Mt Mamma (13,646) by Brian Schultz Sunday September 26, 2010
Roundtrip mileage: 13+ miles from Baldwin Creek trailhead
Elevation gain: 4300'
l booked a last minute flight to Denver when the forecast called for a full week of stable, warm weather. It was a great opportunity to get a few peaks in after having to cancel an August trip because of medical issues, with the added bonus of getting to see the season's fall colors on display.
I drove from Frisco to the Baldwin Gulch trailhead this morning and and began at 8:40 AM from the road (the two wheel drive trailhead). No coat was needed on this already warm day and clear blue skies made for pretty pictures of the aspens as I headed up the 4x4 road. I stepped aside as several four wheel drive vehicles and ATV's passed by and a steady pace delivered me to the Baldwin Creek junction at 9:50. I took a twenty minute break at the junction for a bite to eat and visited with some ATV occupants heading to fourteener Mt Antero and a fellow going in my direction to do some fishing at Baldwin Lake. As I continued up the road, I walked right past the side road to Baldwin Lake, traveling about 300 yards before realizing it and turning around. This is easy to miss if not paying attention.
The side road eventually leads to another junction where a left turn goes to Baldwin Lake. I continued on the main road and made one shortcut before rejoining it again higher. At 12:25, I reached the end of the road at a mine at 12,600' and began a bushwhack up talus and grass to the Mamma saddle. It was an easy ridgewalk over one false summit and I arrived on top at 1:45. My first summit of the trip felt good and I stayed nearly a half hour enjoying the views with hardly a cloud in the sky before departing at 2:10.
From the summit I angled the slopes back to the mine instead of descending the ridge. I reached the mine at 2:55, the Baldwin Creek junction at 4:35, and my car at 5:25. This was an easy day with unbelievably beautiful weather.
Trailhead to summit- 5 hours 5 minutes
Summit to trailhead- 3 hours 15 minutes
Start to finish- 8 hours 45 minutes