Trails traveled: Gray’s Peak Trail, Torrey’s Peak Trail, Difficulty: Hard (Black)
Distance: 8 miles, Elevation Gain: 3,600 feet
Time: 5 hours
Weather: Clear, Windy

• Gray’s Peak (Elevation 14,270 feet, 9th Tallest Mountain in Colorado)
• Torrey’s Peak (Elevation 14,267 feet, 11th Tallest Mountain in Colorado)
• Combo
• Fourteeners
• Summits
• Wildflowers
• Mountain Goats
• Marmot

I had another chance to go hiking up two more fourteeners this week. I hiked Torrey’s Peak last year, but the summit of Gray’s Peak was the first time. My total is 9 out of 58 peaks, and now Torrey’s twice.

I took the standard route for the combo of Torrey’s Peak and Gray’s Peak. Gray’s was easier than Torrey’s even though you climb it first. Torrey’s Peak was steeper after coming off of Gray’s summit, but it was still an easier hike than the Decalibron.

There was a lot of wildlife out during the hike. I saw a herd of mountain goats of maybe 5 or 6, a marmot, and lots of wildflowers along the hike. Despite being a Wednesday, the trail was busy. These peaks are some of the busiest fourteeners in Colorado. It is about an hour drive from Denver and the hikes are hard, but don’t require any special climbing expertise.

These hikes even though they are similar distance and elevation gain was easier than the Decalibron, but I would chalk it up to the exercise and altitude acclimation from hiking above 14,000 feet on Monday. Recovery from that hike was not too bad either. I feel pretty good now.

The weather outside was what they call a “bluebird day” here in Colorado. The most beautiful blue, clear sky without a cloud in sight. After coming off of Gray’s Peak, the wind started to pick up and it got real cold.

Torrey’s Peak was similar to the last time I was up there, but earlier in the season it was good to see snow still on the nearby peaks in the Loveland Pass area, and seeing Grizzly Peak again was a good reminder of last year’s “adventure” on that rugged peak. I love how you can see the curvature of the earth from this height! Also, the other mountains look like ridges in a brain on the surface of the earth. So cool!

– Jason