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The Mountain Gorillas
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About this blog
Summit GPS Data Map
Below is a list of links to trip reports of hikes that we've done. The hikes range from simple trail hiking to some nontechnical climbing. Nontechnical climbing means scrambling on rocks with no ropes. Some of these hikes are real mountaineering routes and probably should only be attempted by people with some experience in the mountains. A good reference on mountaineering is Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills.
We have hiked and climbed in most of the mountain ranges of western North America outside of Alaska, and while some of these areas may be just as nice, none of them are any more spectacular than the mountain ranges of northern and central Colorado, where most of the trip reports listed below take place. This area includes the Indian Peaks Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park, two of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the western United States. In the winter we do our hiking mostly in the foothills of Boulder County (Roosevelt National Forest) and also do backcountry skiing in the Indian Peaks and RMNP. If you plan on skiing in the backcountry, first check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
We hate crowds and like a sense of adventure so we don't often visit the super popular places. Through all the hikes we've done here in Colorado we've seen a lot of rocks and this has spurred an interest in geology and petrology which you may notice from our hiking descriptions.
If you are looking for peaks to bag in Boulder County see Gerry Roach's Boulder County Peaks list. This is a complete list from smallest to largest, from unnamed to famous.
Trip Reports
Button Rock Preserve/Hall Ranch Loop 05/16/2011
Point 8000 from junction of Lefthand Canyon and James Canyon Dr 01/23/2011
Nugget Hill to Walker Crest, 11/27/2010
Tracks
Betasso/Boulder Canyon Link Trailhead to Bummer's Rock, 11/20/2010
Tracks
Antelope Trail at Hall Ranch to knob overlooking North St Vrain Canyon/Hwy 36/Longmont Dam Road, 11/14/2010
Tracks
Button Rock Preserve to Lions Den climbing area and west Hall Ranch area, 11/07/2010
Tracks
Lumpy Ridge Loop, 10/24/2010
Tracks
Old Baldy (13,038 ft) from Caribou 09/04/2010
Shelf Lake, Solitude Lake, and beyond 08/14/2010
Lion Head (9740) and Pierson Mtn (9803) 05/22/2010
Point 7790 Loop 05/01/2010
Nugget Hill Ridge via Miner's Ass Trail 03/06/2010
Mickey Mouse Wall from Doudy Draw 01/10/2010
Fairview Peak from Lefthand OHV area 11/21/2009
Point 7985 and Cook Mtn from Coulson Gulch 11/07/2009
Audubon Glacial Bowl 10/03/2009
Thatchtop (12,668 ft) 08/01/2009
Lion Lakes Pass (12,600 ft) 07/25/2009
Skyscraper Peak (12,383 ft) 07/18/2009
Dark Mountain (10,859 ft) from Cow Creek Trailhead 05/17/2009
Iron Dike from Magnolia Drive to Boulder Canyon 05/09/2009
Point 8826 (Jacks Peak) 04/11/2009
Coulson Gulch - North St Vrain Canyon Loop 03/21/2009
Butzel Hill (8,264 ft) and Point 9089 03/14/2009
Bueno Mountain (8,662 ft) from Jamestown 03/08/2009
Mount Olympus (8,808 ft) and Emerald Mountain (9,237 ft) 02/28/2009
Palisade Mountain (8,264 ft) from Hwy 34 02/07/2009
Rowell Hill (7,012 ft), Point 6918, and Point 6808 01/10/2009
Moose Mtn (8,075 ft), Point 8268, Point 8155, and Round Mtn (7,451 ft) 01/02/2009
Smithy Mountain (7,135 ft) 12/28/2008
Point 7201 and Point 7800 from Lefthand Canyon OHV Area 12/21/2008
Peak 8140 from Barking Dog Trail and Balarat 12/13/2008
Coffintop Mountain (8,049 ft) from Coffintop Gulch 12/07/2008
Nugget Hill (8,564 ft) from Rowena 11/30/2008
Rock Creek Canyon 11/22/2008
Green Mountain, Bear Peak, South Boulder Peak Loop from NCAR 11/16/2008
South Sheep Mountain (8,300 ft) via Dry St Vrain Trail 11/08/2008
