Rainy Overnighter in the Rustic Quad 7/28-7/29 2012

Wanting a more secluded campsite rather than the dispersed spots along Manhattan Road, me and a friend drove through a maze of marked, unmarked and uncharted high clearance roads into the woods before settling for a spot on the back end of Forest Service Road 171H. It had been raining much of the two hour drive from Loveland, and we immediately switched into rain-mode before setting up camp. Dinner included a delicious meal of elk tacos and boiled hot dogs(fire restrictions still in effect) before taking a night walk and watching the night sky where I saw 11 shooting stars. Waking up at 7:45 we had improvised pan grilled potatoes and fruit, broke camp and headed on our way. Overall, I was very happy with the ease of camping in the area and the absence of people for the most part.

Prohibition Mountain

Prohibition Mountain sits at the top of the dispersed Manhattan ghost town, we parked the car a half mile in on FS 171A near the old prospects. We checked out the old cabin that was still in good shape and peered into a gated mine shaft nearby, an unusual sight in this part of Colorado. Climbing up we passed by a mound of mine tailings and an old jeep road before heading up. The network of roads to the west of Prohibition where we camped was once an area used by loggers, and as we headed up the slope we walked through old stumps. At one point we noticed a weathered wooden sign that we could barely make out to say 'NO LUCK'. What a nice omen that is. Eventually we came to the summit rocks(the northernmost point is the summit) and had a break before heading down.

Pingree Hill

This was the boring summit, given that half of the route was a dusty jeep trail(Kelly Flats Road) while the other half was a meadow walk aimlessly searching for the highpoint on a plateau. Once you cross the very intimidating(not really) Keep Out signs placed by 7/P ranch, the summit is near. Your best bet is just to hit all of the small outcrops, we saw no cairn or register. Lots of mushrooms and cacti.

UN 8079

This one was definitely the days easiest peak, as it only took 30 minutes round trip including a leisurely rest on top. Parking at Elkhorn Creek TH and crossing over the road, you will encounter a fence a ways into the trees. The property has a house on it, but was never in sight on our excursion. Climb the 300 feet of EVG and top out on the summit(Class 3, but could be avoided for Class 2) and enjoyed the nice views of the meadows below. This climb is absolutely worth the effort, even if its a soft ranked peak.

UN 7940

While this was a first LOJ ascent, it has surely been climbed by the Boy Scouts at the camp nearby. A pretty cool summit with nice views, be mindful of where you park.