BKiser90 - Aug 23, 2020 8:06 am Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2020
A Smoky Day on Zirkel
Headed out from the Slavonia TH around 6:15 am. Plenty of smoke in the air from the California fires. Gold Creek Lake was still with perfect reflections at 7:15 am. The trail is smooth and gradual which makes it easy to hike quickly. We summitted Zirkel just before 10:00 am and spent a half hour on the summit. We had two bighorn sheep join us across the tundra approach. The Class 2 scramble to the summit was fun and we had the peak to ourselves. Unfortunately, the smoke limited wide views but we had great views of Big Agnes and the surrounding high mountain canyons. We descended down the Red Dirt pass route that we ascended and finished around 2:00 pm
Late start from the TH so I didn't reach the usual/popular camp sites by the old mine before dark. So I camped on a small plateau just off the trail at 40.793098, -106.654471 - less than a mile from the mine. Plenty of water to treat and drink no mater where you camped. Summited the next day under high clouds. Conditions deteriorated as I came down with thunder, lightning and rain by the time I reached Gold Creek Lake in the afternoon. Need to come back and climb Big Agnes
Scott - Jul 31, 2012 5:11 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2012
Zirkel
July 27
Mount Zirkel was the chosen climb for this weekend. Kim needed a break, so it was the kids (Kessler and Shaylee) and I. I actually got off work late, so we wouldn’t get as early start as I had hoped. We arrived at the trailhead a little after 6 pm and started up the mountain.
As we hiked along the trail, it began to rain, sometimes rather heavily. We crossed the stream on a long log and quickly made our way to Gold Creek Lake in about 1.5 hours. It was still raining hard which made the next stream crossing slippery. Kessler slipped off the rocks and into waist deep (and cold!) water. He wasn’t happy and we found a campsite as soon as we could. After setting up the tent, the kids got in and took off their wet clothes while I cooked dinner and filtered water in the rain. We made about 3 miles, so tomorrow’s climb would be long. Luckily the weather cleared just after sunset.
July 28
It was 36F in the morning and clear, which was a good sign. Our boots were still wet (I should have snow-sealed them before the trip) so they weren’t fun to put on. We hiked rather quickly up the Slavonia Basin before taking our only rest on the way to Red Dirt Pass. We then climbed to the pass for a final rest and to get a good look at the weather. The weather was still clear so we took a break and headed up the ridge towards Mount Zirkel. The kids wanted to climb the subpeaks as well, so we climbed several of those (up to class 3 in difficulty) before climbing up to the main summit. There was some boulderhopping, but it wasn’t a difficult climb.
After soaking up the spectacular views in great weather, we headed back down the mountain and packed up camp. We then hiked down. The biggest incidence was while taking our final rest, literally hundreds of hornets came pouring out of the ground from under a rock. We didn’t hang around and quickly hiked back to the trailhead.
By the end, our feet were quite sore and we were tired. Including the subpeaks, we had hiked for 15 miles today and with much elevation gain. It was still a great climb and a beautiful peak.
Fun summit. Some exposure near the summit. Beautiful area. North Routt!!
Larry V - Sep 19, 2009 10:55 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2009
via Gold Creek and Red Dirt Pass
September 11, 2009: Mt Zirkel has a dramatic summit - about 15-feet square with a near vertical dropoff on all sides except one. The most memorable part of this visit, however, was the poor hospitality shown to me by one of the permanent residents, before I hit the trail in the morning.
July 4, 2009: Gold Creek was a series of raging cataracts, blocking my ascent at the creek crossings. Actually I did the first creek crossing, but not without great risk to my life. Vowed to return in late summer.
Drewsmith - Mar 14, 2009 6:40 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 1978
starry night
On 4 day backpack I camped on top. Awesome. The thunder storm at midnight was also awesome.
kavak - Aug 19, 2008 10:25 am Date Climbed: Sep 17, 1997
From Red Dirt Pass
Overcast day but good conditions. Saw a black bear foraging high above timberline. Would love to return to this area.
We backpacked into Gilpin Lake in July of 1975, the fishing was not that great so we scrambled quite a bit in the area. We summited Mt. Zirkel on a beautiful day, and as was customary in the day roasted a bowl on top. We ran into a strawberry field on the way down, and were much delayed by the fruit.
Route Climbed: Red Dirt Pass. Date Climbed: October 12, 2004
Good views from this one despite some haze to the west. I was wondering if one could see Utah from up there. No luck. Wyoming was in plain sight though. Packed in to about half way to the pass and shared a campsite with the woodpeckers and went up the next morning. Big thanks to the folks who gave me a jumpstart (dead battery) at the trailhead on the way out!
