Livermore Mountain and UN 6975 3/23
12.7mi RT, 3400' EVG
Joe Grim and I started this climb by asking permission at the McMurray Ranch to hike across sections of their land where Livermore Mountain and UN 6975 can be most easily accessed from, but no one answered the door. Since the landowner has previously given permission to climb the peaks, we assumed that it would be alright if we did too. At the Eagles Nest Open Space parking lot we had a nice view of the snowy peaks and a low lying cloud that would coat certain elevations in thick rime ice, as we would later discover. We followed the northern trail past a group of mule deer down to the bridge across the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River.
Over the bridge we climbed up a grassy slope to follow an old ranch road past a few fences and into a small shady canyon where a little stream was following. As we traveled farther up we passed out of national forest land and on to ranch property, where we could see up the gulch to UN 6975. Leaving the ranch road for another with fresh ATV tracks on it, we climbed through the light snow to the base of the long ridge that extends northeast from the summit of Livermore Mountain. As we climbed up the steep slope we entered an area where the low cloud deposited rime ice on the bushes and trees. Once we reached the crest of the ridge, we made quick time up the more gradual slope to the summit of Livermore, where we had excellent views in every direction of the snowy lowlands and peaks.
After a few minutes enjoying the views, we dropped down to the saddle between Livermore and the southeastern subsummit, over the subsummit and down towards the broad saddle with 6975. At this point the sun had been shining on the peaks for a while, and the snow was rapidly melting down and exposing the terrain. After a long drop through the gradual and pleasant open forest, we reached the saddle with 6975 and looked at the very steep, rocky, snowy slope up to the summit. The climb up was exhausting for only being about 500 feet, but the slightly different views on the nearby peaks made it well worth it. As we ate lunch and rested, we noted three people climbing up through the gulch that passed south of the summit.
At this point the snow was quickly disappearing, and we chose to take a slightly different route back to the river than was planned. We dropped into the gulch that the group of three had just exited and followed it down to the gentle meadows below. A small stream was running at the bottom, and a convenient but faint ranch track followed near it. The stream soon lead to a small rocky canyon and we picked up a wildlife trail that led through the brush along the sidewalls. The canyon would widen out to where more pine trees were growing and an old cabin that Joe had once visited lied. The stream would run underground every so often, but at the valley bottom at the North Fork of the Poudre the steam completely disappeared, so look for the entrance to the canyon carefully if you ever want to travel up it.
We climbed around some rock faces that impeded access along the river bank and soon reached the trails of the Eagles Nest Open Space again. On the way back we took a more meandering, hilly trail that left us muddy and worn out back at the trailhead.
Check out Joe's account of the trip at Joe and Frede.
Joe Grim and I started this climb by asking permission at the McMurray Ranch to hike across sections of their land where Livermore Mountain and UN 6975 can be most easily accessed from, but no one answered the door. Since the landowner has previously given permission to climb the peaks, we assumed that it would be alright if we did too. At the Eagles Nest Open Space parking lot we had a nice view of the snowy peaks and a low lying cloud that would coat certain elevations in thick rime ice, as we would later discover. We followed the northern trail past a group of mule deer down to the bridge across the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River.
Over the bridge we climbed up a grassy slope to follow an old ranch road past a few fences and into a small shady canyon where a little stream was following. As we traveled farther up we passed out of national forest land and on to ranch property, where we could see up the gulch to UN 6975. Leaving the ranch road for another with fresh ATV tracks on it, we climbed through the light snow to the base of the long ridge that extends northeast from the summit of Livermore Mountain. As we climbed up the steep slope we entered an area where the low cloud deposited rime ice on the bushes and trees. Once we reached the crest of the ridge, we made quick time up the more gradual slope to the summit of Livermore, where we had excellent views in every direction of the snowy lowlands and peaks.
After a few minutes enjoying the views, we dropped down to the saddle between Livermore and the southeastern subsummit, over the subsummit and down towards the broad saddle with 6975. At this point the sun had been shining on the peaks for a while, and the snow was rapidly melting down and exposing the terrain. After a long drop through the gradual and pleasant open forest, we reached the saddle with 6975 and looked at the very steep, rocky, snowy slope up to the summit. The climb up was exhausting for only being about 500 feet, but the slightly different views on the nearby peaks made it well worth it. As we ate lunch and rested, we noted three people climbing up through the gulch that passed south of the summit.
At this point the snow was quickly disappearing, and we chose to take a slightly different route back to the river than was planned. We dropped into the gulch that the group of three had just exited and followed it down to the gentle meadows below. A small stream was running at the bottom, and a convenient but faint ranch track followed near it. The stream soon lead to a small rocky canyon and we picked up a wildlife trail that led through the brush along the sidewalls. The canyon would widen out to where more pine trees were growing and an old cabin that Joe had once visited lied. The stream would run underground every so often, but at the valley bottom at the North Fork of the Poudre the steam completely disappeared, so look for the entrance to the canyon carefully if you ever want to travel up it.
We climbed around some rock faces that impeded access along the river bank and soon reached the trails of the Eagles Nest Open Space again. On the way back we took a more meandering, hilly trail that left us muddy and worn out back at the trailhead.
Check out Joe's account of the trip at Joe and Frede.
