We could have driven up the road to park at the towers or wherever but we opted for the parking lot at the beginning and trekked up. As soon as we got to the trail where it splits off the road we see a guy puking his guts out. He looked a little unprepared as he had no backpack and one Nalgene bottle that was damn near empty. He was with another guy who looked slightly more prepared but he didn't have any extra water so I hooked them up with about a liter so they could get back to their car and be alright.
The rest of the hike was uneventful, probably 40-50 people total that we saw, most of them heading down as we were heading up. Got the summit to ourselves for about 10 minutes before we started back down. Had to do the entire way back down the road as only one vehicle passed us and they had no room so we couldn't hitch a ride.
cmcalhoun - Jun 21, 2023 5:05 pm Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2021
Princeton
Fun!
JThorne - Feb 27, 2023 8:59 pm Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2003
Mt Princeton
East Slopes
Kiefer - Jan 13, 2023 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Jan 13, 2023
Via Tigger
Beautiful weather day. Light winds. Cold. Over Tigger.
I enjoyed a fun Jeep drive up to the radio towers, then started from there. I parked up on the hill right next to the radio towers. The easy grab spaces were taken. I drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, trail-rated model.
Per my Garmin Instinct watch it was 3.83 miles from there to the summit. Look for the hiking trail at 1.63 miles up the road. No trail sign, just a large cairn. From there, I measured 2.2 miles to the summit. The climbing is steep, but not too difficult. There are a lot of boulders to cross.
There were a few people who had some trouble on the steep portion of trail on the final summit push. The trail paths had some loose gravel and were straight up. People sliding down trashed the trail there. Stay along the fringes keeping feet on embedded rocks and find solid rock for handholds.
The sky was clear blue most of the day except for a few passing dark clouds. Based on people I talked with in passing, I think eight people summited that Friday.
It was brutal in places, but for some reason I was happy to make it to the top. - TJ aka ColoMountaineer.
https://www.strava.com/activities/7443350463
40! Hard to Believe. 14,204ft Mt. Princeton Descent Record!?
So surreal. Got to spend a couple hours up high to celebrate, even if it was a bit rough. Still awesome to get out, live in the moment, and get an adrenaline rush on that crazy descent. A bit sick with a nasty runny nose and throat draining. Tried to come down fairly quick, but wasn’t really feeling it. Bottoms of my feet still haven’t really recovered from the thrashing on the Mauna Loa Volcano and they were painful & like hamburger on the way down. Surprised to see that’s the fastest anyone has gone down from the summit to the Towers Trailhead, which is where the vast majority of people do this hike from.
Saw a Moose at Kenosha Pass on the way there.
Got stopped on the way up by a girl who remembered me from hearing me speak/clinic in CoSprings several years ago...always fun. Saw not a soul on the summit.
Niederbayer - May 2, 2022 2:55 pm Date Climbed: May 1, 2022
looong hike
hike was partially very icy - cursed myself for leaving the crampons at home - but otherwise a beautiful sunny day without almost any wind.Saw only two other hikers in 2 days
natethor - Sep 2, 2021 9:10 am Date Climbed: Oct 1, 2018
Std Route
A few sections of loose scree near the summit, otherwise enjoyable.
BKiser90 - Aug 16, 2020 5:16 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2020
A Smoky Slog from the Lower TH
Started hiking at 5:15 am from the lower TH. I didn't want to hurt the Outback so we decided to walk it. As many reports say, the trail is no joke once the road ends. A class 2 rock hop for over 2 miles and over 2000' elevation gain to the summit. The hardest stretch is just below the summit where the pebbles are gravelly and loose. The views of the Sawatch and nearby ranges were inhibited by smoke from the Pine Gulch and Grizzly Creek fires.We could see as far as Huron, Missouri, Belford, and Oxford to the north and barely to the northern tip of the Sangres to the south. Luckily the smoke receded as the day went on. We made it back to the TH around 12:30 pm.