Mahana Peak (12,632 ft) 11/01/2008
The Needles and Balanced Rock at Lumpy Ridge 10/25/2008
Mount Orton (11,724 ft) from Castle Lake 10/18/2008
Point 10810 from Rock Creek 10/04/2008
Cabin Creek - Meeker Ridge - Lookout Mtn Trail Loop from Meeker Park 09/27/2008
Yellowstone Trip 09/13/2008
Otis Peak (12,486 ft), Hallet Peak (12,713 ft)), Flattop Mtn (12,324 ft) Loop 08/30/2008
Mount Lady Washington (13,281 ft) from East Longs Peak Trailhead 08/23/2008
Summit GPS Data Map 08/10/2008
Lost Lake, Guinn Mtn, Gilpin-Grand-Boulder Peak, Rollins Pass, King Lake Loop 08/02/2008
Twin Sisters Peaks (both of them) 07/26/2008
North Signal Mountain (11,262 ft) and South Signal Mountain (11,248 ft) 07/19/2008
Sawtooth Mountain (12,304') from Beaver Reservoir 07/12/2008
Estes Cone (11006') from Lily Lake 07/05/2008
St. Vrain Mountain (12162') via Rock Creek 06/28/2008
We've made
a map
of the Iron Dike 06/24/2008
Niwot Mountain (11471 ft) and Point 11557 from Rainbow Lakes Road 06/14/2008
Meeker Park - Lookout Mountain - Sandbeach Lake Trail Loop 06/07/2008
Point 10,583 (Roach #36) from Peaceful Valley 05/31/2008
Bright Trail to North St. Vrain Creek, then Taylor and Big John Mountains 05/24/2008
Bright Extension Trail/North St. Vrain Creek/Coulson Gulch Loop 05/17/2008
Special report: Close Encounter with Fox and Kits 05/10/2008
Walker Crest (8940'), Walker Mtn (8825') and Nugget Hill (8582') from
Lefthand Canyon Road 05/04/2008
Burnt Mountain (9353') from Lefthand Canyon Road 04/27/2008
Bighorn Point (8420 ft) and Bighorn Mountain (8540 ft) from Salina 04/19/2008
Point 7985 from Button Rock Preserve 04/05/2008
Lee Hill from Anne U. White Trail 03/29/2008
Special report: The Iron Dike of Boulder and Larimer Counties 03/22/2008
Gross Peak (7788'), Point 7675, Castle Rock B (7620'), The Sandcastle (7675'), and Langridge Dyke (7408') 03/15/2008
Knob 8092 of Nugget Hill 03/08/2008
Green Mountain and Flagstaff Mountain Loop 03/01/2008
Golden Age Hill (8378') and Fairview Peak (8560') 02/25/2008
Bald Mountain (8620') and Porphyry Mountain (8336') from James Canyon Drive 02/16/2008
Peak 7487 from Colorado Hwy 7 02/09/2008
Red Hill (6,570') from Heil Ranch 02/03/2008
Deadman Gulch 01/26/2008
Hall Ranch Loop 01/19/2008
Hogback Ridge, Mount Sanitas (6,819 ft), and Anemone Hill 01/12/2008
Arkansas Mountain (7,710 ft) from Betasso Preserve 01/05/2008
Peak 7051 from Heil Valley Ranch 12/30/2007
Green Mountain (8,144 ft) from Gregory Canyon Trailhead 12/22/2007
South Boulder Peak (8,549 ft) from South Mesa Trailhead 12/16/2007
Peak 7790 from Button Rock Preserve 12/02/2007
Coffintop Mountain (8,049 ft) from Hall Ranch 11/25/2007
Bear Peak, South Boulder Peak, Green Mountain, loop
from Chautauqua 11/17/2007
Saint Vrain Mountain (12,146 ft) from St. Vrain Mtn. Trailhead 11/10/2007
Knobs of Lion Gulch, including Lion Head (9740 feet) 11/03/2007
Sheep Mountain, Bridal Veil Falls Loop 10/28/2007
Lumpy Ridge Loop 10/20/2007
Bear Lake from Adams Tunnel East Portal 10/13/2007
Chasm View 10/05/2007
Diamond Lake and Upper Diamond Lake from Grand Island 09/29/2007
Buchanan Pass (11837'), Red Deer Mountain (12391'), and Red Deer Lake Loop 09/22/2007
Box Lake, Eagle Lake, and Mertensia Falls 09/16/2007
Envy Lake and southernmost St. Vrain Glacier 09/08/2007
Copeland Mountain (13176') from Allenspark Trailhead 09/03/2007
Twin Sisters Peaks (both of them) 07/21/2007
Granite Pass / Battle Mountain Loop 07/14/2007
Saint Vrain Mountain (12162') from Rock Creek 07/08/2007
Coney Island Loop 07/01/2007
Meadow Mountain (11632') and Saint Vrain Mountain (12162') from St Vrain Mtn Trailhead 06/09/2007
Lookout Mountain (10715') & Horsetooth Peak (10344') loop from Meeker Park 06/02/2007
Green Mountain, Bear Peak, South Boulder Peak, loop from NCAR 05/26/2007
Point 10432 and House Rock 05/19/2007
Point 10181 and the Iron Dike from Ferncliff 05/12/2007
