G&T: A High-Altitude Adventure in the Front Range
On Friday, I embarked on a high-altitude adventure in the Front Range of Rocky Mountains, tackling Grays and Torreys Peaks. The peaks are located in the Arapaho National Forest, bordering Rocky Mountain National Park. Originally, I had planned to hike the Sangre de Cristo range with friends, but when those plans fell through, I seized the opportunity to enjoy the perfect weather on a solo trek.
After dinner on Thursday, I headed to the Silver Plume area outside of Georgetown. The 3-mile road to the summer trailhead travels along the Continental Divide in Arapaho National Forest. Navigating it was quite challenging, taking me about 25 minutes to navigate in a 4WD Expedition. I was amazed to see a Honda Accord parked next to me when I arrived.
I set up camp around midnight and managed to nap for a few hours in the car before hitting the trail at 4 AM.
It was about 60 degrees when I left the parking lot, two hours before sunrise. Hiking solo, after a big meal and poor sleep, I took my time, making frequent stops to snap photos with my camera.
I decided to summit Grays first. The trail, which I now refer to as Switchback Mountain, had more zigzags than any I’ve ever encountered. The turns offered spectacular views, and I found a flat spot with a cache of logs and a view of Kelso Mountain, perfect for a 45-minute catnap just after sunrise.
Near the summit, at about 14,000 feet, I met a sweet couple who had just gotten engaged. By pure coincidence, I had my 50mm 1.8 lens on the camera, having just photographed some goats 20 minutes earlier. I was thrilled to capture a professional portrait of Zeke and Hannah's special moment.
I reached the summit of Grays around 9:30 AM and spent about 20 minutes taking photos, eating a snack, and shedding a layer of clothing. It was about 40 degrees at the top, with steady winds, but the strong sun made it feel warmer.
After chatting with some new friends at the summit, I began the ridge hike to Torreys Peak. The path was sketchier than I expected, feeling like a mile and a half of skiing on gravel before a steep incline.
About a quarter of the way up Torreys, I paused to catch my breath and photograph a family of curious mountain goats following me up the trail.
I reached the summit of Torreys at 11:20 AM. Unlike Grays, which had a crowd of about 30 people, Torreys was nearly empty, with only three or four others scattered around.
I saw a group ascending from the Kelso Ridge and headed down to the white rock tower to watch them navigate the knife edge. I had planned to go further down Kelso but decided against it, being alone and already weary from the loose scree below Torreys' summit.
I retraced my steps back to the trailhead, completing the long journey.
At 3:15 PM, I dropped my pack, helmet, and poles at the car and walked down to the creek to splash some cold water on my face. By 3:45 PM, I was back on I-70 and returned to the Gaylord Hotel in Aurora by 5:30 PM, just in time for dinner with friends and industry colleagues.
What an epic day.
The G&T circuit was perfect training for my upcoming climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in October. The trek up Kili will involve 6-8 miles of hiking with 3-4,000 feet of elevation gain each day. After successfully summiting Grays and Torreys with no issues at altitude, I feel confident in my ability to tackle the mountain in Tanzania.
I'm looking forward to joining the full group of St. Jude Heroes in Tanzania in about 60 days to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
