Never summers OVERNIGHT July 2021

Other adventures in the Never Summer Range: 
Category: Colorado (RMNP)Elev: 9,000-12,940 ftRock Type: Gneiss & Granite
Dates: July 16&17, 2021 (Fri&Sat)Trip Report #: 479Partner: Nate Arganbright

Never Summers Overnight (~20 miles, 1.5 days, 3 summits, up to 3rd class)

A nice 3-summit fitness hike in the northwest corner of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Never Summers as seen from Alpine Visitor Center on Trail Ridge Road. Mt. Richthofen is the tallest summit on the right. 

Intro

In July 2020, Nate and I had kicked off the summer with a giant 3.5-day trip traversing the Rocky Mountain National Park Skyline, which we called the "Estes Skyline High Route". This trip had given us a nice boost to our fitness at had set in motion a great alpine climbing season. So when mid-July 2021 rolled around, Nate and I decided it was high time for another fitness hike. We decided to do attempt a 2.5-day, 11-summit high traverse of the Never Summer Mountains. The plan was to hike to Thunder Pass and traverse the range from The Electrode just west of Thunder Pass all the way to Baker Mountain at the south end.

The Never Summer Mountains are a mountain range whose summits form the northwest border of Rocky Mountain National Park. To the west of the summits is the Never Summer Wilderness and to the right is RMNP (our adventures on this trip took place on the east side inside RMNP). The range is small and tall, covering only 25 sq mi with a north-south length of 10 mi while rising to over 12,000 ft (high point being the summit of Mount Richthofen at 12,940 ft). The Continental Divide makes a loop in these mountains. The name of the range comes from the fact that the area is in a secluded storm-catching position, receiving a healthy dose of snow year round.

On Friday afternoon, we drove the one-way Old Fall River Road (a nice drive in itself) to the Colorado River Trailhead and hiked nearly eight miles and a few hours to just below Thunder Pass, where we set up camp. On Saturday, we embarked on the traverse. It took us roughly two hours to traverse The Electrode, Static Peak, and arrive at the summit of Mount Richthofen. The terrain moving southwards to the next summits of the range looked complicated and loose. Clouds were building as well. We debated whether to (1) stick to our original goal and continue the traverse despite the fact it was not all that enjoyable of terrain and would become less enjoyable when it started to rain or (2) bail out to the east and hike out and get out early enough to regroup and spend the rest of the weekend climbing sunny alpine granite in Upper Glacier Gorge. We decided on Option 2. Given that it did rain for about an hour starting at 1pm and we got in a couple of fun days of climbing on Arrowhead, this was probably the right choice. 

Despite the fact that we changed our plans to a 1.5-day, 3-summit high traverse of just the northern portion of the Never Summers, it was a nice fitness hike including the highest summit of the range. This page gives the trip report. Enjoy!

Map and google earth overlay

Day 1: Colorado River Trailhead to Camp below Thunder Pass

A late afternoon 8-mile jaunt to camp just below Thunder Pass.

Our packs weighed in at just under 20 lbs at the start of the trip. This included 2.5 days worth of food and overnight gear.
The parklike start of the Colorado River Trail.
The trail passes the Lulu City site. Lulu City was a transient mining town which appeared after silver was discovered in the area in 1879. By 1881, there were forty cabins and a number of business establishments. By this time it was apparent that the silver ore was of low grade, and that high transportation costs made mining in the area marginal, and the town began its decline. It was abandoned by 1885.
Lots of blowdowns on the approach.
The approach walks parallel to the The Grand Ditch for a short ways before crossing it. Streams and creeks that flow from the highest peaks of the Never Summer Mountains are diverted into this 14.3 mile ditch, which flows over the Continental Divide at La Poudre Pass. delivering the water into the Cache La Poudre River for eastern plains farmers. The water would otherwise have gone until the Colorado River that flows west towards the Pacific; instead the Cache La Poudre River  goes east and through the Mississippi River and discharges into the Gulf of Mexico. The ditch was started in 1890 and completed in 1936. It diverts between 20-40% of the runoff from the Never Summer Mountains.
A footbridge crossing The Grand Ditch. 
Indian paintbrush.
Meadow Larkspur flower.
Thunder Pass.

Day 2: Traverse The Electrode, Static Peak, Mount RIchthofen + Hike out

Three summits.

We're being watched....
Thunder Pass is on the Continental Divide and also on the boundary of RMNP.
Looking towards The Electrode and Static Peak from Thunder Pass. 8:18am.
On the sunny green slopes of The Electrode. 8:33am.
Alpine daisy.
Cairn on summit of The Electrode. 8:49am.
Rugged terrain on the south side of The Electrode. It would have been quicker/easier to bypass The Electode on its north side, but at least we tagged another summit!
A metal NPS boundary post. The Never Summers are along the Continental Divide and RMNP boundary.
Alpine columbine.
The pleasant 3rd class ridge of Static Peak. 9:35am.
Nearing the top of Static Peak. 9:38am.
View towards Mount Richthofen from the summit of Static Peak. 9:57am.
A small bump between Static and Richthofen. 10:20am.
USGS marker on the summit of Mount Richthofen. 10:39am.
Looking south into the Never Summers from the summit of Mount Richthofen. Lots of rugged terrain ahead. It was here that we decided to shorten our traverse to end with Richthofen. 10:39am.
Descending from Richthofen. 10:53am.
A cool rounded rock.
The shadowed peak is Tepee Mountain. Had we continued, we probably would have traversed left of this and gotten back on the ridge. 11:18am.
Descending towards Skeleton Gulch. There is a trail in Skeleton Gulch that we picked up to get back to the Colorado River Trail. 11:47am.
We figured this old structure on the trail was originally created for food storage for the miners in the area. 1:13pm.
Back to the blowdowns... 1:35pm.

previous and next adventures