Lenawee Mountain (13,204) & UN 12585   by Brian Schultz   Thursday August 23, 2012

Lenawee Mountain:

Roundtrip mileage: 7 miles from Chihuahua Gulch trailhead

Elevation gain: ~2800'

Start to finish: 5 hours 20 minutes

I drove the Montezuma road from Keystone to the Peru Creek road, and continued on the Peru Creek road 2.15 miles to the Chihuahua Gulch road. I parked in a pullout at the junction and started under overcast skies at 7:50 AM. The 4x4 road was in great condition and if I had a high clearance vehicle I could easily have driven all the way to the Chihuahua trail. I reached the signed trail at 8:45 and followed it to the closest of Lenawee's three ridges. Clouds shrouded the summit as I exited the trail and bushwhacked through willows to the southeast ridge. It's a steep climb to the top of the ridge and the left side of the ridge crest is exposed, but it's fun class 3 scrambling until the ridge mellows out below the summit. From there it's a simple walk up on grass and rock to the top.

I topped out on the surprisingly flat summit at 10:15, clouds obscuring most of the views, and gave a brief thought of continuing on to South Lenawee. I didn't trust the weather though and ended up staying on Lenawee and just watching the swirling clouds.

I departed at 10:40. On the descent I contoured slightly below the ridge, which was still very steep but easier than my ascent route, and was back on the trail at 11:40. Five minutes later it began raining and I hiked back to the car nonstop. I reached it at 12:30 and drove up to the town of Montezuma to check out the roads for some possible future climbs before driving to Frisco for lunch.

UN 12585:

Roundtrip mileage: 1.45 miles from Loveland Pass

Elevation gain: ~600'

Start to finish: 38 minutes

The weather was sunny when I departed Frisco but not for long. The clouds got darker and darker as I drove up to Loveland Pass and I debated whether I should even give the peak a try. But it's a short climb and after parking at the pass I hurriedly hit the trail at 3:00 PM. I pushed ahead of two others who'd started right behind me, and reached the summit at 3:22, staying only long enough to put on rain gear as it started hailing.

The hail turned to rain and I was careful to avoid slipping on the wet rock and grass, but the threat of potential lightning had me moving at a pretty good clip. The rain turned into a downpour moments before I reached the end of the trail and when I reached my car at 3:38, it started snowing. Glad this one was as short as it was.

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