How to get there:
The start of this hike is a few hundred meters in on
road 850 which goes to the right about 8 miles south
of Breckenridge. The area is quite obvious given the
fact that one sees Quandray from the road a few miles
earlier. Route description:
We skied up to the top of the ridge, in the beginning
following some snowed in logging road, then a section
of small clearings between the trees. The route then
follows the highest ridgeline. It may look as if that
will get you over a hump and subsequently loose some
elevation, however this is not the case, the ridge has
a level section, but no place does it loose height.
This route is clearly simple in good summer conditions. In
winter the effort needed will depend more on the snow cover
and the actual weather. Comments:
This hike was our first on cross country skis in Colorado.
The snow was generally deep and loose before gaining the ridge,
thereafter it was a mix of crust and soft snow, not too easy.
Higher on the ridge the wind had exposed enough rocks to make
us leave the skis and complete the hike on foot. A very clear, crisp,
cold day, strong wind at times during the ascent. Jacko Koster and
Pål Jørgen made this a party of 3 climb. We started at
0800, reached the summit at noon and were back at the jeep shortly
before 1400.
We were the only persons on the mountain, perhaps not surprising on
a Monday in late November.
Resources:
Images
Quandary Peak, as seen from near Hoosier Pass, April 3. 2007.
