On Walkabout On: Huron Peak, Colorado – Part 2

Prior Posting: Huron Peak, Colorado – Part 1

As I was going down from the summit of the 14,003 foot Huron Peak I actually found it easier to follow the trail since I was looking down on it instead of up.  However, on the upper reaches of the trail from the summit is was packed with hard ice.  I was glad I had my micro-spikes as well as my hiking poles to help me keep my balance on the slick ice.  Once I was back down on the saddle I made quick work down the mountain towards the basin:

Here is a panorama photo I took as I descended from the ridgeline towards the basin below:

As I got closer to the basin I could see the postholed trail through the snow below:

Soon enough I was postholing again through the basin myself:

Here is the view from the basin looking up at Huron Peak:

Once I got across the basin again I stopped just above treeline to eat a snack of granola bars and change my socks.  My toes were actually feeling pretty good once I dropped in altitude and was out of the cold temperatures on the summit of the mountain.  I probably should have changed my socks before the final summit push from the basin on my way up, but my feet were feeling fine so I didn’t even think about it.  My feet were feeling great after the sock change and it was warm enough now above treeline that I shed all my layers except for the long sleeve Under Armor shirt I was wearing.  As I began my descent back into treeline I had one last chance to appreciate the final views I had of the impressive Three Apostles:

The trail through treeline was still snowpacked and slick in a few areas so I kept my micro-spikes on and had no issues with the descent:

Just like on the way up Huron Peak, I enjoyed the views of the surrounding mountains on the way down as well:

Along the way down there is also a few creek crossings, but none of them are difficult:

Eventually I was back at the trailhead and still enjoying beautiful views of the surrounding mountains:

From the trailhead Granite Mountain looks really impressive because its summit appears to rise up like a pyramid:

However, as the earlier pictures showed, the mountain’s summit is actually quite broad, but nevertheless its profile from Clear Creek Gulch is impressive.  The other mountain that dominates the view from Clear Creek Gulch, but is not as impressive as Granite Mountain is Virginia Peak which rises up to an elevation of 13,088 feet to the West:

Unlike in the early morning darkness when I could only hear the creek; now in the daylight I had some really nice views of Clear Creek on the hike back to my truck:

Clear Creek Gulch is really quite beautiful and worth further exploration in the future:

As I walked to the north back to the ghost town of Winfield the view was dominated by the 13,531 foot Ervin Peak:

Here is picture of more mountains to the West:

As I walked back down the road I also spotted this old cabin in the woods to the East:

Much like the walk up earlier in the morning, the road was still covered in packed snow:

There are some larger creek crossings to contend with, but none of them were difficult to get across:

In less than hour after leaving the trailhead, the ghost town of Winfield came into view ahead of me backdropped by Ervin Peak:

As I approached Winfield the view to the West was dominated by this impressive peak that my map left as an unnamed 13er:

Anyone know what the name of this peak is?

Just before reaching Winfield I walked into the campground where my truck was parked.  Now that it was daylight I could see that the campground was in quite a spectacular location with all the various peaks surrounding it:

The campground also had a bulletin board that I walked over to check out:

I noticed that they are still looking for the hiker that went missing on Mt. Harvard a few months ago.  The missing man, the 64 year old Gene George went missing in September and no clues of his whereabouts has ever been found.  He was an experienced hiker with over 30 summits of Colorado 14ers.  If someone stays on the standard trails it is very hard to get lost on a 14er especially with so many other people using the same trail.  I think he must of went off the standard trail for some reason and may have had an accident or medical emergency.  Very unfortunate and hopefully for his family he is soon found.

Conclusion

Overall Huron Peak is one of the more out of the way 14ers that a hiker can climb, but it is also one of the easiest.  An ascent of this mountain from the four-wheel drive trailhead during the summer months would be only about 7 miles on a great trail.  I am glad I did it during the winter because the winter conditions added a little bit of extra difficulty as well as allowed me to have the mountain completely to myself.  I was literally the only person on the mountain the entire day.  Yes a weekend day on the 14er with optimal weather and there was nobody else on the mountain!

This was the first time I have climbed a 14er without seeing anyone else on the trail.  It actually felt really weird.  Probably the fact that the Broncos were playing that day contributed to this, but I got such an early start that I made it back to Colorado Springs by halftime to watch the second half.  I guess the lesson learned from this is if you want a mountain to yourself, hike on Sundays when the Broncos are playing.  I will however probably hike up this mountain again sometime in the summer because it is an easy 14er that I think a couple of my friends who are inexperienced hikers would enjoy.  Especially since the views from the top are really beautiful.  I am sure there will be more people enjoying this great mountain then.