Bighorn Mountain (11463 ft, 3494 meters) and Mount Tileston ( 11254 ft, 3430 meters) from Lawn Lake Trailhead, 05/28/2005
We started hiking from the Lawn Lake Trailhead (40.40713 105.62640, elev 8582 ft, acc 12 ft) at 9:45. After hiking up the trail for about 100 yards, we left the trail near the fork where the right branch goes to US 34 and the left branch goes to Lawn Lake. From there we headed up the steep slope in a northeast direction toward WP1 (see point list below). At 10:05 we reached a small basin just before WP1. We reached WP1 at 10:11 (odometer 0.45 miles, elev 9380 feet). From WP1 we headed northwest to WP2, reaching WP2 at 10:40 (odometer 0.59 miles, elev about 10000 feet). From WP2 we headed northeast, reaching WP3 at about 10:55 (odometer 0.83 miles, elev 10440). The way from the trailhead to WP3 was a steep climb through often rugged forested slope, with an elevation gain of 1858 feet in 0.83 miles. After WP3, the slope became somewhat less steep, and the forest more sparse. For all our sweat, we were rewarded with great views when we reached the summit of Peak 11152 at 11:28 (odometer 1.27 miles, elev 11174, acc 15 ft). From Peak 11152 we could see the summit of Bighorn Mtn, Fairchild, Ypsilon, Chiquita, Sundance Mtn, Trail Ridge Road, Hidden Valley, and part of Horseshoe Park.
From Peak 11152, we headed north along the ridge to the summit of Bighorn Mtn, reaching the top at 11:54 (elev 11483 ft, acc 14 ft). From Bighorn Mtn there were great views of McGregor Mtn, Dark Mtn, Roaring River Valley, Mt Tileston, Mummy Mtn, Hagues Peak, and Fairchild. There were TWO summit registers on Bighorn Mtn: one register in a white PVC tube put there in 1999 by a guy from Boulder and a guy from Golden, whose names I forget, and another register in a mayonnaise jar put there six months ago by Jennifer Roach on New Year's Eve of 2004. I assume the other register was covered with snow at the time. The last person to sign either register was about a month ago in April.
Leaving the summit of Bighorn Mtn, we began descending, heading north to the saddle point between Tileston and Bighorn, reaching it at 13:10 (elev about 10680 ft). From the saddle point, we ascended north toward Peak 11080, reaching it at 13:34 (odometer 3.08 miles, elev 11096 ft, acc 14 ft). From there, we took a picture of Bighorn Mtn, from whence we came. We also took a picture of the interesting rocks forming the summit of Peak 11080, consisting of thin vertical slabs of granite.
From Peak 11080, we headed northwest to the summit of Mt Tileston, reaching it at 14:06 (odometer 3.8 miles, elev 11284 ft, acc 13 ft). From the Mt Tileston summit, Mummy Mtn was the dominant view, with the Potts Puddle now also visible below. There was also a summit register on the Tileston summit, place there 15 years ago in 1990. The register was not even close to being filled.
We left the summit of Mt Tileston at about 14:40, heading south and then southwest toward DP (see point list). From DP we continued southwest to LLT, reaching the Lawn Lake Trail at an elevation of about 9990 ft (odometer 5.3 miles). We hiked back along the Lawn Lake Trail, returning to the trailhead at 16:59 (odometer 8.49 miles).
Elevation difference from lowest (Lawn Lake TH) point to highest (Bighorn summit) point: 2881 feet.
Time from start to Bighorn Mtn summit: 2 hrs, 9 minutes.
Total trip time: 7 hrs, 14 minutes.
Total trip distance: 8.49 miles.
Point list from Lawn Lake Trailhead to Bighorn Mtn to Mount Tileston to Lawn Lake Trail
WP1(Way Point 1) 40.4116 105.6219
WP2(Way Point 2) 40.4141 105.6242
WP3(Way Point 3) 40.4169 105.6200
Peak 11152 40.4220 105.6189
BHM(Big Horn Mtn 11463) 40.4295 105.6199
SP1(Saddle Point) 40.4365 105.6178
Peak 11080 40.4405 105.6158
MT(Mount Tileston 11254) 40.4472 105.6204
DP(Descent Point) 40.4411 105.6228
LLT(Lawn Lake Trail) 40.4395 105.6274