Hoosier Pass Loop Trail(2009.06.13)
Hoosier Pass Loop Trail登山口位在Breckenridge南邊約9哩處的Hoosier Pass 最高點,這裡也是攀登North Star Mountain(海拔13,614 ft / 4,150 m)的登山口,其實Hoosier Pass Loop Trail就是攀登North Star Mountain的前半段。真正的Hoosier Pass Loop全程約3哩,爬升高度約700呎,全程步道寬敞、展望良好,但一路都是曝露在陽光底下,毫無遮蔭,宜做好防曬準備。
登山人員:george & Bianca、Thomas(Amy身懷六甲,在度假屋休息),偉強、Anne、Stacey、我們家人(6)一行共12人。
我們於上午9點左右抵達登山口,晴空萬里,是個登山的好日子。(太座不認為)
09:15 登山口(海拔11,539呎/3,517公尺)出發。此趟行程有將近一半步道是走在寬敞的舊時採礦大道上。
Hoosier Pass Loop Trail
Chipmunk
09:20 右岔土泥路,取直行。回首東望Hoosier Ridge積雪已融。
A view up the main trail
09:22 兩座14ers--Mount Lincoln和Mount Bross出現在路盡頭遠方,登上那兩座山頂已是兩年前的事了。
09:26 到達路轉彎處,往下可看清楚整條Platte Gulch,Gulch盡頭是Traver Peak、McNamee Peak和Clinton Peak,Gulch右側則是North Star Mountain。Montgomery Reservoir則橫躺在Mount Lincoln的山腳下。
Mountain view(Lincoln,Traver,McNamee,Clinton,North Star)
Mt. Bross (on left) and Lincoln (on right).
Thomas
Stacey
Anne
George & Bianca
偉強
母女檔
Background is 14ers Mount Lincoln
Ruth's family
Taken a group picture along the trail
Hoosier Pass Loop Trail
Lincoln & Bross from Hoosier Pass
09:45 遇一寬約50公尺的雪坡,有點坡度、小心通過。
The trail was covered with snow
Ruth's family on the trail
Mount Silverheels(13,822 ft.)
Jacob on the trail
10:12 抵達鞍部,海拔約12,100呎/3,688公尺,右側是#208步道,可上12,214呎/3,723公尺高地後沿稜線下山,完成一O形縱走。在此小休後續取左,循採礦道路上行,一來探訪古礦坑Magnolia Mine,二來看看North Star Mountain登山步道積雪狀況,大夥兒決定能走多少算多少。
Background is Quandary peak(L),and Front Range in the distance
Mountain view
View to NW,14ers Grays & Torreys are in the distance
Jacob is just about to passes through the snowy area
10:25 抵達礦區鐵門,此地海拔約12,225呎/3,726公尺,由鐵門邊進入,續沿採礦道路上登。
Approaching the gate and the “no trespassing”area
10:28 又遇到一片寬約100公尺的大雪原坡,攙扶著貝貝小心通過。
Jacob et al. making their way up this gentle portion of the route
哇!很難走耶!
On the hillside snow has not melted
Tim and Matthew has been passing through the snowfield
Snowfield and mountains that in the distance
10:42 抵達Magnolia Mine廢棄礦坑,在此更接近Platte Gulch,積雪的山頭就在眼前。
Mining Ruins
Matthew & Jacob at the mining ruins
Hoosier Pass Loop Trail
Mountain views from Mining Ruins
在此稍作停留後往回走,要上North Star Mountain必須回到鐵門處往上切。
Snowfield and mountains that in the distance
11:09 回到礦區鐵門,往左朝North Star Mountain的假山頭上切。
Jacob making his way up this gentle portion of the route
At the slope, looking back (trail 208)
11:18 抵達半山腰一處平坦處,海拔約12,600呎/3,840公尺,往上一看,白雪覆蓋整個山頭,加上風大,小貝貝有點受不了,大夥兒決定撤退。
False summit of North Star Mountain
Elev.12600 ft.
Mount Lincoln stood behind snowfield
Tundra