Colorado 14ers · 14,279 feet 4349 meters

Torreys Peak is one of the so called “easy” 14,000 foot mountains in the Colorado Rockies. It is easy to get to being only 4 miles off I-70 at exit 221, Bakerville or about 50 miles west of Denver airport (DIA). The normal route is clibmed (hiked) by thousands each year. But the peak offers more difficult approaches and climbs including the classic Dead Dog Couloir.

Jim Davidson and I climbed it on June 19, 2013, ten years after my first climb of this peak and my eighth summit of Torreys. It took us about 8 hours for the round trip including a quick climb of nearby Grays peak. The day is an 9 mile round trip from the trailhead with a vertical gain of 3,500 feet. They are the 9th and 11th highest in Colorado.

I have climbed them each 8 times as of 2013. In June 2013, I climbed them starting from Loveland Pass summiting Cupid and Grizzly Peaks, both 13ers, on the way. This is a long day with all the time spent over 12,000 feet.

For dead Dog, we both got up around 1:30AM to drive to the trailhead arriving at 4:30 and and started climbing the couloir early at 5:30AM to ensure solid snow. The conditions were excellent as we made good time climbing the 1,100’ snow climb in a narrow, rock fall prone couloir in a little under 2 hours. Once on top of Torreys, we tagged nearby Grays Peak at 14,270’. Another wonderful day in the mountains.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything