There were some who questioned our decision to hike the Decalibron on the 4th of July with all the potential crowds. It was a reasonable question. But the crowds weren't the issue for us today. While there were a fair amount of people on trail in the relatively short time we were up there, that wasn't really the problem. In fact, we've now spent 2 years in a row on 14ers on the 4th of July and it becomes quite fun to wish random people on the trail "Happy 4th" as you enjoy what should be a favorite pastime of America: enjoying our beautiful outdoors.
Trip Info:
Kite Lake TH to Mt. Democrat
Kite Lake Trailhead Elevation: 12,001 ft.
Democrat Summit Elevation: 14,148 ft.
Distance: 4.49 mi.
Total Ascent: 2490ft.
Total Descent: 2490ft.
Start Time: 6:19am
End Time: 9:18am
Track:
I have a track and waypoints from the activity all contained in the embedded Google Map. Check it out and use at your own risk.
Total Descent: 2490ft.
Start Time: 6:19am
End Time: 9:18am
Trip Report:
We ended up at the Decalibron at the end of our week in Colorado, visiting from Michigan. We enjoyed some backpacking on the Colorado trail visiting Lake Ann and Hartenstein Lake. The day prior we had a great summit on Mt. Massive. This hike fit the bill of being a little shorter in breadth as well as a good location on our way to Denver and back home.
We ended up at the Decalibron at the end of our week in Colorado, visiting from Michigan. We enjoyed some backpacking on the Colorado trail visiting Lake Ann and Hartenstein Lake. The day prior we had a great summit on Mt. Massive. This hike fit the bill of being a little shorter in breadth as well as a good location on our way to Denver and back home.
We hit Kite Lake at 6:15am hoping to get an early start and beat some of the crowds. We were also facing what I would call an "average" weather forecast. It wasn't the usual "chance of rain after noon" forecast, it was more like chance of rain right away. But the chance was listed at 30-40%, so that's still hopeful.
When we arrived it was quite cool (probably in the 40's) and also breezy. The peaks were clouded in with just a few small pockets of blue sky. It was "good enough" to start the hike and hope things clear up.
We also had another factor working against us today. One of my son's has been having a knee issue over the past week that is especially exacerbated by downhills. We weren't sure how this would affect today's hike and came in prepared to adjust plans as needed for him.
My two sons Seth and Luke started up from Kite Lake with me. My father dropped us off and had plans to head into Alma or Fairplay to grab a cup of coffee. The parking lot was full with another 10 or so cars already along the road parked. The last quarter mile got pretty rough, and while technically passable for a 2WD, it would be quite an adventure.
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| Anywhere but the mountain actually had a pretty beautiful morning |
On the initial ascent we hiked by a CFI crew doing fine work as always updating the trail and making things more sustainable. We were passing a few groups and got passed by another. As we ascended to within view of the saddle we could feel the wind hitting us and this was keeping things quite cool. We had jackets on from the start and gloves were increasingly becoming a welcome addition.
At the main saddle with Democrat my Tempe sensor noted it was 38° and the wind chill certainly lower. Things were near white out at that point. We pushed onward towards the summit hanging onto our hats and not worrying too much yet about food or drink in the cold. There were parties everywhere along the trail in this stretched. We had probably bumped in 50+ already.
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| White-out conditions on the ascent |
We hit the summit flat of Democrat at 13,900 and it was complete white-out here. So much so I couldn't tell for sure what direction to go at first. I had in my head it was a "left turn" but I think that was based upon the summit being to the west from that point on the maps. We saw tracks heading into a snow patch in the blindness of the white-out and then eventually saw faint figures coming our way on the tracks. We decided that must be the right path. We started into the snow and my GPS track confirmed that was it.
The snow lasted perhaps a 100 feet and then we were on rock again heading for that final 200 foot push up the summit hump. The weather did us no favors. The wind was steady and a sleety-drizzle, almost snowing, began to hit us on top. Temperature was barely above freezing. We lingered only a few minutes and my son said, with his knee in mind, that this wasn't his day and he suggested a full descent to the trailhead.
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| Can't see a thing ... thankfully the tracks in the snow were the right path to follow |
I gave consideration to just sending him alone to the trailhead while my other son and I continued on the loop but ultimately didn't think that would work. On a more pleasant day he could wait an hour or two at the bottom. But today it would be just too cold. Not to mention the seeming deteriorating weather would simply not make the is a pleasant day for any of us to make the full loop.
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| Almost to the top, the views did not improve |
We decided in full to call it a day and I communicated with my father out in Fairplay on the timing of an early pickup. It was the right decision. About halfway down the descent the rain opened up more and stayed steady til we got back to the trailhead. We were pretty wet by the end of it. The cloud deck along the peaks never lifted while we were there.
In all it was still a nice hike for us and a new summit for my son Seth. This was Luke's first return to his first 14er which he had done in 2010. We timed 1:31 on the ascent and roughly the same on the descent.
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| Coming back down to the saddle, the climb to Cameron and Lincoln ahead |
Track:
I have a track and waypoints from the activity all contained in the embedded Google Map. Check it out and use at your own risk.
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