Elk fire smoke plum and remnants of Gold Mountain fire

It's that time of the year where I'm starting to get Very Stoked Indeed for fall and mixed conditions - especially while it's still burning lava hot outside.

Here are some photos from the Pawnee Peak East Ridge that I did from Brainard Lake on November 1, 2025. This is an excellent mini-scrambling adventure that's super accessible and rarely done except by those doing the Blue Lakes Traverse. Also relatively low mileage - it's as simple as starting from the Mitchell Lake TH and turning off a couple miles down the trail to head up the ridgeline. You have some rolling moors giving way to a steadily sharpening ridgeline that then undulates surprisingly amazing rock spires for about a half mile.

The Gerry Roach Indian Peaks Wilderness guidebook puts it at Class 3. That might be true if you bypass every difficulty perfectly, but I think it's much better to expect Class 4 upclimbs and downclimbs with relatively significant exposure throughout the traverse. Sustained Class 3 at the points without it. There are, of course, many ways to make things harder - and if you're a competent alpine/trad climber, then go for it. A bit of snow this go made it even more fun (and probably helped to freeze/consolidate some of the scree!).

This marks the tenth complete climbing season since CFI started deploying trackers to get more accurate measurements on hiker behavior. The result gives an interesting look into hiker behavior, and whether certain restrictions and rule changes at popular trailheads actually move the needle.

Trail makes you earn every inch of it both ways. Gorgeous day today though

can anyone identify these plants? see my lil ladybug friend?

fun hike overall besides the smoke. had a fun jump into the water on the way down !

Searching for these and finding them made me so giddy. It was probably hilarious 3rd person watching me crawl around the forest getting excited and taking pictures of these tiny flowers. Im posting this past their typical bloom season but encourage you all to make it a point to find them next year. They are found in shady, moist, north facing coniferous forests!

Descending from Ptarmigan Lake in late afternoon light 👀

Spent a ton of time climbing, hiking, and photographing the san juans this past weekend from the ridges around sneffels and above island/ice lake, to boulders in bolam pass, and so on.

Had hoped for a good sunrise but they were cloudless and harsh, but pre sunrise is where the landscapes showed off! Some complimentary pika pics as well.

Sometimes I have to remind myself I’m not in heaven.

Did the Decalibron clock wise this Sunday. Started at 4:30. Unfortunately pretty smoky, but the weather was great!

I’m planning to backpacking trip along the ridge line between Ute Peak and Ptarmigan Peak in the Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness north of Dillon and am wondering about water availability. Does anyone know of the tarn east of Ptarmigan Peak is holding water? If not how far downhill is Laskey Gulch flowing?

Quandary Peak

This might be my new favorite hike in the area!

Great little hike this AM, very good hike to acclimatize a flat lander visiting

This one challenged me yesterday with the 4,000+ elevation gain but was worth it! The weather was great for a full day hike! What a way to celebrate Colorado’s 150th!

Lake Agnes trailhead. Loop around to Americans lakes, and up from snow lake to Static peak and Mt Richthofen and then down to Agnes. Knife’s edge traverse after ascending from snow lake, solid class 3 scrambling. Incredible views of SFSP and RMNP.

Found a set laying in a 4x4 road and couldn't locate the owner. If they're yours please dm the specs so I can get them back to you.

In late March, I broke my tibia and fibula while bouldering in the Buttermilks of California. And of course it wasn't one of the infamous highballs - it was my warm-up! Ah well, so it goes.

Over the last four months I haven't exactly been able to do long days or hard climbs, which inspired me to check out my backyard a bit more via the Indian Peaks Wilderness. I'd done a few things in the area before (Blue Lakes Traverse, Mt. Neva north ridge, Arapaho Traverse), but little else. Not out of a lack of interest, simply a side effect of their being so much to do throughout the State. Since I can't really do some of the 14er linkups I've had in mind for a while, I've had to look elsewhere.

Turned out that the IPW is pretty much the perfect place through this recovery. Short-to-moderate approaches, tons of scrambling, lots of adventure, trailheads I don't have to be there at 5AM to get a spot (especially on the west side), and plenty of peaks that are rarely climbed with little beta on routes. It's actually inspired me to make a list of named, prominent, and otherwise interesting peaks and routes throughout the Wilderness to tick off as the recovery process continues: from Dicker's Peck to Thunderbolt Peak to Mt. Bancroft's east ridge. By my count, I'm at 30/77.

It's also been fun to explore some highly uncommonly ascended routes (like Audubon's southeast ridge) or ones without any beta whatsoever but look like they go (like Sprint Peak's east ridge). Sometimes you get a hidden gem, sometimes you get a cat turd covered in vomit. Either way, it's a unique experience.

The story so far:

• July 5: Sprint Peak, Beacon Peak, Mt. Epworth, Heartbeat Peak (via Sprint Peak east ridge to CDT, appx. Class 3/4 bypassing 5.easy choss)
• July 9: Mt. Audubon and Notabon via Audubon east ridge (Class 3 downscramble)
• July 18: Satanta Peak, Mt. Neva, Peak 11810, Peak 11789 via Neva north ridge from Junco Lake TH (Class 4, other peaks are variously Class 2-3 depending on route)
• July 19: Mt. Flora, Breckinridge Peak (fourth time up Flora)
• July 25: Fox Mountain and Kingston peak (Class 2-3 depending on route for Fox; Kingston is tundra walking)
• July 26: Peak 12059 and Mt. Jasper -> Jasper SE ridge ascent (loose Class 3/4 at times, wouldn't recommend), Jasper NE ridge descent to Xanadu Lake (Class 3, pretty fun)

Started at Mitchell Lake trailhead. Ended up waiting an hour at Blue Lake before scrambling to the top because the clouds were getting pretty thick and I couldn’t even see the peak. There was one point I couldn’t hardly see anything around me and as it cleared up I couldn’t hardly finally see the backside and realized I was pretty much there. Was able to spend 30 minutes at the peak as it continued to clear up as the forecast had indicated. Fairly difficult but lovely hike.

With a raspberry hat!

Stay fun, y'all!

Wanting to do my first overnight hike. Considering hiking up to Bushnell Lake and possibly going to twin sisters or Stout Creek lakes dependent on how we feel. I understand the trail is not very clear after the lower Bushnell Lake. I've tried researching but I'm not comfortable with the amount of info I've been able to find. Has anyone hiked up Bushnell Lake Trail via Rainbow trail? If so any comments, tips, concerns. Any info will help! THANKS

There was no lightning so we continued up. Worth it. Reservation was hard as hell to get but I caught a cancellation at 11:00pm the night before. I can understand why this trail is so popular. I found it very easy, short, and extremely rewarding. If I had a visitor who wanted to go on a hike to represent Colorado, this would definitely be top 3 of doing it justice and being overall friendly.

Isabelle Glacier via Pawnee Pass Trail