Friday, August 22, 2014

08_03_2014 Two 14ers...Grays & Torreys Peaks

Dave here....I drove up late on the second and got up early to head out. Here, I am heading out of the parking lot to hike Grays and Torreys Peaks with 200 of my closest friends. :)


Just one example of the some of the creative outfits you see among the 14er crowd.

This bridge is just outside the parking lot.
Looking up valley with the summit of Grays Peak just above my head.
A view of Torreys Peak with the Kelso Ridge on the right skyline. I decided to ascend the Kelso Ridge in an effort to lose most of the other people ... however there were still probably 15 other folks on the Ridge.
Another view of the Kelso Ridge on Torreys Peak.
A traffic jam of college coeds on one of the steeper sections of the Kelso Ridge. On several occasions like this I was able to climb around the side via a different route and get past the clumps of bodies.

(Looks like Everest and the Hillary Step. Ha!)
Looking down the lower part of the Kelso Ridge. Great views!
Looking up the upper half of the Kelso Ridge.
Looking down from the Ridge to the Bakerville exit on I-70...just visible in the center of the photo.
The final few hundred feet of the Kelso Ridge to the Summit. Some cool exposure here.
Some mountain goat fur along the way.
A couple of people on the summit of Torreys.
Looking down the entire Kelso Ridge from the summit of Torreys Peak.  This is definitely a more interesting alternative to the standard walk-up route.
Summit Selfie!
Other folks on the summit of Torreys.
More people on Torreys with Grays Peak in the background.
Nice view.
Looking over at Grays.
Looking back at the summit of Torreys from the saddle between the two peaks.
On top of Grays Peak. 
Solitude?  No.

But it is another summit selfie!
Descending Grays with the masses. The trailhead is down in the green valley below. 
Looking back at Torreys during the descent.
Another fine fashion display by the 14er crew. :/  Note the man wearing the derby hat, and a skirt of some sort.
Nice wildflowers this year!
And finally, more flowers near the trail head. Great time!

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