"Mountain Boy Peak" (13,198) & UN 11195 by Brian Schultz Monday August 31, 2020

"Mountain Boy Peak":
Roundtrip mileage: 6.1 miles
Elevation gain: ~1,700'
Start to finish: 4 hours 20 minutes
Participants: Tim Briese, Brian Schultz

The weather was looking great as we drove up to Independence Pass. We started on the paved trail at 7:25 AM from the parking lot and within minutes passed by a couple in wedding attire and their photographer. They picked a nice setting for photos!

We turned off the paved trail onto a dirt trail and followed it until picking an exit point. With no interest in adding Igloo Peak to our climb, our plan was to drop into Mountain Boy Park and traverse below the ridge before regaining it past Igloo Peak. Easy enough, we just had to find a way through the cliffs and finally found one, a steep but easy descent into the tundra below.

The terrain was gentle and loaded with big sized boulders as we neared two gullies leading back up to the ridge. A trip report suggested going up the gully closest to Mountain Boy so we hiked past the first one and began ascending the steep and loose scree of the second gully. There was snow near the saddle but it presented no issue.

Once on the ridge (photo 1, photo 2), it was easy terrain to the summit and we arrived at 9:45. Terrific weather allowed for a half hour break to enjoy the views of the surrounding peaks (photo 1, photo 2) and to just kick back and relax.

We departed at 10:15 and retraced our same route back. In the grassy tundra we found a golf ball that perhaps was driven from the ridge above, who knows? We saw more people on the trail when we reached it and lots more on the paved path. Independence Pass is a popular stop for tourists and today was no exception as Tim and I parted company. I stayed for a while trying to figure out what else to climb since the day was still young.

UN 11195:
Roundtrip mileage: 3.0 miles
Elevation gain: 1,175'
Start to finish: 1 hour 45 minutes

After lunch in Frisco, I drove to Breckenridge and onto Tiger Road from Hwy 9. Continuing past Muggins Gulch, I turned left on FR road 354 (Trails Illustrated map), also marked as FR road 221, and drove to FR road 289 on the right and parked. This road is gated and it's the trailhead.

I began hiking up the road at 3:35 PM, a rather late start, but the weather was still sunny. I followed the road until it turned sharply to the right and began what I thought would be a total bushwhack straight ahead. But a good path continued for a while and then it was a hit and miss path to the saddle above.

Then it was a bushwhack through the trees for a short distance to the summit and I stepped on top at 4:30. The winds on the summit were strong. The trees were creaking and swaying to the point I thought they might snap so I only stayed a couple minutes.

When I left the summit, I veered too close to the steep, upper part of the drainage and had to negotiate a way down but found one easily enough. The rest of the way back went without issue and I pulled into my parking spot at 5:20.