BKiser90 - Aug 23, 2020 8:06 am Date Climbed: Aug 22, 2020
A Smoky Day on ZirkelHeaded out from the Slavonia TH around 6:15 am. Plenty of smoke in the air from the California fires. Gold Creek Lake was still with perfect reflections at 7:15 am. The trail is smooth and gradual which makes it easy to hike quickly. We summitted Zirkel just before 10:00 am and spent a half hour on the summit. We had two bighorn sheep join us across the tundra approach. The Class 2 scramble to the summit was fun and we had the peak to ourselves. Unfortunately, the smoke limited wide views but we had great views of Big Agnes and the surrounding high mountain canyons. We descended down the Red Dirt pass route that we ascended and finished around 2:00 pm
sipho - Sep 12, 2018 8:48 pm Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2018
Nice overnight tripLate start from the TH so I didn't reach the usual/popular camp sites by the old mine before dark. So I camped on a small plateau just off the trail at 40.793098, -106.654471 - less than a mile from the mine. Plenty of water to treat and drink no mater where you camped. Summited the next day under high clouds. Conditions deteriorated as I came down with thunder, lightning and rain by the time I reached Gold Creek Lake in the afternoon. Need to come back and climb Big Agnes
edevart - Jul 2, 2018 7:56 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2018
Last of seven summits tipClimbed as last of seven summits on overnight trip from Slavonia via "Bighorn" Pass, Ute Pass, Red Dirt and back.
Brian Kalet - Sep 2, 2015 2:43 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2015
3 PeaksWith Peterson Ridge & 7825.
Shaylee - Nov 11, 2014 2:20 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2012
Zirkel7-28-2012
WZimmerman - Feb 14, 2013 1:30 am Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2008
Gilpin Creek routeClimb to the ridge between the Gilpin Lake trail and the Mount Zirkel basin -- the so-called Gilpin Creek route.
Kessler - Jul 31, 2012 5:23 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2012
Zirkel7-28-2012
Scott - Jul 31, 2012 5:11 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 2012
ZirkelJuly 27
Mount Zirkel was the chosen climb for this weekend. Kim needed a break, so it was the kids (Kessler and Shaylee) and I. I actually got off work late, so we wouldn’t get as early start as I had hoped. We arrived at the trailhead a little after 6 pm and started up the mountain.
As we hiked along the trail, it began to rain, sometimes rather heavily. We crossed the stream on a long log and quickly made our way to Gold Creek Lake in about 1.5 hours. It was still raining hard which made the next stream crossing slippery. Kessler slipped off the rocks and into waist deep (and cold!) water. He wasn’t happy and we found a campsite as soon as we could. After setting up the tent, the kids got in and took off their wet clothes while I cooked dinner and filtered water in the rain. We made about 3 miles, so tomorrow’s climb would be long. Luckily the weather cleared just after sunset.
July 28
It was 36F in the morning and clear, which was a good sign. Our boots were still wet (I should have snow-sealed them before the trip) so they weren’t fun to put on. We hiked rather quickly up the Slavonia Basin before taking our only rest on the way to Red Dirt Pass. We then climbed to the pass for a final rest and to get a good look at the weather. The weather was still clear so we took a break and headed up the ridge towards Mount Zirkel. The kids wanted to climb the subpeaks as well, so we climbed several of those (up to class 3 in difficulty) before climbing up to the main summit. There was some boulderhopping, but it wasn’t a difficult climb.
After soaking up the spectacular views in great weather, we headed back down the mountain and packed up camp. We then hiked down. The biggest incidence was while taking our final rest, literally hundreds of hornets came pouring out of the ground from under a rock. We didn’t hang around and quickly hiked back to the trailhead.
By the end, our feet were quite sore and we were tired. Including the subpeaks, we had hiked for 15 miles today and with much elevation gain. It was still a great climb and a beautiful peak.
JohnnyCO - Feb 18, 2011 10:06 am
Great backpackFun summit. Some exposure near the summit. Beautiful area. North Routt!!
Larry V - Sep 19, 2009 10:55 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2009
via Gold Creek and Red Dirt PassSeptember 11, 2009: Mt Zirkel has a dramatic summit - about 15-feet square with a near vertical dropoff on all sides except one. The most memorable part of this visit, however, was the poor hospitality shown to me by one of the permanent residents, before I hit the trail in the morning.
July 4, 2009: Gold Creek was a series of raging cataracts, blocking my ascent at the creek crossings. Actually I did the first creek crossing, but not without great risk to my life. Vowed to return in late summer.
Drewsmith - Mar 14, 2009 6:40 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 1978
starry nightOn 4 day backpack I camped on top. Awesome. The thunder storm at midnight was also awesome.
kavak - Aug 19, 2008 10:25 am Date Climbed: Sep 17, 1997
From Red Dirt PassOvercast day but good conditions. Saw a black bear foraging high above timberline. Would love to return to this area.
T Sharp - Aug 4, 2006 5:29 am
Strawberry FieldsWe backpacked into Gilpin Lake in July of 1975, the fishing was not that great so we scrambled quite a bit in the area. We summited Mt. Zirkel on a beautiful day, and as was customary in the day roasted a bowl on top. We ran into a strawberry field on the way down, and were much delayed by the fruit.
mtoensing2002 - May 30, 2005 7:53 pm
Route Climbed: over red dirt pass Date Climbed: July 2004ok climb, took a long time to get to actual mountain though and had very rocky summit.
Colonelpyat - Oct 22, 2004 6:06 am
Route Climbed: Red Dirt Pass. Date Climbed: October 12, 2004Good views from this one despite some haze to the west. I was wondering if one could see Utah from up there. No luck. Wyoming was in plain sight though. Packed in to about half way to the pass and shared a campsite with the woodpeckers and went up the next morning. Big thanks to the folks who gave me a jumpstart (dead battery) at the trailhead on the way out!