After spending the past few weeks climbing some of the more technical 14ers, I wanted to take a break and knock out a couple of the walk up ones near Denver. I’d never done Gray’s and Torrey’s peaks, and figured it was a great chance to introduce a few friends to their first experience of hiking at higher altitude.

One really great thing about the front range peaks is that you don’t have to get up obscenely early to make the summit and get home at a reasonable time. We met at my place around 6:30 am, and headed out. We got there too late to get a parking spot in near the trailhead itself, but were early enough to get one not more than a few hundred feet down the road.  The trail was crowded, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d been told it could be.

The weather was looking perfect, and when we finally hit the summit of Gray’s right around noon, there were still no clouds in sight, so we headed over the saddle to Torrey’s. We hit the second summit around 1:45 or so, and then started to head down.

Three of the group and the two dogs headed down the standard route, but I was feeling cocky after hanging out in the Elk Range so I decided I wanted a bigger challenge. I’d read about a class 3 traverse on Kelso Ridge that would come out near the main trail…I figured that it would be fun, and save some time on the main route down. Sarah decided to join me, so we headed off toward the ridge.

Well, the route wasn’t that easy to find. Somehow I got off route very early and ended up descending way too quickly. I’m still not sure exactly how it happened, but we ended up in Dead Dog Couloir. I’m sure this a great snow climb, but for a summer descent it leaves a hell of a lot to be desired. We worked our way down through some tricky down-climbs with lots of loose rock all around. Taking our time, we ended up down on the main trail about an hour later than the folks who’d taken the standard path down…so much for time saving!

Pettingell Peak is the high point of Grand Country in Colorado, and a great 13′er near Herman Lake. Getting to the top requires a bit of class 3 rock scrambling and is definitely not advised for those who have an extreme fear of heights or exposure. The weather was pretty nice for most of the day, although we did get caught in a brief snow and rainstorm about 25 minutes from the top.

The hike to Pawnee Pass traverses vibrant, varied terrain en route to spectacular views atop the Continental Divide. Two lakes, innumerable streams, abundant wildflowers and extended alpine-tundra travel make this one of the Indian Peak’s most interesting and enjoyable day hike destinations. Get an early start, as you may find yourself tempted to fully explore the Long Lake, Lake Isabelle and Pawnee Pass areas.

The trail begins on a flat, well-groomed path through stately spruce forest. The trail bypasses the Jean Lunning Trail – the first of several easy access points to Long Lake – after just .2 miles. Continue straight towards Lake Isabelle and Pawnee Pass. The damp lake basin and its many tributaries make this first mile especially verdant.

The trail remains flat until reaching a second connection with the Jean Lunning Trail (1.2 miles), beyond which it climbs steadily through a progressively thinning forest to Lake Isabelle (2.1 miles : 10,868′). The Lake Isabelle vicinity is simply stunning, highlighted by terrific views of Navajo (13,409′), Apache (13,441′), and Shoshoni (12,967′) peaks, Isabelle Glacier (12,025′) and several nearby streams that make possible a brilliant wildflower display.

The trail splits at the lake’s east end for Pawnee Pass, beginning a moderately steep climb through the upper-reaches of the subalpine. Aerial views of Lake Isabelle and a network of tumbling tributaries accompany you on this notably more challenging section. Take note of pronounced ecological changes on the rapid transition through and above treeline.

The trail flattens considerably, if only briefly, once above treeline on a broad tundra bench overlooking the Lake Isabelle valley. This welcomed reprieve yields excellent views of several nearby peaks, and an opportunity to closely examine unique tundra ecology while observing the marmot, pika and ptarmigan that subsist on it.

The trail soon begins a steep, methodical climb up a south-facing ridge over lengthy switchbacks. On the return you’ll appreciate looking down at the exaggerated zig-zag route this trail takes up the ridge.

The strenuous climb meets the ridgeline (4.45 miles) and spills into a flat, expansive tundra saddle tucked neatly between Shoshoni (12,967′) and Pawnee (12,943′) peaks. An easy jaunt leads to a large sign identifying Pawnee Pass and the Continental Divide (4.6 miles : 12,541′).

From here well-worn social trails branch off and lead up the respective summits; continuing west for a short time yields sweeping views down the western slope of the Divide, and a glimpse of Pawnee Lake.