UNs 9986 and 9634(S) 12/8
2250' EVG, 5.5mi
Joe Grim suggested these two unnamed peaks as a snowshoeing trip, and all together 7 people made the trip up to the two snowy points in the upper Poudre Canyon. We started at the closed Laramie River/Glendevey road and quickly cut up the forested hillside to a nice overlook of two of the larger reservoirs just up the road. A cold snap of single degree highs and frequent negative temperatures was still in full effect with readings less than ten degrees every time Joe checked. Passing around a small frozen pond we climbed past a subsummit of 9986 before climbing the last 400 feet to the top. The summit was a large boulder and there were tree-obscured views in most directions, but the best view was north towards our next destination; soft ranked peak 9634.
Dropping off the summit area, we encountered steep terrain with deep snow. Most of the day snow ranged from a 2-2.5 foot base with some larger drifts, and with big snowshoes I was worn out most of the day! Following a knobby ridgeline over a subsummit, we reached the small summit and brushed off the cairn. Views were pretty limited through the trees, but there were some to the east across the Cache La Poudre river gorge beneath us. From there we took a pretty direct line back to Hwy 14, dropping through some steep, drifted aspen stands. Descending this way without poles was a difficult combination of skiing on snowshoes for small distances before catching a tree trunk, carefully avoiding tumbling the rest of the way down to the road. I learned my lesson though, poles are necessary when going somewhere no gradual trail dares to go. Back at the road, it was a frosty 1.5 mile walk back to the starting point as cars wondering why there were 7 snowshoers sprawled along the road passed by.
Additional pictures at joeandfrede.com
Joe Grim suggested these two unnamed peaks as a snowshoeing trip, and all together 7 people made the trip up to the two snowy points in the upper Poudre Canyon. We started at the closed Laramie River/Glendevey road and quickly cut up the forested hillside to a nice overlook of two of the larger reservoirs just up the road. A cold snap of single degree highs and frequent negative temperatures was still in full effect with readings less than ten degrees every time Joe checked. Passing around a small frozen pond we climbed past a subsummit of 9986 before climbing the last 400 feet to the top. The summit was a large boulder and there were tree-obscured views in most directions, but the best view was north towards our next destination; soft ranked peak 9634.
Dropping off the summit area, we encountered steep terrain with deep snow. Most of the day snow ranged from a 2-2.5 foot base with some larger drifts, and with big snowshoes I was worn out most of the day! Following a knobby ridgeline over a subsummit, we reached the small summit and brushed off the cairn. Views were pretty limited through the trees, but there were some to the east across the Cache La Poudre river gorge beneath us. From there we took a pretty direct line back to Hwy 14, dropping through some steep, drifted aspen stands. Descending this way without poles was a difficult combination of skiing on snowshoes for small distances before catching a tree trunk, carefully avoiding tumbling the rest of the way down to the road. I learned my lesson though, poles are necessary when going somewhere no gradual trail dares to go. Back at the road, it was a frosty 1.5 mile walk back to the starting point as cars wondering why there were 7 snowshoers sprawled along the road passed by.
Additional pictures at joeandfrede.com
