Mountain Hiking

by Harold Sears

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I've walked this trail before, both summer and winter (see Lookout Mountain), so again I moseyed among the widely spaced pines, passed the trail sign (Lookout Mt. - 3.2 mi.), the intersection with a trail leading south into Wild Basin, and I crossed a log bridge over tiny Horse Creek. The trail leads us up out of the valley and across the northeast shoulder of the Lookout/Horsetooth massif. There was the hot smell of pine on a little bit cooler air under a perfectly deep blue sky with nary a cloud. I had views of Meeker's SE ridge through the trees.

I crossed a small creek flowing north among lush growth, fluffy mosses, and scattered blooms. At the crossing, the creek pooled against the trunk and roots of a large fir and then emerged again about ten feet down the slope. I imagined the root ball hollowed out with water rushing and squirting among the twisting and intertwined roots.

A little farther down, I crossed the main course of this stream on several logs spanning the flow, circled up a ridgy slope, and passed an angry squirrel and more streams trickling down. I don't suppose there are melting snow banks up there, but it wasn't long ago, and the aquifers are obviously well-charged now, in early July.

Although my trail map indicated otherwise, it seemed to me that the formal, constructed trail ended in the saddle between Mt. Meeker and Lookout Peak. There are small cairns and dead branches placed to guide the hiker SE to Lookout Mt. and NW up Meeker Ridge, but these guides are a little subtle, and the trails are faint, more like a pair of social trails than "real" trails.

I followed the Meeker trail for a short distance and climbed a rock tower that got me above most of the trees. I had a good view up Meeker Ridge to the first series of cliffs, but I had no view of the peak. There was a wide view over Wild Basin to Copeland Mt. to the SW, and of course, I could look over the saddle to Lookout Mt., to the SE. I don't imagine that this trail continues too much farther up Meeker, but with a little maneuvering, it looks like this might be a possible approach to that summit.

I returned to the saddle and followed the little cairns up Lookout Mt. The "lookout tower" on top is a pretty impressive pile. I'd been there twice before and failed to get onto the top, but this time I found that someone had secured a nylon strap to the top, giving me just the handhold I needed to mount the last ledge and scramble on up -- a nice surprise.

But my real goal for the day was Horsetooth Peak, to the NE. There is no trail, but it looked like there might be access from the west, and I eased myself down steep and bouldery talus. I swung down off the sawtooth ridge into the trees and looped north and east. I climbed to the ridge line again and then descended. I encountered a few cairns and then lost them. There was no trail, but I took the cairns to be hints that I should stay below the ragged ridge. I came to a boulder field and climbed to the base of Horsetooth Peak. The peak is really a stone wall with three highpoints. I suppose that from some viewpoints, this wall might look like three, blocky, horse's teeth.

On top, from one point, another looked a little higher, but from that spot, the others looked maybe higher. So, I climbed to each. On one or another, I must have been "on top." Again, beautiful views of beautiful country.

Finally, I scarambled off the peak, down the boulder field, and north through the woods. Again, no trail, but the Lookout Mt. Trail had to be down there somewhere. That way was steep, over boulders and fallen trees like pickup sticks. I tried to be especially slow and deliberate. The terrain leveled out some. Trees were draped with frothy lichens. There was a spring and a heart-shaped pool. The ground was softly needled and mossy. I wound back and forth among standing and fallen trees like weaving a woof through a warp. Sure enough -- Lookout Mt. Trail and easy sailing back to the trailhead.

On Meeker's SE ridge looking toward the peak (out of sight).

(click on any thumbnail for a larger view)

Looking SW over Wild Basin.

The "lookout tower" on Lookout Mt.

Climbing the NW slopes of Lookout.

The "tower."

On top, a view of Meeker to the NW and (below) Horsetooth and Twin Sisters to the north.

To the west of Horsetooth, looking up at the "teeth."

On top.

Looking SW, Lookout's tower tiny on the skyline.

The saddle between Lookout and Meeker Ridge.

And a view north into the valley, the way home, and Estes Cone and Twin Sisters in the distance.

Take route 36 north from Boulder to Lyons, and route 7 west and north past Allenspark at the southeast corner of Rocky Mountain National Park.  Pass mile marker 12, and at Meeker Park Lodge, turn left on CR 113N, a one-lane dirt road directly across from the lodge. Drive 0.6 mi., and park on the side of the road.

Click on the thrumbnail above for a photo of my trail map. Visit the Rocky Mountain National Park website for additional trail information. A good trail map for all of Boulder County is available from the Boulder Area Trails Coalition (links on home page).

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Cautionary Note -- If any of the hikes described on this site sound like something you would like to do yourself, please use good judgment and prepare yourself according to your skills, your interests, and the season. What was fun for me under one set of circumstances might not be fun or even safe for another under other circumstances. Do not consider these descriptions to be unqualified recommendations.