Friday, August 11, 2000 - Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, and Mt. Bross ("The Three Peaks")

Doing three fourteeners in one day was a very interesting challenge.  We knew that there was no easier way to get three than the Democrat-Lincoln-Bross trio, but even then we weren't sure exactly how easy it might be.  We were all in great climbing shape by this time, but we could feel the consecutive days of climbing taking their toll.

Rick even seemed extra anxious about getting an early start.  We estimated a 7-8 hour round trip, so we figured we better hit the trail not much later than 6.  Some of the group had decided to head back to Iowa, but of those remaining, Rick, Tara, and I opted to go for all three peaks.  Several others, including Lynne, Jim, and the Carlsons, decided that doing just Democrat would be a nice way to finish the trip.

We got started about 6:20.  Tara took the lead and set a great pace - fast but steady and comfortable.  It had been a breezy morning but when we reached the saddle it was downright windy.  It was good mountain wind, the kind that knocks you off balance when you aren't expecting it.  Instead of ascending the exposed ridge directly, we opted to traverse the face just below the ridge with the hopes of staying out of the wind.

We were on top of Democrat in no time at all.  I believe we did the climb in 1:40, and we gave ourselves only about 5-10 minutes to take some pictures and eat a little on the summit.  One of the most striking views from Democrat is that of the Climax molybdenum operation north of Leadville.  You can look right down on top of it and see that wasteland that has been created.  It doesn't look any better from Democrat than it does from the highway.

Next we headed to Mt. Lincoln.  We couldn't really make out the route from the trailhead, but now we could clearly see where we needed to go.  Mt. Lincoln was actually just beyond Cameron Point.  Cameron is above 14,000 feet but is too close to Lincoln and lacks the vertical relief to be considered as an official fourteener.

We climbed back down to the saddle and up the other side towards Cameron, battered by the wind most all the way.  Tara was still leading and we continued to make great time all the way to the top of Cameron.  The summit of Cameron is somewhat strange - rather flat and almost totally featureless, sort of lunar in some aspects.  It was hardly an elevation drop at all to continue to Mt. Lincoln, and in fact there are also gravel roads up there that go to some of the old mines.  Just before Lincoln's summit there is a bit of a scramble up some rocks, but otherwise it's the simplest of traverses.  We made the Democrat-to-Lincoln stretch in another 1:40, and used about 20 minutes of the time we gained to take more pictures, eat, and relax before Mt. Bross.

The entire route from Lincoln to Bross pretty much follows old gravel roads.  We pounded it out in only 40 minutes.  The summit of Bross is like Cameron's but larger, and probably better described as "like a parking lot" than as "lunar".  Finding the true summit is a bit of a trick, too.  Depending on where you stand it looks like it could be any number of places.  We didn't wait long here, either, but I did get a nice shot of some tiny and beautiful alpine forget-me-nots.

We took the direct descent back to Kite Lake, a scree-filled couloir that provided not only a quick way down, but an entertaining one as well.  Okay, it's not the most environmentally thing to do, but we made a bit of an excuse for ourselves as it was to be our last descent of the trip.  We made it back to the trailhead at exactly noon, making it a quick 5:40 round-trip.

But where was Dave?  Dave had set out with the rest to do Democrat, but feeling good, he decided to go for all three by himself.  They started Democrat about 30 minutes after we did, so we figured he was at least that far behind us the whole way.  Dave must have kept up a great pace because he came trotting back down the trail just after 12:30.  You could tell that he had had a blast and made great time.

Last Updated:  Saturday, October 21, 2000