Point 7782 and North Sister of Miller Rock 04/28/2007
Twin Sisters Mtn (Peaks) (11428 ft) 12/09/2006
Coney Island (11580 ft) 06/03/2006
Tennessee Mountain (9980 ft) and Buckeye Mountain (10126 ft) from Nederland High School 05/20/2006
Deer Ridge to Peak 8700 04/22/2006
South Boulder Peak (8549 ft) from South Mesa Trailhead 03/11/2006
Nugget Hill (8582 ft) from Lefthand Canyon/Ward Road Intersection 02/04/2006
Green Mountain from NCAR 01/28/2006
Hike near Button Rock Reservoir 01/21/2006
Peak 8140 and Berry Ridge Summit via Balarat 01/14/2006
Peak 8315 from CO Hwy 7 01/07/2006
Rabbit Mountain Summit (6006 ft) 12/04/2005
Estes Cone (11006 ft) and the Iron Dike 10/29/2005
Paiute Peak (13088 ft), Mount Audubon (13223 ft), and Mount Notabon (12706 ft) 07/30/2005
Mount Ida (12889 ft, 3929 m), Chief Cheley Peak (12804 ft, 3903 m), and Cracktop (12766 ft, 3891 m) from Milner Pass 07/23/2005
The Four Tops and Ptarmigan Point (12363 ft, 3768 meters) 07/16/2005
Chittenden Mountain (10860 ft, 3310 meters) 06/18/2005
Guinn Mountain (11238 feet, 3425 meters) and Bryan Mountain (10810 feet, 3295 meters) 06/11/2005
The Ironclads from Bunce School 06/05/2005
Bighorn Mountain (11463 ft, 3494 meters) and Mount Tileston ( 11254 ft, 3430 meters) from Lawn Lake Trailhead 05/28/2005
Pierson Mountain (9803 ft, 2988 meters) and Lion Head (9740 ft, 2969 meters) from FR 119 05/21/2005
Taylor Mountain (9134 feet, 2784 meters), Big John Mountain (9093 ft, 2772 meters), Peak 8842, and canyon rims of North St Vrain Creek and Rock Creek 05/14/2005
Peak 8332 and Peak 8422 from CO Hwy 7 05/06/2005
Button Rock west knob, Button Rock Mountain (8450 ft, 2576 meters), and south knob of Button Rock Mountain (8417 ft, 2566 meters) 04/23/2005
Kenny Mountain (40.2917 105.4172, elev: 9290 feet, 2832 meters)) from Big Elk Meadows Road (Larimer CR 47) 04/16/2005
Longs Peak (14,255 ft, 4,345 meters) 08/14/2004
Pagoda Mountain (13,497 ft, 4,114 meters) 07/31/2004
Isolation Peak (13,118 ft, 3,998 meters) 07/03/2004
Storm Peak (13,326 ft, 4,062 meters) 06/06/2004
Balarat from Boulder County Rd 87 03/27/2004
Bighorn Mountain from Lawn Lake Trailhead 01/24/2004
McGregor Mountain (10,486 ft, 3,196 meters) to Black Canyon Trail Loop 11/16/2003
Sprague Lake, Granite Pass, Battle Mountain (12,044 ft, 3,671 m), Storm Pass Loop 10/18/2003
Stones Peak via Hidden River (12,922 ft, 3,939 meters) 09/01/2003
Fairchild Mountain (13,502 ft, 4,115 meters) 08/16/2003
Tanima Peak (12,420 ft, 3,786 meters) 08/10/2003
Devils Thumb Pass (11,747 ft, 3,580 meters)/King Lake Loop 08/05/2003
Hallett Peak (12,713 ft, 3,875 meters) 07/26/2003
Junco Lake (11,640 ft, 3,548 meters) 07/19/2003
Powell Peak (13,208 ft, 4,026 meters) 07/13/2003
Chiefs Head Peak (13,579 ft, 4,139 meters) 07/04/2003
Hutcheson Lakes and Cony Lake 06/28/2003
Mummy Mountain (13,425 ft) 06/22/2003
Thunder Lake 06/15/2003
South Signal Mountain (11,248 ft) to Kettle Tarn Loop 06/08/2003
Lookout Mountain (10,715 ft) 06/01/2003
Sheep Mountain (9,794 ft) / Bridal Veil Falls Loop 05/17/2003
Southernmost Knob of Twin Sisters Mountain (10,432 ft) 05/04/2003
Easter Hike to Rabbit Ears Rock (Lumpy Ridge Loop) 04/20/2003
Glacier Gorge 04/13/2003
Peaceful Valley 03/23/2003
Coffintop Mountain 03/15/2003
Sandbeach Lake 03/09/2003
Mill Creek Basin to Bear Lake 03/01/2003
South Boulder Peak 02/22/2003
Rock Creek Trail 02/16/2003
Hall Ranch Loop 02/09/2003
Thunder Lake 02/01/2003
Round Mountain Trail 01/25/2003
Ypsilon Lake 01/04/2003
Brainard Lake Loop 12/14/2002
Lion Head 12/08/2002
Buchanan Pass Trail 12/01/2002
Estes Cone 11/23/2002
Walker Ranch Loop 11/17/2002
Greyrock Mountain 11/10/2002
Steep Mountain 11/03/2002
Spruce Lake 10/26/2002
Hunter's Creek - Mt Orton - Sandbeach Lake Loop 10/20/2002
Comments?
Contact Richard Hollos
richard[AT]exstrom DOT com
