FINOCJ
October 23rd, 2016, 05:09 PM
No they didn't build a road up Mt Quandary - but Louis (78BJ40) and his friend Mike (was a ride along in the BJ at the Anniversary Run this March) joined my wife and I for a hike up Mt Quandary last weekend. We camped up near Blue Lakes a mile or so from the trailhead on the side of the lower lake on the dam/road. Overall, for mid-Oct weather, it was pretty sweet. Not too cold, nice sunshine, but after nice campfire the wind picked up and kept blowing through the next day's hike. We started up the trail just after 8am, summit-ed around 11:15, spent 30 mins on top and then came back down. Overall vertical climbing is around 3400-3500 feet - although Louis' gps indicated a bit more. Here are few pics:
at camp the morning of the hike looking west towards a setting full moon with morning light just breaking. Campfire to help warm the morning up.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8273_zpsi7de6qzh.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8273_zpsi7de6qzh.jpg.html)
myself in the earlier stages of the hike after getting above treeline.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8278_zpsl8zoj0bc.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8278_zpsl8zoj0bc.jpg.html)
About 2/3 of the way up - Louis and Mike. Hoosier Pass and Mt Silverheels in the background.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8277_zpsmggijfrr.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8277_zpsmggijfrr.jpg.html)
Very near the top - Louis
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8280_zpsuwpn0ilq.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8280_zpsuwpn0ilq.jpg.html)
Louis and Mike approaching the last 30 yard on the flat summit
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8286_zpsjguggsy6.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8286_zpsjguggsy6.jpg.html)
Mike Louis and myself at the top. The blue sky and sun belie the 50mph winds. I am on the left - and over my head is the town of Breckenridge and above and behind that you can make out the double pointy peaks of 14ers Grays (on the right) and Torreys (on the left), and just in front and to the left of them are the backside runs of Keystone. Mt Baldy is just to the left of Louis in the green. Pretty sure in the far off haze behind Baldy are 14ers Bierstadt (pointy on left) and the broad massive of Evans.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8289_zpsrfapnpqq.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8289_zpsrfapnpqq.jpg.html)
We saw quite a few mountain goats out on the sides of the mountain, but on the way down we came right up on them in the trail.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8293_zpso7armkdw.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8293_zpso7armkdw.jpg.html)
Jen and I didn't get too many pics - she was hiking this one week after her shoulder separation but I do have a few more if you want me to email them to you Louis, or I can post them up here. let me know...
at camp the morning of the hike looking west towards a setting full moon with morning light just breaking. Campfire to help warm the morning up.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8273_zpsi7de6qzh.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8273_zpsi7de6qzh.jpg.html)
myself in the earlier stages of the hike after getting above treeline.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8278_zpsl8zoj0bc.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8278_zpsl8zoj0bc.jpg.html)
About 2/3 of the way up - Louis and Mike. Hoosier Pass and Mt Silverheels in the background.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8277_zpsmggijfrr.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8277_zpsmggijfrr.jpg.html)
Very near the top - Louis
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8280_zpsuwpn0ilq.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8280_zpsuwpn0ilq.jpg.html)
Louis and Mike approaching the last 30 yard on the flat summit
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8286_zpsjguggsy6.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8286_zpsjguggsy6.jpg.html)
Mike Louis and myself at the top. The blue sky and sun belie the 50mph winds. I am on the left - and over my head is the town of Breckenridge and above and behind that you can make out the double pointy peaks of 14ers Grays (on the right) and Torreys (on the left), and just in front and to the left of them are the backside runs of Keystone. Mt Baldy is just to the left of Louis in the green. Pretty sure in the far off haze behind Baldy are 14ers Bierstadt (pointy on left) and the broad massive of Evans.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8289_zpsrfapnpqq.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8289_zpsrfapnpqq.jpg.html)
We saw quite a few mountain goats out on the sides of the mountain, but on the way down we came right up on them in the trail.
http://i1375.photobucket.com/albums/ag456/jco6560/DSCN8293_zpso7armkdw.jpg (http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/jco6560/media/DSCN8293_zpso7armkdw.jpg.html)
Jen and I didn't get too many pics - she was hiking this one week after her shoulder separation but I do have a few more if you want me to email them to you Louis, or I can post them up here. let me know...