Mosquito Pass Aug 1st 2009

[RockyMtnHigh]

Was going to do the Triple Bypass this weekend, but after it fell through decided I would take a good friend up on a offer to go do some fishing in Fairplay on some private land which he had permission to use. Invited Rob aka DrUnit and left Friday about 1PM.

When we got there the wind was really kicking up, temperature was about 42 degrees at 3:00PM, I didn't want to fish in that so we went looking for a campsite with a little less exposure to the wind. Coincidentally we were on CR12 which if you follow it up it takes you to the trail head for Mosquito Pass. My buddy was up there 2 weeks before and couldn't complete it as it was closed, so we made plans before fishing Saturday we would take a run to the top as the signs said it was open.

We camped off Mosquito Gulch Road about a quarter mile past the fork where Mosquito Pass began Friday night at about 10,500 ft, rained off and on then about 7PM it quit. We ate, built a fire and BS'd, then about 9PM the rain kicked back up, thunder and lighting sat in and it was a sign to get our butts in the tents. Not more than 15 minutes later after turning in, the rain came in so hard it had put the fire completely out. I think it rained until 2AM.

Woke up at 7AM Saturday to ice on the roof of the rig. Too cold to fish we ate breakfast and rolled up Mosquito Pass.

Took one of the first spur offs from the trail to this:
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2191.jpg

Crossed the creek to get a little closer.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2196.jpg

Got back on the main trail and continued on the way up, lots of mining equipment and shacks along the way.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2199.jpg

[RockyMtnHigh]

Ran into a few critters along the way

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2205.jpg

Made it to the top
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2217.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2216.jpg

The sign says 13,185, but the GPS says 13,200 ft, which I like better! :lol:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2220.jpg

Instead of going down to Leadville we turned around to explore a spur we saw, which lead to the another mining site.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2223.jpg

[RockyMtnHigh]

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2227.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2228.jpg

Rob and I were walking around taking a look at some of the things laying around and I heard a BAAAAA! I looked at Rob and said, "did you hear that, sounded like a goat" Rob looked up and saw them. Now at the time I thought I was only snapping a pic of 2 of them, but if you look closely there's a whole heard.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2230.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2231.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2233.jpg

[Roo]

Looks like great scenery! You know what pisses me off is the people that feel like they need to carve their name in everything they see(like the wagon sign above). When I went to Sequoia National Park people had carved their names in some of those trees:mad:.

[RockyMtnHigh]

I got to say, one of the things I find so amazing with the structures out there is these are some large timbers, the machines are massive, lots of blood, sweat and more than likely some tears were used to get all this up there. A feat I couldn't imagine even with today's equipment.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2234.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2235.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2237.jpg

If you saw this today most people would call it litter, but looking at it you got a real sense on just how long they were up there working this area. What looked like rocks in the distance, turned out to be a dumping ground for old tin cans with some cattle bones mixed in.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj234/RockyMtnHigh_2008/Mosquito%20Pass%20080109/IMG_2236.jpg

We didn't do any fishing, spent most of the day exploring the spur offs on the way back down. Had a good time though! :thunb:

[RockyMtnHigh]

Looks like great scenery! You know what pisses me off is the people that feel like they need to carve their name in everything they see(like the wagon sign above). When I went to Sequoia National Park people had carved their names in some of those trees:mad:.

Yeah there's some real dumbsh!ts out there in the world, no respect! :mad:

[Funrover]

I need to do that trail someday....Also

[Pathrat]

Nice report and great pictures for us to get a good idea of what is up there. I like the goat shots as you can appreciate their coloring and the color of their environment- I didn't see them at first.

[Rob]

And a few scenery photos. The views up there are spectacular.

4425

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[4Runninfun]

I need to do that trail someday....Also

wanna do it tues after next?

[Funrover]

Hmmmm... Tempting.. I know Tues are generly ride days.. but I will see

[Brody]

Great pictures and report!

I am not a big fan of people carving their names into trees and FS signs, either. I figure that it is just another way of them saying that their IQ is too low to register on any kind of test and they had, in fact, jumped into the gene pool when it was at very low tide....

[Wrustywrangler]

I have not done that trail in 3 years I bet and I only did it one time. Great pics it makes me want to hit the trail soon!

[RockyMtnHigh]

I have not done that trail in 3 years I bet and I only did it one time. Great pics it makes me want to hit the trail soon!

I would like to get up there again soon before it starts snowing (which judging by weather up there this weekend probably won't be long) I did a little searching on the net for the London Mine when I got home, pretty interesting stuff, back in the day that trail was dubbed the "Frozen Highway of Death." There was a bunch of spurs we didn't have time to take that led up to several different mining areas, that I would like to go explore.

[Fortress of Tranquility]

I had WAY more fun painting my bathroom and office :lol: I guess you're not going to be too impressed when I get you up to 12,800 in Montezuma Basin now, are ya :rolleyes: Kudos for getting up there. Me and Bud are having a conversation today, after which I'm going somewhere...

[Pathrat]

....., back in the day that trail was dubbed the "Frozen Highway of Death." .

I for one am glad the name of this 'road' was changed...not the name of a trail I want to be on.

[Chris]

I for one am glad the name of this 'road' was changed...not the name of a trail I want to be on.

:lol: Yeah, I don't think I'd be interested in running something called "Frozen Highway of Death."

[Funrover]

:lol: Yeah, I don't think I'd be interested in running something called "Frozen Highway of Death."

Brings it home for me haha :lol:

[Brody]

I for one am glad the name of this 'road' was changed...not the name of a trail I want to be on.

Me, I kinda like names like that. Kinda like some some climbing route names that come to mind : "No Mistake or Big Pancake", " Edging Skills or Hospital Bills", "From Bad Traverse", " Crack of Doom", "Testes Freeze"," Crack of Death", " Cie La Morte", "Anxiety Neurosis", etc. You end up with no illusions about what you are getting into before you even start the route...and, if you can't figure out that the route isn't a giveaway from the name, well, hell, you simply deserve what you get...much like anything named "Carnage"....or "Axle Breaker"...or "Steel Bender"...