Grayback Mountain (12,616) & Bonito Mountain (12,181) by Brian Schultz Tuesday June 17, 2013

With a heavy snowpack still covering much of Colorado's peaks from the past winter and spring, I decided to climb in the southern part of the state. I'd kept in regular contact with the ranger districts to see how the snow conditions were before leaving Minnesota and I also talked to locals in the high mountain town of Platoro. Assured the roads were clear for my intended peaks, I headed out and per my usual routine, I departed Minnesota and overnighted in North Platte, Nebraska. I took a long lunch break in Denver before driving to Del Norte and from there I drove the same roads Tim Briese and I took last year for our approach to Summit Peak (County Road 14, Forest Road 14, Forest Road 330, and Forest Road 380).

Grayback Mountain:

Roundtrip mileage: 80 feet

Elevation gain: 0'

Start to finish: 10 minutes

The peak is reached by driving side road Forest Road 330 3A all the way to the top. I walked about forty feet to claim the peak at 6:40 PM. There is a huge cairn marking the summit and a tower stands nearby with excellent cell coverage.

Bonito Mountain:

The Bonito Mountain trailhead is near the bottom of the Grayback Mountain Road and is marked with a sign (trail #700). I parked at the sign and started on the excellent trail at 7:15 PM, not worried about the weather as it was fine and the roundtrip mileage would be short. I left the trail as it curved away from the summit and made the easy bushwhack to the summit, arriving at 7:48. I departed after five minutes and arrived back at the truck at 8:22, taking in a beautiful sunset before driving to the Elwood Pass road. I set up camp just south of the Elwood Pass turnoff at a great camp site before it got dark.

Roundtrip mileage: 3 miles

Elevation gain: ~500'

Start to finish: 1 hour 7 minutes

-Back-