Hagues Peak - ROWE GLACIER LAKE - Rowe Peak - Rowe Mtn

Other times I've been to the summit of Hagues:

Estes Skyline High Route (~50 miles, rock up to 5.4, 3.5 days)

Category: Colorado (RMNP)Elev: 8,500-13,560 ftRock Type: Gneiss & Granite
Dates: August 2, 2024 (Fri)Trip Report #: 727Partner: solo

Hagues Peak, Rowe Glacier Lake, Rowe Peak, Rowe Mtn (~19.5 miles, 6000 feet gain/loss, 3 summits, highest lake in RMNP, up to 3rd class)

HAGUES PEAK (13,560')
ROWE GLACIER LAKE (13,100')
ROWE PEAK (13,400+')
ROWE MOUNTAIN (13,184')

A long dayhike over three13-ers and past the highest lake in RMNP.

Intro

Rocky Mountain National Park has one 14-neer (Longs Peak, 14,255 feet) and 19 13-neers. By the time of this trip report, I had summited every 14-neer and 13-neer in RMNP except for Rowe Peak (13,400+), Rowe Mountain (13,184), and Mt. Chiquita (13,069'). These peaks lie in the Mummy Range in the northeast corner of the park. This area sees little traffic compared to the rest of the park. Plus, these summits are all a fair distance from the closest trailhead. I was most interested in the Rowe Peaks area. I schemed up multiple ways to access these peaks:

Doing the "Mummykill Traverse" (a 17.5 mile traverse over Chapin, Chiquita, Ypsilon, Hagues, and Mummy) and detouring to Rowe Peak and Rowe Mountain from Hagues (adding a couple of miles and some extra vertical feet). This would be a way to tick off all of my remaining 13-neers in one trip. But this idea would involve a car plant.
Doing a backpack trip into the Lost Lake area, starting at the Dunraven Trailhead. A day trip out of camp would loop over Rowe Mountain, Rowe Peak, and pass several lakes.
Doing a long daytrip (~20 miles, 7000+ feet of gain/loss) starting at the Lawn Lake Trailhead, summiting Hagues, and from there accessing Rowe Peak and Rowe Mountain.

All three of these ideas sounded fun. But for a one-day solo adventure, the easiest option was Option 3. So this is what I did. This page gives a trip report for Option 3.

It was a great day of exercise. I stood on three summits (Hagues, Rowe Peak, and Rowe Mountain) and passed by Rowe Glacier Lake, which at 13,100 feet is the highest lake in RMNP.

Map

Photos

Lawn Lake Trailhead Hagues Peak

Lawn Lake Trailhead: 8,540 ftHagues Peak: 13,560 ftMiles from Trailhead: 8.7 milesSplit time: 4:05Cumulative time: 4:05

Trail to South Slopes (3rd) of Hagues Peak.

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Hagues Peak to Rowe Glacier Lake to Rowe Peak

Hagues Peak: 13,560 ftRowe Glacier Lake: 13,100 ftRowe Peak: 13,400+ ftMiles from Trailhead: 9.3 milesSplit time: 0:39Cumulative time: 4:44

Descend ~440 feet and 0.4 mile to Rowe Glacier Lake, skirt the east side, and climb 320 vertical feet and 0.25 mile to the summit of Rowe Peak (3rd).

Rowe Glacier Lake seen from the summit of Hagues.

Rowe Glacier Lake.

Despite the fact it was a hot day, there was a thin layer of ice on the lake (my carabiner is on top of the ice in the photo). At 13,100 feet, this is the highest lake in RMNP.

The shoreline of the lake had some unusual deposits. It was hollowed out underneath, so walking on it led to punching through. My best guess is these are melted out voids from glacier ice that was inulated by till in a ground moraine.

Rowe Glacier Lake.

Rowe Glacier Lake seen from the summit of Rowe Peak.

On top of Rowe Peak.

Some pretty quartz and feldspar on the summit ridge of Rowe Peak. I would have loved to take one home with me.

Rowe Peak to Rowe Mountain

Rowe Peak: 13,400+ ftRowe Mountain: 13,184 ftMiles from Trailhead: 9.8 milesSplit time: 0:21Cumulative time: 5:05

Hike gentle ridge between Rowe Peak and Rowe Mountain (2nd).

The gentle ridge between Rowe Peak and Rowe Mountain.

Approaching Rowe Mountain.

On top (actually, the true summit may be one of the other bumps in the ridge, but where I took this photo is where I found the summit register).

Looking at the summit register, Rowe Mountain is summited by 5 or so people who sign registers per year.

The most recent entries.

Reverse Route (Rowe Mountain to Rowe Peak to Hagues Peak to Lawn Lake Trailhead)

Rowe Mountain: 13,184 ftRowe Peak: 13,400+ ftHagues Peak: 13,560 ftLawn Lake Trailhead: 8,540 ftMiles from Trailhead: 19.5 milesSplit time: 4:32Cumulative time: 9:37

Reverse route.