Audubon - Paiute - Toll - pawnee

Other times I've gotten to a summit on this traverse:

Little Pawnee-Pawnee-Toll Loop (~10 miles, up to 4th) • Mt. Audubon (wnter)

Category: Colorado (Indian Peaks)Elev: 10,500-13,223 ftRock Type: Gneiss & Granite
Dates: July 17, 2024 (Wed)Trip Report #: 717Partner: solo

Route: ~13 miles round trip, ~4500 ft gain/loss, 4 summits, rock up to 4th

MOUNT AUDUBON (13,223')
PAIUTE PEAK (13,088')
MOUNT TOLL (12,979')
PAWNEE PEAK (12,943')

Scoping out another section of the LA Freeway, and finding 4th class bypasses to the low 5th sections.

Intro

I have my sights set on the "LA Freeway", a 38(or so)-mile ridgeline traverse from Longs Peak to Arapaho Peaks. I've been scoping out various "crux" sections. One section I still needed to scope out was the north sides of Paiute and Toll. Both of these peaks have a couple of low 5th sections on the standard routes up the north sides, but both also have vague references to "possible 4th class detours". So my goal was to find these detours.

I decided to do a loop over Audubon, Paiute, Toll, and Pawnee. This loop would naturally require ascending the north side of Toll, but to scope out the north side of Paiute (which is ascended via the 3rd class east ridge on this traverse) I would have to descend the north side and try to find the route. Fortunately, my efforts to find a 4th class bypass to the low 5th sections were successful on both Paiute and Toll.

The traverse took me 8 hours, or 7 if I don't include the hour spent scoping out the north side of Paiute. I didn't see a single other person on the ridge. As I was hiking out, the forecasted afternoon thundershowers were moving in on the peaks, and I enjoyed the dark sky and booms of thunder, knowing I was safely off the ridge. It was an enjoyable and productive way to get some exercise.

The following page contains a map and photos from my traverse.

Map

Photos

Mitchell Lake Trailhead to Mount Audubon

Mitchell Lake Trailhead: 10,500 ftMount Audubon: 13,223 ftSplit time: 2:04Cumulative time: 2:04

Ascended Mt. Audubon via the trail (2nd).

An after hours sign at the Brainard Lake entrance gate. Even if you come in after hours, you are required to get a timed entry for the place you park. I had gotten a 5am timed entry for Mitchell Lake / Audubon Trailhead.

I got the timed entry the morning of this traverse (since the original plan had been to climb the Diamond, but we decided against it due to forecast). There was one 5am slot left!

The Mount Audubon trail starts out of the nort side of the Mitchell Lake parking lot.

Sunrise. 5:48 am. I was already nearing the summit of Audubon by this time.

Bathed in pink morning alpenglow on the upper slopes of Audubon.

On the summit of Audubon.

Mount Audubon to Paiute Peak

Mount Audubon: 13,223 ftPaiute Peak: 13,088 ftSplit time: 0:50Cumulative time: 2:54Explorig north side of Paiute: 0:53Cumulative time: 3:47

Ascended East Ridge (3rd) of Paiute Peak. Scoped out the north side route, which is rated 5.5, but I found a 4th class variation.

Looking along the East Ridge (3rd) of Paiute.

Cute purple asters.

On the summit of Paiute, less than an hour after leaving the summit of Audubon.

A tower to the north of Paiute. If you are traverseing the ridge, there is a 3rd class ledge along the west side of this tower.

Looking up at the north side of Paiute, after I descended the 5.5 crack on the west to get here. On the way back up, I scoped out the east side, where I found a 4th class line to the top.

Parry's Primrose.

Go this way (west) to take the 5.5 corner to the top.

Go this way (east) to take the 4th class route to the top.

Nearing the top of Paiute's north side, via the 4th class route I found on the east side of the north face.

Paiute Peak to Mount Toll

Paiute Peak: 13,088 ftMount Toll: 12,979 ftSplit time: 1:28Cumulative time: 5:15

Descended the south side of Paiute Peak (3rd) and ascended the North Ridge (5.4) of Mt. Toll. I found a 4th class bypass of the 5.4 corner.

Looking towards Mt. Toll.

The start of the 4th class ascent of Toll.

More 4th class.

There is supposed to be a 5.4 corner with a ring piton in it. I could not find this piton/corner. So I went a bit left of these corners and found a chill 4th class way up.

On the ledge above the corners in the previous photo.

A final 4th class stretch to the top.

Sky Pilot.

On the summit of Toll.

View back south towards Paiute Peak.

View towards Audubon and Blue Lake below.

Mount Toll to Pawnee Peak

Mount Toll: 12,979 ftPawnee Peak: 12,943 ftSplit time: 0:37Cumulative time: 5:52

Descended the south side of Mt. Toll (2nd) and romped over to the summit of Pawnee (2nd) .

Looking north towards the rolling Pawnee Peak.

On the summit of Pawnee Peak, 37 minutes after leaving the summit of Toll.

View back south at the traverse: Audubon (right) to Paiute to Toll.

Pawnee Peak to Pawnee Pass to Long Lake Trailhead to Mitchell Lake Trailhead

Pawnee Peak: 12,943 ftPawnee Pass: 12,542 ftLong Lake Trailhead: 10,500 ftMitchell Lake Trailhead: 10,500 ftSplit time: 2:07Cumulative time: 7:59

Descended south side of Pawnee Peak (2nd) to Pawnee Pass and hiked trail back to Long Lake Trailhead. My car was at the Mitchell Lake Trailhead, but this was just a short road walk.