Tag: cataract gulch

PT 13003

RT Length:  17.1 miles

Elevation Gain: 4750’

I really wish I would have linked up this peak with PT 13164 when I did it in 2019, but then it wasn’t a known ranked 13er.  In any event, today was a long day, so I was getting an early start so I could drive back home for work the next morning.

I parked at the Cataract Gulch Trailhead and was on the trail at 3:30am.  The trailhead has several parking spaces, dispersed campsites, and bathrooms.

The trailhead is clearly marked, and easy to find. 

I followed the class 1 Cataract Gulch Trail south, towards Cataract Gulch. 

There were several downed trees on the trail, but it was easy to navigate.

Just before reaching the waterfall about 2.5 miles up the trail, I crossed the creek on a couple of logs.

This is where many people get lost.  I headed up the slope, and there was a large tree blocking the path.  I went left, navigated willows and some boulders, then regained the trail.

I could now see the waterfall clearly.  A lot of people continue straight here, towards the waterfall, following the social trails.  Instead, look for a trail to the right that goes up and behind the waterfall.

Next, to cross the creek.  I crossed directly above the waterfall.  Probably about 10 feet from where it drops off.   At night I knew where to cross because there are little reflecting circles on the trees across from the water that glow when you shine your flashlight across them.  The water was running high today, and I didn’t want to go over the edge, so I crossed carefully.  The water was up just past my knees. 

I picked up the trail on the other side, and quickly came to a second creek crossing. 

I picked up the trail again on the other side, and ascended through a cairned, rocky area. 

This led me to my final creek crossing of the morning. 

I crossed the creek one more time, and picked up the trail on the other side.  It led me up and around to the left, behind boulders and through a small canyon.

I was now headed south towards Cataract Lake.  There’s a pretty good trail here, but every once in a while it gets overgrown.  The trail slopes slightly downward as it goes across the tundra and through the willows. There are posts to help guide you if you lose the trail. I was headed here:

I passed Cataract Lake to my left, and a small lake to my right.  Here the trail picked up with the Colorado Trail, and I followed it right, west, towards Cuba Gulch.

I stayed on the Colorado Trail (East Fork Middle Pole Trail) for most of the rest of the hike.  Here are some pictures of the trail.

The trail meanders it’s way to a saddle:

I skirted around the north side of 13164, navigating through a could of ice patches. 

Now on the north side of 13164, I could see 13003 to the west. 

I stayed on the Colorado Trail until I hit the saddle of 13164 and 13003, losing about 500’ of elevation, then left the trail and took the tundra covered ridge to the summit.  This is the route I took.

I made my way to the saddle

Then hiked the ridge to the summit

I summited PT 13003 at 8:15am

PT 13003:

This was an out and back hike for me, so I turned around and retraced my steps.  Here’s my route back down the saddle, skirting around the left side of PT 13164, following the Colorado Trail.

I then continued following the trail as it wound back to the Cataract Gulch Trail

Past the lakes and through the upper basin, I kept following the trail, aiming for Sunshine Peak to the north.

I crossed the creek

Then descended through the rocky basin

I crossed the creek twice more, and then followed the trail back down around the waterfall and back to the trailhead.

I made it back to the trailhead at 12pm, making this a 17.1 mile hike with 4750’ of elevation gain in 8.5 hours.  Note:  My Strava glitched about 2 miles into this hike, so I drew in my route for this peak on the topo map.  This was easy because most of the route was on a trail, so it auto populated.  My phone and watch gave me 19.1 miles for the hike, but I got 17.1 miles when I drew the map in CalTopo. 

Also, every time I’ve been to Cataract Gulch I’ve seen moose. Today was no exception.

On to the next trailhead!

Quarter Peak – 13,674

RT Length:  10.3 miles

Elevation Gain: 4227’

The weather has been outstanding, so I decided to get in one last bicentennial for the year.  I woke up at midnight, worked for a bit, and then drove to Cataract Gulch Trailhead.  This trailhead has a bathroom (just an FYI).   I was on the trail at 6am.

The trail starts at the south end of the parking area, first crossing a bridge, and then a few more smaller bridges (which are new and weren’t here the last time I was in the area) to get across Cottonwood Creek.

I came to a trail register, signed it, and was on my way

I followed the class 1 Cataract Gulch Trail 475 as it switchbacked south for 3.25 miles

At the top of the waterfall area I crossed the creek a few times (cross the large rock slab first, and then a log)

And came to a boulder field

At the top of the boulder field I’d hiked for 3.5 miles.  Here I turned right and headed west up the slope.  Here’s an overall view of the route.  There are many ways to do this, the goal is to gain the upper basin.

The terrain began rocky

And then changed to tundra

At the top of the hill the tundra started rolling.  Here you can see Quarter Peak, and the overall route to get there

I headed northwest and rounded the upper basin

And then turned left and headed up the ridge

This part of the ridge started out as nice, rolling tundra

But about halfway up turned to rubbish rock.  I’ll say that again:  rubbish rock.

Getting to and staying on the ridge is the best option for this part of the hike.  The rock is loose, but at least it can’t fall from above

At the top of the ridge I skirted the north side of the mountain for a bit.  There’s a gully here, and you’ll want to go straight up it, but don’t (this is a false summit).  Instead, ascend about 50 feet up the gully, and then continue skirting the north side of the mountain.  This gully is very, very loose, and the terrain changes every time someone ascends/descends. 

I quickly came to the false summit, and could see the short path to the true summit.  This was class 2

I summited Quarter Peak at 9:30am (unfortunately, I’d lost my sunglasses last weekend camping and didn’t realize this until I was leaving my truck this morning, so I was squinting all day)

Quarter Peak: 

This is an out and back trail, so I headed back the way I’d hiked in.  Route finding was much easier this time as I initially stayed low before the gully

When I got to the gully it was just as bad going down as it had been going up.  Very, very loose.

Then on to the rubbish rock, heading east/southeast down the ridge.  This was slow going, as I didn’t want to roll an ankle

The rock changed to tundra and I turned right and followed the basin east back down to Cataract Gulch trail

Here are some highlights from the trail down

I signed out of the trail register (I’d been the only one to sign it in the past week) and was almost back to the trailhead when I heard a loud rusting.  I stopped and turned to my right.  No more than 10 feet away from me was the biggest bull moose I’ve ever seen!  He was just as startled as I’d been and quickly ran to the cover of denser trees.  I gave him plenty of room, and he kept his back to me, so this was the best picture of him I was able to get.  

I didn’t stay there long, as he obviously wasn’t in the mood for company.  I crossed the creek and made it back to the trailhead

I made it back to my truck at 12pm, making this a 10.3 mile hike with 4227’ of elevation gain in 6 hours.