creek Trailhead with the goal of hiking up some more of the Sawatch range 14ers. To reach the national forest land we had to cross a private ranch which asked for an access fee of $1 for Helen and I. Torrey was twice as expensive.
Clouds had rolled in and joined with a slight wind that moderated the temperature a bit as we began the 7.2 mile hike.
Eventually we passed through the ranch and then the trail ran along Pine Creek.
Just after passing into the Collegiate Peaks wilderness our trail joined with the Colorado Trail to cross Pine Creek.
We only took a few steps on the Colorado Trail before splitting again to continue west.
Along the hike in we’d been playing the game “What does this section of the trail remind you of?” The meadows in the valley definitely recalled our trip to the Wind Rivers of Wyoming 3 years ago.
About two and half hours after leaving the trailhead we came to Little John’s Cabin. We located a nice camping spot in the aspens behind the cabin and settled in for a night of wrestling for floor space with Torrey.
We woke up at 5 and left camp at 6:15. For some silly reason I’d misunderstood a sign near the cabin and we started bushwhacking through fallen timbers out of camp until we crossed a creek and found the climbers trail leading to Mount Oxford. The climbers trail ascended directly up the south side of Oxford and wasn’t a whole lot better than bushwhacking. As soon as we started to clear timberline the early morning sun began to warm us up as well.
The “trail” was marked in a few spots of rock cairns, but mostly consisted of braided paths around young aspens and loose rocks. We had to step lightly to avoid knocking rocks down on one another or twisting an ankle. At least the aspens were solid enough to pull on. We had one pleasant surprise on the way up, a waterfall right next to our ascent route.
Behind us, Mount Harvard loomed across the valley. Our goals today included 3 14ers and if we felt up to it, tomorrow we might try to climb Harvard, Colorado’s 3rd highest peak.
Both Helen and I acquired a collection of cuts and bruises on our shins from all the large loose rocks that posed as solid foot holds. While this route was very direct, it wasn’t quick and it took us nearly two and a half hours to reach the top of Oxford.
Once on Oxford’s summit we looked to the west at Belford and the easy trail that would take us along the ridge to our next summit.
Most people who climb these two mountains do so from the north, climbing Belford first then Oxford then having to retrace their steps back to Belford before descending again. We passed at least 16 people on our way between the two summits taking this normal route.
Belford’s top was similarly crowded and we considered our options for our third mountain of the day.
We decided to descend to Elkhead Pass, then drop a little ways into Missouri Basin on the left side of a steep ridge that Torrey wouldn’t be able to negotiate. We’d then need to reascend all that lost elevation and climb Missouri’s far side.
The descent to the pass was easy enough on a nice trail, but as we cut across Missouri’s southeast slope we found alternating gullies of snow and chutes of loose rock.
At least the views of Missouri Basin’s lakes and Mount Harvard partly made up for the slow going.
Once on the far side of Missouri, we had to climb up to a saddle between it and a neighboring peak, Iowa Peak. We ascended the worst loose rock of the whole day, moving slowly and being careful not to knock any loose on each other and hoping Torrey would obey the same etiquette.
Finally we reached the ridge line and found more solid rock. Helen had renamed the mountain Misery as much for all the loose and dangerous rock as for the late in the day 1,000 feet we had to regain to reach the summit.
The summit was crowded but we enjoyed looking back at Belford and Oxford and all that we’d done today.
Torrey’s paws were looking a little raw, so we put on her dog booties and spent the next 20 minutes making sure they stayed on. I threatened to bring a roll of duct tape on our next hike so Torrey wouldn’t be able to shake off any of her shoes.
We returned to the Iowa-Missouri saddle and then found two snow fields to glissade down for a quicker and safer ascent than those loose rocks.
Once down in the basin we took a break at one of the unnamed tarns then set off to find the Elkhead Pass trail.
After cutting across the open basin we located the trail and set our minds on autopilot for the hike back to camp.
Once back at camp we soaked our feet in the river and then devoured our pesto pasta dinner. We weren’t sure that Torrey could handle another climb tomorrow, and both Helen and I had big plans for the coming week so we agreed to sleep in on Sunday and have a leisurely hike out.
Torrey didn’t decide to play “King of the Sleeping Pad” until about 1am, so we slept well for at least 4 hours. At least it was a treat to have the time to enjoy a second cup of coffee in camp hours later once the sun was up. We packed up camp and were walking back down hill at the definitely-not-alpine hour of 9am.
On the way out we had one long stop to chat with a just-married couple hiking from Leadville to Durango on the Colorado Trail.
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