Ophir Mountain (10,201), Gold Hill (10,326), & UN 10062 by Brian Schultz Sunday July 24, 2022

Ophir Mountain and Gold Hill:
Roundtrip mileage: 5.8 miles from Road 219
Elevation gain: 1,510'
Start to finish: 3 hours 50 minutes

I picked these short mileage peaks today because the weather forecast indicated a high probability of showers/storms. I drove to Frisco and headed south on Hwy 9, turned right on Peak One Blvd, and then a quick right on a road leading to Miner's Creek Road. This road is also marked as FR 219 on the Forest Service map. I drove this road to a parking area slightly past the trailhead. I'd be using Kirk Mallory's route for these peaks and began at 8:15 AM by walking down the road a short distance to the trailhead.

I started on the Peaks Trail and shortly turned left on a trail marked 9047. I followed this trail until departing it for a bushwhack going east and then north to Ophir's summit. This was an easy bushwhack and upon reaching Ophir's open slopes, it was a straighforward hike to the summit. I arrived at 9:05, signed the register, and stayed for fifteen minutes enjoying the terrific views of the surrounding peaks as well as the town of Frisco (photo 1, photo 2, photo 3).

The route from Ophir to Gold Hill leads to a trail in the woods below and then up the open slopes of a clear cutted area. The trail reaches a junction with Trail 79 and taking a left turn on Trail 79 brings you nearly to the top of Gold Hill. It's only a few steps from the trail to reach a couple candidates for the high point. My time from Ophir to Gold Hill took one hour. Several hikers walked by as I sat for a 25 minute break, including a couple backpacking. When I caught up to them later, she was returning to Gold Hill and likely past it, trying to find her dropped or misplaced cellphone.

There are a number of trails in the area and on the return I missed the one I wanted. A bushwhack easily brought me back to Trail 9047 and to the trailhead at 12:00, just as it started raining. Five minutes later I was in my truck as the rain intensified. Time for a break in Frisco again to see if the weather would improve to climb another peak.

UN 10062:

Roundtrip mileage: 2.15 miles from Officers Gulch exit off I-70.
Elevation gain: ~800'
Start to finish: 2 hours

The rain stopped so I drove the short distance from Frisco to the Officers Gulch exit. From the exit, a road can be driven back east to a another road, which is private and gated with with no trespassing signs. I parked there and began at 2:30 PM hiking parallel to the fence until the private property was no longer fenced. I found a large log to cross the stream and began a bearing to the summit. This was unpleasant bushwhacking with lots of ups and downs to reach the summit ridge. I was discouraged when I stepped on what I thought was the summit but it was a false summit. I finally reached the true summit but with the skies threatening I didn't stay long. I didn't make it back to the truck before a steady rain fell and was soaked when I got back at 4:30.