Distance: 13.8 miles (round-trip)
Elevation Gain: 4,200 feet
Class 2 Bushwhack
August 6, 2019
In my journey to the hundred highest summits in Colorado thus far, I have underestimated few climbs more than the trek to the top of “Phoenix Peak.” This mountain had long been checked off in my mind already as a class one walk-up via a well-trodden trail. Long story short, that trail no longer exists, nor does any other trail, except the occasional elk path.
Granted, this mountain was also made more difficult by the circumstances: we were on a timeline to get back to Denver, and thunderstorms were threatening from the get-go. Not to mention, we had to hike an extra 1.6 miles each way, because the road we had driven in on was washed out by avalanche debris well short of the trailhead. But besides all that: the tough, steep bushwhack was more than I had counted on.
No More Road:
There were good parts. We had a fun hike back to the Greg Coln cabin and then Phoenix Falls. This is an impressive falls with no signage or fanfare to advertise it to the public. This was where we parted ways: I climbed up a steep grass slope before the waterfall, gaining the ridge to the north at the top, as they continued sight-seeing around the falls and the cabin.
The path up from here was indeed bushwhacking. Making my best guess of where to go, I found a great elk path leading across the waterway above the falls, onto the aspen slopes to the south. I hiked uphill a while through the aspens, then the terrain became steeper and rougher with abundant evergreens and logs.
Eventually, I ended up back in the basin, now well above the falls. There was still some water flowing here. I crossed through a thicket of blue wildflowers to the other side of the water, and continued up the steepening grassy slopes.
The nicest part of the hike was a grassy walkway all the way up to the saddle at about 12,400 feet.
I thought it would be a short climb up to the ridge from here, followed by an easy ridge-walk to the summit. But the ridgeline evaded me. Instead, steep talus slopes were all that remained from here to the top.
Nothing but talus:
Around 13,000 feet, two mangey-looking foxes skittered off ahead of me; that was something I had never seen at this elevation.
Just like three days ago, thunderheads were building, but thankfully held off long enough for me to make it to the top.
The summit of “Phoenix Peak” was evident. At 11:40 I stood atop the recognizable six-foot cairn, enjoying the surprisingly hard-earned view for a short time.
The hike down was easy by comparison. Thankfully, storms held off once again; only light showers passed through, enough to cool me down for the hike out.