This year the camping trip featured a climb
to the summit of Quandary Peak, a 14,265 foot peak in the
Ten Mile range just southwest of Breckenridge, a few miles from
Hoosier Pass
We camped a few miles from the trailhead at the bottom of
Quandary Peak in a bueatiful spot off Colorado route 9.
Day 1 - After stopping for lunch
at the Breckenridge Brewery, we continued on Colorado 9 towards
Hoosier Pass and turned off on a US Forest Service dirt road.
Initially we passed the campsite we would choose and took the
jeep trail to the top of the mountain and it was a pretty adventurous
trail that got the kids a little nervous. We turned back around
and set up camp whereupon the boys wasted no time in having fun.
I took the opportunity at the top of the road to make my
own "Jeep Ad" with our Volvo XC90.
Our campsite and tent...
Target practice with the BB gun...
Playing Go Fish...
Making Smores on the fire...
Day 2 - We woke up bright and early, ate breakfast
and drove the short distance to the Quandary Peak trail head.
We started shortly before 7:30am, summitted in various groups
in the late morning and completed the hike in about 6 hours total
on average.
This aerial view of Quandary Peak shows
the East Ridge route (in blue) which we followed. The East Ridge
route is the easiest of the routes and features only Class 1
hiking. The trail meanders through the trees until about 11,700
feet whereupon a series of steep switchbacks puts you on top
of a ridge which gradually increases in elevation until about
13,100 feet. Then its a hard push up the steeper upper ridge
for the last 1,000 feet or so to the summit. The trail featured
lots of scree and lose boulders making the climb a little tougher.
On the switchbacks just before the first ridge...
Last push to the first ridge...
Transitioning to the upper ridge...
Approaching the summit...
Touchdown...
This group brought a substantially sized speaker system and
played "God Bless America" at the summit...
Starting the trek down...
Five mountain goats grazing at 12,500 feet...
Click to see video of goats crossing the trail coursety of
Bill (more up close goat pictures below)...
Mountain goat shedding for the season...
Day 2 - Back from the hike,
the kids enjoyed target practice with a .22 semi automatic rifle
and a .22 semi automatic pistol. This was followed by faboulous
dinner of Fajitas and another roaring camp fire.
Having an airsoft battle on the "Upper Field"...
Enjoying the fire that they started...
Day 3 - After a big breakfast bonanza,
we broke camp and headed home. Another successful trip!
