Shoshoni Peak

Category: Colorado (Indian Peaks)Brainard Lake trailhead Elev: 10,300 ftSummit Elev: 12,967 ftRock Type: Gneiss & Granite
Dates: July 28, 2023 (Fri)Trip Report #: 634Partner: solo

Route: North Slope to Southwest Couloir (~12 miles round trip, ~3000 ft gain/loss, 3rd)

An enjoyable loop hike over a summit in the Indian Peaks.

Intro

After a week of sitting at my computer with a view of mountains from my backyard, I was itching for some mountain exercise. Friday morning meetings and monitoring over and nothing pressing for the afternoon, I set off to spend Friday afternoon in the Indian Peaks, since some timed entry permits were still available. Shoshoi Peak—which I had never summitted—sounded like a good objective. I figured I could do a nice loop approaching via the North Slope (2nd) from Pawnee Pass and desending via the SW Couloir (3rd) down to Isabelle Glacier and hike out via Lake Isabelle. I was also curous to check out the ridge between Shoshoni and Apache, which is dotted with tower formations ("The Chessmen"). The Kasparov Traverse (5.9 R) between Shoshoi and Apache is the traverse involving a climb of each tower, and is supposedly one of the best ridge traverses in the Indian Peaks. If I had time I would try to traverse to the summit of Apache (I tihnk you can bypass the towers and keep the traverse at 3rd-4th class), but it sounded a bit too involved for my time frame (and it was). 

The entire adventure (up and over Shoshoni and about 1 hour detor to check out the traverse between Shoshoni and Apache) took just under 6 hours. An enjoyable way to get some exercise.

This page contains a map, stats, and lots of photos from my Friday afternoon mountain fix. 

Map

Brainard Lake Trailhead to Pawnee Pass (2nd)

Brainard Lake Trailhead: 10,300 ftPawnee Pass: 12,542 ftSplit time: 2:00Cumulative time: 2:00

Trail

Brainard Lake parking area.
Hiking about 1 mile of road between Brainard Lake parking area and the Long Lake trailhead. The Long Lake trailhead had finally been opened for the year, but there had been no timed entry permits left to park there, so I had to get a timed entry parking for the larger Brainard Lake parking area.
I headed towards Pawnee Pass. On the way back I came down the trail from Lake Isabelle.
Trail junction just before Lake Isabelle. I headed right towards Pawnee Pass. On the way back I came down the trail from Lake Isabelle. In this picture, Shoshoni is the furthest right summit.
Indian paintbrush alongside the trail. It has been a great wildflower year.
On the trail to Pawnee Pass.
Alpine columbine near Pawnee Pass. There were a lot of these up there. 

Pawnee Pass to Shoshoni Peak (2nd)

Pawnee Pass: 12,542 ftShoshoni Peak: 12,967 ftSplit time: 0:41Cumulative time: 2:41

Ascended North Slopes (2nd) of Shoshoni Peak from Pawnee Pass.

Shoshoni is the summit on the left. I was about 40 minutes away from the summit when I took this photo.
The summit of Shoshoni.
Proof I scambled out to the actual summit!
Apache as seen from Shoshoni. The Chessmen are the towers on the ridge.

Exploring Chessman between Shoshoni and Apache

Split time: 1:01Cumulative time: 3:42

Walked along the ridge between Shoshoni and Apache to start of the Chessmen. The terrain looked a bit too complex for my timeframe, so I retraced my steps back to the top of the SW Couloir (3rd).

Apache as seen from the ridge between Shoshoni and The Chessmen.
Here I am at the north end of The Chessmen. The terrain gets more complicated here. If it had been earlier in the day I would have carefully weaved a 3rd/4th route around the Chessmen to the top of Apache, but I wanted to get home not too late, so I stopped here and turned around, heading back to the start of the SW Couloir.

Shoshoni Peak to Brainard Lake Trailhead (3rd)

Shoshoni Peak: 12,967 ftBrainard Lake Trailhead: 10,300 ftSplit time: 2:09Cumulative time: 5:51

Descended SW Couloir (3rd) on Shoshoni down to Isabelle Glacier and hiked back out past Isabelle Laketo Brainard Lake Trailhead. 

I descended here. This is one of the SW Couloir options (there are three listed in the guidebook). It was loose talus but no more than 3rd.
Kings Crown in the SW Couloir.
Nearing the bottom of the SW Couloir. Isabelle Glacier is below.
Elephant's Head.
Indian paintbrush.
Nice gneiss.
There is a section of the Isabelle Glacier Trail that goes through a swamp. I miracuously managed to keep my feet dry.
Lake Isabelle, looking east.
Lake Isabelle, looking west.  In this picture, Shoshoni is the furthest right summit.
The final 1 mile road walk between the Long Lake Trailhead (there were no timed entry spots left) and the Brainard Lake Trailhead (where my car was). I got impatient and jogged the last mile of trail as well as the road to the car.

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