After a nice morning summit of Antero, and seeing a pattern of thunderstorms throughout the day, we decided to make a push for Princeton as a night cap. We started at the trailhead at 8900', at 4:30pm, just as a thunderstorm was finishing. We made it up to the 12,500' mark just as another storm was building, and we found a rock shelter, and hid out for about 20 minutes to allow the storm to pass. Then we made a push for the summit, with the most incredible post-storm scene I've ever scene; including the brightest rainbow I've ever seen, backed by thick black clouds hovering over the Arkasas River Valley, and rays of sunlight peeking just over the summit ridge. It was STUNNING. We reached the summit about 5 minutes before the sun dipped behind the western horizon, and a fire to the west produced an orange haze, that filtered the sunlight, and gave the summit, and surrounding mountains a golden glow. It was the most beautiful summit scenes I've ever seen. We then hurried off the summit ridge, with the tundra layer, just above treeline as our goal before we lost all daylight. We made it just in time, and then enjoyed a nice run down the dirt road to the car. One of my favorite hikes of the trip.
McCannster - Jun 15, 2020 9:02 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2020
with Jessy and Jesi
Mellow pace from the radio towers. Cool mountain, quite busy, typically sloggy, but fun outing. CO 14 #23
Not my favorite 14er. It wasn't a bad hike, just kind of boring.
birdhead - Sep 24, 2018 11:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 23, 2018
Standard Trail
One night trip from ABQ. The drive up to the radio towers is on a very narrow road. Luckily we didn't encounter much traffic coming the other way, just one car on the way down. The hike is okay, but nothing spectacular. The views from the summit are quite good because the mountain stands alone and unobstructed.
brichardsson - Aug 29, 2018 4:27 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2018
almost turned around
clouds were rolling in something fierce, but i made the summit just long enough to shoot a couple photos and then scamper down. no thunder or i would have turned back.
yadahzoemtn - Mar 18, 2017 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2016
Rough Road to TH
07/06/16: W/ Brent and Michael
skorpeo - Dec 13, 2016 11:32 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2016
xDoogiex - Aug 19, 2023 4:24 pm Date Climbed: Aug 19, 2023
#32First 14er in 3yrs. It was a nice day. Summited in 2:50
LazyJSkwires - Jul 16, 2023 2:59 pm Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2023
The harder wayWe could have driven up the road to park at the towers or wherever but we opted for the parking lot at the beginning and trekked up. As soon as we got to the trail where it splits off the road we see a guy puking his guts out. He looked a little unprepared as he had no backpack and one Nalgene bottle that was damn near empty. He was with another guy who looked slightly more prepared but he didn't have any extra water so I hooked them up with about a liter so they could get back to their car and be alright.
The rest of the hike was uneventful, probably 40-50 people total that we saw, most of them heading down as we were heading up. Got the summit to ourselves for about 10 minutes before we started back down. Had to do the entire way back down the road as only one vehicle passed us and they had no room so we couldn't hitch a ride.
cmcalhoun - Jun 21, 2023 5:05 pm Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2021
PrincetonFun!
JThorne - Feb 27, 2023 8:59 pm Date Climbed: Aug 17, 2003
Mt PrincetonEast Slopes
Kiefer - Jan 13, 2023 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Jan 13, 2023
Via TiggerBeautiful weather day. Light winds. Cold. Over Tigger.
tjburr - Sep 9, 2022 9:27 pm Date Climbed: Sep 9, 2022
Main Route on Beautiful September DayI enjoyed a fun Jeep drive up to the radio towers, then started from there. I parked up on the hill right next to the radio towers. The easy grab spaces were taken. I drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, trail-rated model.
Per my Garmin Instinct watch it was 3.83 miles from there to the summit. Look for the hiking trail at 1.63 miles up the road. No trail sign, just a large cairn. From there, I measured 2.2 miles to the summit. The climbing is steep, but not too difficult. There are a lot of boulders to cross.
There were a few people who had some trouble on the steep portion of trail on the final summit push. The trail paths had some loose gravel and were straight up. People sliding down trashed the trail there. Stay along the fringes keeping feet on embedded rocks and find solid rock for handholds.
The sky was clear blue most of the day except for a few passing dark clouds. Based on people I talked with in passing, I think eight people summited that Friday.
It was brutal in places, but for some reason I was happy to make it to the top. - TJ aka ColoMountaineer.
runbyu1 - Sep 1, 2022 5:09 pm Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2022
40th B-day Present - Descent Record 33:13https://www.strava.com/activities/7443350463
40! Hard to Believe. 14,204ft Mt. Princeton Descent Record!?
