September 8&12, 2010

Trail Report

The completion of the Decalibron took us two separate trips to complete. The first day we summitted Democrat successfully, but the extreme winds on the side of Cameron prohibited us from continuing, so we returned the following weekend to complete the ring.

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September 8 

(A view of the path leading to Mount Democrat can be viewed relatively easily in this photo)

Boy, did we have ambitious expectations for the Decalabron! We started out before daybreak, at at about 6am. The path takes an almost direct shot out of the parking lot to the right of Kite Lake. Soon after passing Kite Lake the trail begins to climb upward at a steady grade, coming to a few long, wide switchbacks that will eventually even out into a snaking trail that brings one to the shoulder between Cameron and Democrat. We stopped along this portion of the trail and, looking back, were greeted with a gorgeous view. 

Upon reaching the saddle between Cameron and Democrat, one is able to see behind the 14ers into a gorgeous valley that is dominated by Quandary Peak. Many people choose to take a break at this point, and we chatted with a few other dog owners. In fact, we actually saw another dog (a golden retriever) decked out in the exact same RuffWear gear that Ramius was wearing at the time - a Climate Changer fleece and Bark'n Boots. Ramius certainly got a kick out of roughhousing with him, while I chatted with his owner about the sheer amazingness of RuffWear products. 

Anyhow, after heading up from the shoulder, the trail becomes much more difficult. The trail itself narrows considerably, increases in steepness, and is characterized by loose shale in most areas. There are a number of quick switchbacks and passing people on their way down became troublesome at times. The steepest part of this section is just before the false summit, after which the trail completely flatens out for ~100ft before climbing to to the summit.

The summit was pretty crowded with a number of canine companions for Ramius and Odi. We didn't stay there very long due to the windchill that was present at the top, and soon headed down. The way down was much easier, needless to say, and the saddle was a welcome sight. 

I'll note that on the way down from the summit, we saw a woman who was pretty out of shape heading up with what appeared to be a good friend, personal trainer, or sherpa. she had a great attitude and thought it was hilarious that a miniature schnauzer and corgi had an easier time than her getting up and down the mountain. So, all of you out there who don't think they can get up or down a 14er, JUST DO IT!

After reaching the saddle we debated whether or not to continue. We'd spent a fair amount of the day on the side of Democrat and were unsure of how the wind would affect us on the way up the remaining three summits. We decided to give it a try and see how the conditions were higher up Mount Cameron. About 1/3 of the way up Cameron we decided to head back down. I think, for me, the major indicator was the condition of the dogs - Ramius kept laying as flat as possible to get cover from the wind.

So we headed back down. It was a bummer, but we managed to get back up the following weekend...

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September 12

So we returned the next weekend to once again experience the challenges of the Decalabron, and this time we were able to finish the loop. The night before the hike we stayed at a lovely motel in Fairplay, which had great rooms and allows dogs for no extra charge. 

Anyhow, we started out at around 6am again and made our way from the trailhead up to the shoulder between Cameron and Democrat. The trail up Cameron's side is characterized by shale, just as is present on Democrat, but it isn't nearly as loose or narrow. The wind was pretty harsh again, and we were thankful when we reached a section of the path with moderate shelter from the wind. Soon after this section, the trail begins to climb upward toward the summit. At this point the wind really began to hit us again, which can be seen in a video that I took to capture its effects on Ramius' beard.

Cameron's summit is pretty flat for a 14er and is super windswept. We hung out on its summit just long enough to take a few photos and take in the views. 

We next headed across the shoulder between Cameron and Lincoln. If this shoulder only dropped a bit more Cameron would be an official fourteener. The walk across the shoulder was long, flat, and calm. The wind either died down or was deflected by Cameron. I hung back to take a couple of scale photos before heading up to Lincoln's summit.

The summit of Lincoln provides wonderful views of Bross, Quandary Peak, as well as Cameron and Democrat. We spent a fair amount of time on the summit, taking in the views and enjoying the lack of wind. There was even a small plant that had grown up in one of the stacked stone shelters on the summit. The dogs became a little bit impatient though, and wrestled in the dirt for a while. 

Leaving Lincoln, we headed toward Bross. This route provides great views of Lincoln. The path was sheltered from the wind and we eventually came to a sign which stated that Bross is closed to the public. As if to make the point that one should just use his/her best judgement, a couple of dirt bikers rode up just beyond the sign. Yep, that's right: dirt biking at 14,000 ft. So we continued on and eventually made it up Bross' summit, which is actually quite lack-luster considering all of the fuss about it. 

After summiting Bross, we decided to complete the ring and come down Bross' southern slopes. This route is long, rocky, and somewhat steep at times. It took us probably an hour or so to climb down, and we were rewarded with a beautiful waterfall at Bross' base. After the waterfall, the path evens out and winds back to the trailhead, crossing a stream just before reaching it.