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Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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39.50305°N / 105.66427°W |
Route Type:
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Scrambling |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Difficulty:
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II / moderate snow climb |
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Overview
Mount Logan is a rounded peak, surrounded by gentle and expansive slopes, covered with tundra and scree.
However, the mountain decided to live it up a bit and shows its wilder side on its southern slopes, where a horseshoe shaped basin sports cliffs and snow filled ravines.
This is a sparsely visited part of the Mount Evans Wilderness area - you will encounter almost complete solitude.
Getting There
From Denver drive westwards on US-285, passing Conifer and Pine Junction. 4.4 miles southwest of Pine Junction, turn right on Park County Road 43 (Deer Creek Road). Drive 8.3 miles on the Deer Creek Road to the Deer Creek Campground. This road changes to dirt a mile before the campground, but is suitable for passenger cars. Drive 0.8 miles past the campground to reach the Deer Creek Trailhead. It is a pretty bumpy ride after passing the campground, but it is makeable for "normal" passenger cars from spring to fall. Accessibility in winter can be tricky for non 4 x4 cars after passing the campground.
Route Description
Most the time you will hike in sparsely visited areas of the Mount Evans Wilderness - you will probaly not see another soul for the whole day - but might run into a herd of elks instead.
This is a pretty obscure trail - route finding gets harder the higher up you get in the forest.
The trail splits after only a couple steps from the Deer Creek Trailhead.
Take the left turn (Deer Creek Trail) - a couple hundred yards down the trail a pretty indistinctive trail splits off to the left.
Path is a former mining/logging road which leads up to the ridge separating the Deer Creek and Camp Creek Drainage.
The proper "road" ends up there, continue on a faint trail (spottily marked with cairns) which leads you to Camp Creek (in doubt follow the roaring noise of water - especially easy in spring/earlysummer).
The path continues uphill along the creek and eventually disappears into the undergrowth at a beaver pond.
Continue along the main creek through more or less dense forest until you leave the tree line behind you - the horseshoe shaped basin is right in front of you.
OPTION 1 - Scrambling to the summit
The South slope is to the left of you - you can gain it easily with a bit of scrambling, from there it is a walk up to the summit
OPTION 2: Snowclimbing to the summit:
Two snowfilled ravines cross the cliffs - both offer moderate snow climbs.
The basin is southward facing, the snow is melting off early.
Right Colouir will most likely have a cornice on its top, other cornices along the cliffs to the right of the ravine might send their load down the ravine!
Mountain Condition
Mount Logan can be probably climbed all year round with proper preparation and gear.
The basin is definitely prone to avalanches - the South Slope can be accessed from further down the valley through forest - slope has a pretty moderate angle (Notice: I am NOT an avalanche expert).
You can pretty much bet on that you have to break the trail in winter the whole way - this will be quite a workout.
Plenty of water on the mountain - do not drink from the streams without properly treating the water to kill off potential parasites.
Essential Gear
For scrambling: sturdy boots (snowshoes in winter)
For snow climbs: helmet, crampons, ice pick