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| Hiking | 1.00 Miles |
1,957 AEG |
| | Hiking | 1.00 Miles | | | |
| 1,957 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | This was my first trip up Brown's Peak. John and I made our way up to the chute in Brown's Peak from our campsite at Brown's Saddle. I was expecting something like the upper stretches of the Flatiron. After ascending one short cliff near the top of the chute, John decided to stay where he was on a ledge, while I continued on up to the top. The upper end of the chute, and it's cliffs, are far more intimidating than Flatiron! I was getting a little nervous climbing the ledges on the cliff, but I knew I'd regret it if I didn't go to the top. About five minutes after leaving John, I was at the top. What a view! I was at the top of one of the tallest peaks in my most favorite mountains. Surprisingly, there was little wind. I looked for a register, but couldn't find one. I noticed quite a few names carved into the rocks. The 1867 cavalry carving was cool, but it looks too new to be authentic to me. After taking dozens of photos, a self portrait, and a short video, I started to head back down. Coming down the south face of Brown's Peak, things didn't look familiar, but there was a worn trail heading down the rocky slope. After descending about 50 feet, I lost the route, and decided to climb back up to the top of the peak and scout for the correct route down. After studying the top of the peak, and not finding another way down, I went back down the south face route again. I could see the saddle where I thought I was supposed to go. At one point I descended a 30 foot cliff by climbing through the dense branches of a tree that was growing next to it, and using some very small finger holds in the rock. Now several hundred feet below the top of Brown's Peak, I realized I was at the wrong saddle, as I couldn't see Brown's Saddle at the bottom of the cliffs below me. At that moment I heard a large animal moving towards me through the gambel oak trees (a bear I guessed). I was getting nervous, as I was in some extremely rough terrain, and couldn't seem to find my way off the mountain. Not wanting to end up on the evening news, I decided to return to familiar ground: the top of Brown's Peak. I climbed back up the rock talus pile to the 30 foot cliff I'd descended. "Crap! I came down that?"  Thankfully I was able to get back up the cliff, and eventually made it back to the summit. Thinking to myself that I must have gotten turned around while on the top of the peak, and realizing that I should descend the Brown's Saddle side of the peak, I began searching the northwest end of the peak, looking for the correct way down. I soon reached the top of the chute in Brown's Peak. I shouted down to John, and he returned my yell. Finally, the way down! I thanked God, and began my descent. The cliffs in the chute now seemed tame after my off-trail adventure. In my haste to get to the top of Brown's Peak, I had forgotten to note my surroundings, which would have prevented my off-trail confusion. |
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| "…you never know when a hike might break out" -Jim Gaffigan |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