So surreal. Got to spend a couple hours up high to celebrate, even if it was a bit rough. Still awesome to get out, live in the moment, and get an adrenaline rush on that crazy descent. A bit sick with a nasty runny nose and throat draining. Tried to come down fairly quick, but wasn’t really feeling it. Bottoms of my feet still haven’t really recovered from the thrashing on the Mauna Loa Volcano and they were painful & like hamburger on the way down. Surprised to see that’s the fastest anyone has gone down from the summit to the Towers Trailhead, which is where the vast majority of people do this hike from.
Saw a Moose at Kenosha Pass on the way there.
Got stopped on the way up by a girl who remembered me from hearing me speak/clinic in CoSprings several years ago...always fun. Saw not a soul on the summit.
Niederbayer - May 2, 2022 2:55 pm Date Climbed: May 1, 2022
looong hikehike was partially very icy - cursed myself for leaving the crampons at home - but otherwise a beautiful sunny day without almost any wind.Saw only two other hikers in 2 days
natethor - Sep 2, 2021 9:10 am Date Climbed: Oct 1, 2018
Std RouteA few sections of loose scree near the summit, otherwise enjoyable.
BKiser90 - Aug 16, 2020 5:16 pm Date Climbed: Aug 15, 2020
A Smoky Slog from the Lower THStarted hiking at 5:15 am from the lower TH. I didn't want to hurt the Outback so we decided to walk it. As many reports say, the trail is no joke once the road ends. A class 2 rock hop for over 2 miles and over 2000' elevation gain to the summit. The hardest stretch is just below the summit where the pebbles are gravelly and loose. The views of the Sawatch and nearby ranges were inhibited by smoke from the Pine Gulch and Grizzly Creek fires.We could see as far as Huron, Missouri, Belford, and Oxford to the north and barely to the northern tip of the Sangres to the south. Luckily the smoke receded as the day went on. We made it back to the TH around 12:30 pm.
kteichert - Jul 18, 2020 6:13 pm Date Climbed: Jul 13, 2020
Sunset hikeAfter a nice morning summit of Antero, and seeing a pattern of thunderstorms throughout the day, we decided to make a push for Princeton as a night cap. We started at the trailhead at 8900', at 4:30pm, just as a thunderstorm was finishing. We made it up to the 12,500' mark just as another storm was building, and we found a rock shelter, and hid out for about 20 minutes to allow the storm to pass. Then we made a push for the summit, with the most incredible post-storm scene I've ever scene; including the brightest rainbow I've ever seen, backed by thick black clouds hovering over the Arkasas River Valley, and rays of sunlight peeking just over the summit ridge. It was STUNNING. We reached the summit about 5 minutes before the sun dipped behind the western horizon, and a fire to the west produced an orange haze, that filtered the sunlight, and gave the summit, and surrounding mountains a golden glow. It was the most beautiful summit scenes I've ever seen. We then hurried off the summit ridge, with the tundra layer, just above treeline as our goal before we lost all daylight. We made it just in time, and then enjoyed a nice run down the dirt road to the car. One of my favorite hikes of the trip.
McCannster - Jun 15, 2020 9:02 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2020
with Jessy and JesiMellow pace from the radio towers. Cool mountain, quite busy, typically sloggy, but fun outing. CO 14 #23
mickeyCs - Mar 27, 2020 7:17 pm
--2019
eli.boardman - Dec 27, 2018 11:38 am Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2016
First Sawatch peakSolo standard route from radio towers
argothor - Sep 24, 2018 3:44 pm Date Climbed: Jul 31, 2013
Not my favorite 14erNot my favorite 14er. It wasn't a bad hike, just kind of boring.
birdhead - Sep 24, 2018 11:26 am Date Climbed: Sep 23, 2018
Standard TrailOne night trip from ABQ. The drive up to the radio towers is on a very narrow road. Luckily we didn't encounter much traffic coming the other way, just one car on the way down. The hike is okay, but nothing spectacular. The views from the summit are quite good because the mountain stands alone and unobstructed.
brichardsson - Aug 29, 2018 4:27 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2018
almost turned aroundclouds were rolling in something fierce, but i made the summit just long enough to shoot a couple photos and then scamper down. no thunder or i would have turned back.
yadahzoemtn - Mar 18, 2017 5:07 pm Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2016
Rough Road to TH07/06/16: W/ Brent and Michael
skorpeo - Dec 13, 2016 11:32 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2016
Great PeakStandard route with my son. Nice day.
utclimber - Oct 16, 2016 5:03 pm
Standard routeHiked in the late 90s.