McCullough Gulch(2009.06.14)
我於05:40由租屋處出發,06:20左右到登山口(Elev. 11,105 ft.)。
Quandary Peak as seen from Breckenridge 7 miles south on CO- 9
McCullough Gulch Road
McCullough Gulch Gate
06:40 登山口出發,沿著寬敞的舊時採礦道路緩上;路左是14ers--Quandary peak山稜,山坡上積雪還蠻多的,一輪明月仍高掛山頭(今天是農曆22日)。
McCullough Gulch Trailhead
06:45 一木板橋橫跨McCullough Creek而過,過橋後沿著McCullough Creek右岸上行。
Lower Bridge
Roaring creek lies down in McCullough Gulch
Roaring creek lies down in McCullough Gulch
Lower Road(Old mining road)
06:52 路左是一處採礦遺址,保留完整礦場物品,類似一處礦場博物館。參觀後續由遺址右側道路上行。
Mining ruins
Lower Road(Old mining road)
Red Mt. & Hoosier Ridge as seen from McCullough Gulch
Upper Blue Valley
07:00 左側岔路是為登山步道,右側道路續行則進入私人產業,此地距登山口約0.67哩。
Junction
取左沿狹小步道進入松林,進入不久即遇到好多倒木,幸好已加鋸斷,不妨礙前進;這些倒木部分是強風吹倒,部分是積雪壓垮。
07:07 遇一水塘,美其名為Sapphire lake。
Sapphire lake
此後步道即在樹林、碎石坡、大岩石間交錯上升,不時要穿越積雪處,偶而要費時尋找路跡,因為積雪太厚,掩蓋原有路徑。此時步道已遠離McCullough Creek,但仍不時聽到遠處轟隆隆的流水聲,此時正是融雪期,雪水正豐沛。步道兩旁野花已穿透寒雪,陸續開放。
Upper Blue Valley
Prairie Smoke
Prairie Smoke
Pasqueflower
Pasqueflower
Alpine avens
Alpine avens
Globeflower
Globeflower
White Marsh Marigold
White Marsh Marigold
07:23 穿越森林線,McCullough Gulch積雪的頂部稜線在望。回首來時路已淹沒在青翠的松林中,遠眺Hoosier Ridge則橫躺在遙遠的東方。
Quandary ridge
Quandary ridge with snowfield
Quandary Peak
Upper McCullough Gulch
Near the Top
07:34 眼前一大片雪原坡,寬約40~50公尺,小心往上爬。
Snowfield
07:37 登上McCullough Gulch頂部(Elev. 11,920 ft.),出現在眼前的是湖面仍凍住的Glacier lake,以及環繞在其三邊的藹藹積雪山峰。
Mountain view as seen from the top
Glacier lake at the top
Glacier lake
Glacier lake
Glacier lake
Glacier lake
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