14er Report #3: Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, Bross, the Low Hanging Fruit Loop (Very Late Spring, from Kite Lake)

The Wrong Scree Descent, Mt. Bross. Colorado, 2014

Low hanging fruit, you ask? Well, this loop really is a very quick way to summit up to five named points that measure above 14,000 feet above sea level. For someone looking for easy 14er climbs, these peaks count as “low hanging fruit”–there are many, many other summits which are not so accommodating.

Also, as it stands, it looks like I am on the “geometric progression program” for climbing the Colorado Fourteeners…That is, I climbed one on the first outing, two on the second, four on the third…Next time out I’ll need to climb eight summits, then 16, then 32..

So, just five outings to climb them all! (This is also known as the “Camp Counselor Carl Training Method“–he uses it to prepare for marathons and such.)

Well, no. And again, no. There are some key caveats:

1. This is one of the few loop trips that will allow you to take in multiple 14er summits. The rest of the peaks one does on this quest are usually climbed one at a time (although there are a few “pair” possibilities). So the “geometric progression plan” is right out.

2. Also, this loop actually only climbs three of the 53 ranked Colorado fourteeners. There are two other high points that, although named, don’t have sufficient separation from their parent to qualify as “ranked” (Cameron and South Bross).

3. Finally, one of these ranked summits–Mt. Bross–is on private property (mining activity up thar in them hills) and is currently closed to public access. South Bross is also closed for the same reason. For status updates on this and other projects in the works, search the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative website.

Remember, even though this is considered a relatively “easy” route for a 14er outing, it still requires you to be in pretty good physical condition. And, with bad weather, things can quickly turn very challenging, if not life threatening (lightning, hypothermia, etc.).

OK, so here is the trip report along with a sampling of images.

Mt. Democrat (14,148′), Mt. Cameron (14,238′), Mt. Lincoln (14,286′) & Mt. Bross (14,172′) Trip Report

Route:

The standard tourist route from the Kite Lake Trailhead and Campground up Mt. Democrat. Back down Democrat to the saddle, then up and over Mt. Cameron to Mt. Lincoln. Then back across the south face of Cameron toward Mt. Bross (currently closed to the public) and back down the steep ridge scree slope to the trailhead.

Due to one inconvenient patch of snow on the road, I actually had to park about 3/4 of a mile below the trailhead (just below the two final switchbacks). This patch, at 2:45a.m. was frozen and slick and threatened to slide me off the road, even in 4WD. Later on, when the snow softened, other 4WDs seemed to pass through fairly easily. In another week, with the spring thaw and melt, it shouldn’t be an issue.

Timeline:

A 12:30a.m. departure from Boulder. Pursuing that sunrise on the summit of Democrat…

By 3:00a.m. I was headed up the trail by the light of a half Moon and my headlamp.

Arrived on the summit of Democrat just as the sun rose from behind Cameron and Lincoln (a previous consult of The Photographer’s Ephemeris clued me in on the sunrise timing and direction the day before).

After some summit photography, dropped down to the Democrat-Cameron saddle, arriving there around 6:20a.m.

A 50-minute trip up to the summit of Cameron, then another 45 minutes to Lincoln (photography stops and a quick lunch along the way).

Departed the summit of Lincoln by about 8:15a.m. and headed over toward Mt. Bross, where I proceeded to get a bit lost (“I ain’t never been lost, but I was bewildered for seven days once.” –CC Carl).

I eventually found the right trail and started down the steep scree path at around 9:45a.m.

Back at the truck (3/4 mile below the trailhead) by about 11:30a.m.

Weather Conditions:

Most excellent, mon ami (I always pick a day with a good forecast, so not a coincidence). At the start, 0 to 10 mph breeze with a few small clouds blowing through the moonlight (half Moon) up high amongst the peaks. Temps in the mid to upper 20s (solid, crunchy snow, and frozen water), rising into the 30s and 40s later. It had actually snowed a bit the day before, but only a very light, cosmetic dusting.

Up higher, and after sunrise, the wind picked up to 20-25mph with gusts above that and occasional lulls suitable for pressing the shutter button on the tripod. The sky stayed azure blue all day with only a few small clouds forming here and there.

Trail Conditions:

Still lots of snow patches to cross, mainly going up Democrat. Going early made it easy to walk the snow surface in these areas. I carried MICROspikes but never thought it necessary to use them.

The descent off of Bross is indeed steep and loose–maybe the low point for me on my Acme fun-o-meter for the trip.

Unusual Events/Comments:

Only three or four cars were in the parking lot today. I saw three separate groups on the trail–seven total humans along with two very capable 4WD canines.

Maybe consider waiting to do this hike until a solution is found to open the Mt. Bross summit to the public. Still, the ridge walking on the other summits was pretty spectacular–especially between Cameron and Lincoln–so maybe go ahead and do it, knowing you’ll likely miss Bross. (Actually, a pretty nice out-and-back outing would be up Democrat, over to Lincoln, then back across Cameron and down to the Democrat-Cameron saddle, and return to Kite Lake–that is the best terrain of the area.)

My photography gear–a brick of a D800 with its mini-brick lenses and full-up mini-brick of a tripod–is a royal pain in the arse to haul along, although I love the images this kit makes. On the easier hikes, I’ll probably still carry all this crap, but on the tougher summits I think it’ll be the fixed lens Fuji X100s and a mini-tripod that goes with me instead–that should drop some ten pounds from my current load.

Colorado 14er Senior Challenge summit count: 7 of the basic list of 58 (p. xxiii in Gerry Roach’s 14er “Bible”, Colorado Fourteeners, 3rd Ed.); 7 of the long list of 73 (pp. 347-348, with South Wilson added, also in Roach’s “Bible”.

Select Images:

3a.m. at the Kite Lake Trailhead…

Mt. Democrat by Moonlight. Colorado, 2014

Approaching the top…

Summit Ridge, Pre-Dawn, Mt. Democrat. Colorado, 2014

The day begins…

Sunrise behind Mt. Cameron & Mt. Lincoln. Colorado, 2014

Looking down toward the trailhead…

South Park View from Mt. Democrat. Colorado, 2014

Mt. Cameron–not a ranked Fourteener, but like walking atop the world…

Crossing Mt. Cameron’s summit to Mt Lincoln. Colorado, 2014

Looking back down the ridge just climbed toward Democrat…

Climbers on Mt. Democrat summit, from Mt. Cameron. Colorado, 2014

View from the relatively compact summit of Mt. Lincoln…

Cameron & Democrat, from Mt. Lincoln. Colorado, 2014

Quandary (big mountain just beyond the first ridge)–objective on the next outing? The regular route follows the gentle ridge from right to left to the summit…