An Epic In a single day inside the Ice Lake Basin

“We’ll must get some helmets if we protect doing points like this,” Christine quipped as we regrouped on an alpine ridgeline at properly over 13,000 ft. The climb to the saddle had been free, scrambly, and uncovered, and we’d wanted to place a substantial safety gap between ourselves on account of free rock and sliding scree that saved threatening to interrupt free and cascade down the mountainside at a second’s uncover. I agreed collectively together with her, nonetheless that didn’t help us lots inside the second: miles and miles from civilization and a few hundred ft underneath the imposing summit of 13,780-foot Golden Horn.

No matter how intimidating the summit ridge appeared, by that point, we had already made it through the stunning crux switch. Whereas I imagined we’d encounter extended scrambling on the summit ridge, most likely probably the most technical and uncovered strikes turned out to lie far underneath the ridge on the tactic to the saddle. After over a mile of inauspicious trail-less scree strolling and climbing, we traversed beneath a vertical cliff band on the mountainside to achieve the one logical slot inside the face. We had been able to piece it collectively with out an extreme quantity of drawback, nonetheless there have been undoubtedly only a few ethereal strikes on rotten rock.

From the saddle, the ascent to the summit was technical and scrambly nonetheless barely simple: up, up, and away! The summit block turned out to be utterly stupendous: barely huge ample for 4 people to sit down down (for individuals who have been all very nice), with otherworldy 360-degree views of the rugged San Juan mountains all through us. Below, we seen the unbelievable hue of the ice-blue Ice Lake, which we had camped near the night time time sooner than. The rocky ridgeline forming the horizon of the basin appeared insanely rugged and imposing from above! And off inside the distance, the limitless ridges of the San Juan Mountains formed the skyline. Whereas FATMAP acknowledged that Telluride was merely over the next ridge, the vertical rock partitions obscured it from view.

I actually like climbing peaks whilst you actually really feel resembling you are actually on prime of a peak on the prime. On some 14ers, like Sherman, you probably can play a recreation of ultimate frisbee on the huge, flat “summits.” Nonetheless the tiny summit block of Golden Horn could also be top-of-the-line peak I’ve sat on… ever.

Fortuitously, we didn’t must share it with anybody else. On the ascent, we seen one totally different couple descending off the mountain via a particular route, and apart from that sole duo, we now have been the one people on Golden Horn. After the madhouse that was the Ice Lake Basin, I was astonished on the solitude we liked on the mountain.

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We arrived on the Ice Lake Basin trailhead merely sooner than 7am on a Saturday morning, completely anticipating the trailhead to be busy. In any case, “Ice Lakes,” as a result of it is sometimes known as, has develop into typically known as top-of-the-line day hike inside the San Juan Mountains. Nonetheless I wasn’t prepared for the utter mayhem we encountered. Sooner than the daylight had even hit the trailhead, the parking lot was full, with cars beginning to line the slim freeway ensuing within the trailhead. We had already pushed earlier over 100 rigs camped alongside the windy gravel freeway heading into the mountains. As we contemplated what to do—we would have liked to park the van in a safe spot for our in a single day backpacking journey—the edges of the roads quickly stuffed up. We reluctantly opted to park alongside the freeway, although luckily, I seen one solitary particular person leaving their spot inside the lot and quickly moved the van to a safer location.

Whereas a great deal of totally different people have been backpacking in or out of Ice Lake Basin, it is not well-known as an in a single day spot. The hike to the lake and once more is unquestionably achievable as a day hike, and even a direct ascent of Golden Horn would solely entire 10.6 miles and 4,000 ft of climbing round-trip—on par with many peak hikes inside the state. However, we now have been preparing for an prolonged backpacking tour inside the coming weeks and decided that we’d have preferred an easy in a single day to shake down some new gear and assure our packages have been dialed. The attractive Ice Lake Basin and a #onepeakaweek summit appeared like the correct combination.

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The trail to the lake was clogged with totally different people, ranging from some climbers who had spent plenty of days inside the basin tagging a number of the 13ers ringing the lakes to a vacationer mountaineering in Crocs with a chihuahua on a leash (she made it up, nonetheless appeared like she was already in ache to start with of the descent). It’s highly effective when everyone has the equivalent thought and needs to go to the equivalent place for the same motive. You’ll not think about that my photos exactly replicate the mind-bending blue hue of Ice Lake and the unbelievable turquoise of Island Lake besides you do the hike your self and see them along with your private eyes.

Nonetheless luckily, we nonetheless managed to go looking out a wonderful campsite and have a very nice night time inside the alpine. Whereas we would have liked to shelter from only a few rainstorms that swept through, the storms have been mellow and luckily bereft of the extreme winds and lightning that normally accompany monsoon local weather. The thunder and lightning would descend upon the basin by mid-day on Sunday, as we now have been already down out of the alpine and on our hike out to the van.

Due to the crowds on the lake, I believed for sure additional people might be climbing the slew of merely accessible 13ers that sort the spectacular skyline of the basin, however we now have been solely one amongst two groups on Golden Horn that day. Whereas I’ve climbed plenty of 13ers via the years, the solitude on the peaks continues to be so stunning and nice. Whereas the 54 (or 58, counting on the best way you rely them) 14ers inside the state are swarmed with climbers day by day of the week, all summer time season prolonged, the shut by 13ers—which might be merely as beautiful, and pretty typically way more troublesome and rewarding—keep completely abandoned.

Part of me worries that writing about 13ers will solely help encourage additional crowds to abandon the 14ers and head to the lower peaks, nonetheless truly, that seems unlikely at this stage. There’s a motive that climbers flock to the tallest, most distinguished, most technical, and most beautiful mountains: chances are you’ll’t climb all of them. Even for individuals who’re one amongst a select few who’ve climbed the entire 14ers and 13ers in Colorado, what about the entire 12-ers? What regarding the totally different states? What about totally different nations, totally different continents?

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You probably can on no account climb all of them, and so, when confronted with this dilemma, most people will merely resolve to climb certainly one of many iconic 14,000-foot summits, leaving the lowly 13,780-foot summits like Golden Horn to those of us who’re fascinated by having a precise journey.

However you choose to analysis it, reaching the very best of a pretty Colorado mountain peak is a euphoric accomplishment! As we sat on the very best of Golden Horn, shit-eating grins on our faces, we couldn’t help nonetheless shock: what peak may be subsequent?!