For my second LIT (Leader In Training) trip, I choose a hike up Vasquez Peak (12,947 feet) led by Dave Goldwater – one of the first CMC trip leaders I’d hiked with. We met up in Denver then picked up another hiker along the way and meet two more at the trailhead for a 14 person group. We left the cars and picked up a spur trail that switchbacked through the pine trees until it reached the Continental Divide Trail.
We took the CDT left and tried to follow the trail through snow drifts and switch backs as it mostly kept to a level elevation. Then, as we began to break out of the trees we had glimpses of the great views that would greet us of the Continental Divide.
We continued to follow the Continental Divide Trail as it wrapped around the slope and approached the saddle west of Vasquez Peak.
Here we left the trail and continued straight up the ridge.
I was a little concerned about the forecast for snow and the high clouds moving in, but they stayed high and non-threatening as we approached the summit.
The rime-encrusted rocks were slick to hike through, but thankfully not too difficult of an obstacle.
At the summit we took a short lunch break then started down.
We headed southeast to another saddle to begin our descent route.
From here we continued straight down the slope, intersecting our old trail and continuing into the valley below. Here we headed downhill and picked up a packed snow road and followed that back to our cars.
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