Elk Mountains Grand Traverse- March 29, 2013

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse by Outdoor Research and Dynafit

The 16th Annual GORE-TEX® Elk Mountains Grand Traverse will be held on Friday March 29, 2013!

The Grand Traverse is an extraordinary 40-mile backcountry ski race between the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen, CO. Depending on weather, the start is usually at midnight from Crested Butte, often in sub-zero temperatures; the racers traverse Colorado’s spectacular Elk Mountains. NOTE: for 2012 the start will be 11:00PM at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

The course is based on the mail routes of the 1880's, connecting the two towns. In this extreme endurance event, racers will climb more than 7,800 vertical feet and navigate in a self-supported backcountry race that tests them physically and mentally. To maintain safety in the backcountry, racers compete in teams of two and are required to carry mandatory gear. Held annually since 1998, it’s earned a reputation as a true test of toughness for elite local, national and international athletes.

Come visit us at Great Crested Butte Lodging!

 

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse- March 29, 2013

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse by Outdoor Research and Dynafit

The 16th Annual GORE-TEX® Elk Mountains Grand Traverse will be held on Friday March 29, 2013!

The Grand Traverse is an extraordinary 40-mile backcountry ski race between the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen, CO. Depending on weather, the start is usually at midnight from Crested Butte, often in sub-zero temperatures; the racers traverse Colorado’s spectacular Elk Mountains. NOTE: for 2012 the start will be 11:00PM at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

The course is based on the mail routes of the 1880's, connecting the two towns. In this extreme endurance event, racers will climb more than 7,800 vertical feet and navigate in a self-supported backcountry race that tests them physically and mentally. To maintain safety in the backcountry, racers compete in teams of two and are required to carry mandatory gear. Held annually since 1998, it’s earned a reputation as a true test of toughness for elite local, national and international athletes.

Come visit us at Great Crested Butte Lodging!

 

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse- March 29, 2013

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse by Outdoor Research and Dynafit

The 16th Annual GORE-TEX® Elk Mountains Grand Traverse will be held on Friday March 29, 2013!

The Grand Traverse is an extraordinary 40-mile backcountry ski race between the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen, CO. Depending on weather, the start is usually at midnight from Crested Butte, often in sub-zero temperatures; the racers traverse Colorado’s spectacular Elk Mountains. NOTE: for 2012 the start will be 11:00PM at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

The course is based on the mail routes of the 1880's, connecting the two towns. In this extreme endurance event, racers will climb more than 7,800 vertical feet and navigate in a self-supported backcountry race that tests them physically and mentally. To maintain safety in the backcountry, racers compete in teams of two and are required to carry mandatory gear. Held annually since 1998, it’s earned a reputation as a true test of toughness for elite local, national and international athletes.

Come visit us at Great Crested Butte Lodging!

 

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse- March 29, 2013

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse by Outdoor Research and Dynafit

The 16th Annual GORE-TEX® Elk Mountains Grand Traverse will be held on Friday March 29, 2013!

The Grand Traverse is an extraordinary 40-mile backcountry ski race between the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen, CO. Depending on weather, the start is usually at midnight from Crested Butte, often in sub-zero temperatures; the racers traverse Colorado’s spectacular Elk Mountains. NOTE: for 2012 the start will be 11:00PM at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

The course is based on the mail routes of the 1880's, connecting the two towns. In this extreme endurance event, racers will climb more than 7,800 vertical feet and navigate in a self-supported backcountry race that tests them physically and mentally. To maintain safety in the backcountry, racers compete in teams of two and are required to carry mandatory gear. Held annually since 1998, it’s earned a reputation as a true test of toughness for elite local, national and international athletes.

Come visit us at Great Crested Butte Lodging!

 

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse- March 29, 2013

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse by Outdoor Research and Dynafit

The 16th Annual GORE-TEX® Elk Mountains Grand Traverse will be held on Friday March 29, 2013!

The Grand Traverse is an extraordinary 40-mile backcountry ski race between the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen, CO. Depending on weather, the start is usually at midnight from Crested Butte, often in sub-zero temperatures; the racers traverse Colorado’s spectacular Elk Mountains. NOTE: for 2012 the start will be 11:00PM at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

The course is based on the mail routes of the 1880's, connecting the two towns. In this extreme endurance event, racers will climb more than 7,800 vertical feet and navigate in a self-supported backcountry race that tests them physically and mentally. To maintain safety in the backcountry, racers compete in teams of two and are required to carry mandatory gear. Held annually since 1998, it’s earned a reputation as a true test of toughness for elite local, national and international athletes.

Come visit us at Great Crested Butte Lodging!

 

Elk Mountains Grand Traverse- March 29, 2013

Elk Mountain Grand Traverse by Outdoor Research and Dynafit

The 15th Annual GORE-TEX® Grand Traverse was a success! Thank you to the racers and volunteers that helped make this happen!
The 16th Annual GORE-TEX® Elk Mountains Grand Traverse will be held on Friday March 29, 2013. Mark your calendars!

The Grand Traverse is an extraordinary 40-mile backcountry ski race between the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen, CO. Depending on weather, the start is usually at midnight from Crested Butte, often in sub-zero temperatures; the racers traverse Colorado’s spectacular Elk Mountains. NOTE: for 2012 the start will be 11:00PM at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
The course is based on the mail routes of the 1880's, connecting the two towns. In this extreme endurance event, racers will climb more than 7,800 vertical feet and navigate in a self-supported backcountry race that tests them physically and mentally. To maintain safety in the backcountry, racers compete in teams of two and are required to carry mandatory gear. Held annually since 1998, it’s earned a reputation as a true test of toughness for elite local, national and international athletes.

Come visit us at Great Crested Butte Lodging!

 

Capitol Peak, Elk Mountains: 14,130 feet

Capitol Peak is west of Aspen, within the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and is a 14,130 foot peak in the Northeastern Ridge of the Elk Mountains. Capitol Peak is one of the most difficult of the Colorado 14ers to climb, rating a Class 4 with a level 5 Exposure, meaning that it is dangerous and requires careful, technical moves to navigate the trail; a fall would likely be fatal, and there are big and sheer drops.

Capitol Peak has an elevation gain of 5,300 feet, and a final elevation of 14,130 feet. The peak can be accessed through the Capitol Creek trailhead, which is a rough 2WD road, although 4WD is needed in early summer because of the steep hills.
The ridge here is considered a "knife-edge ridge" and is mostly completed as an over-night mountaineering experience with camping at Capitol Lake!

Pyramid Peak, Elk Mt Range: 14,013 ft

Pyramid Peak is a 14,018 foot peak in the Northeast Ridge of the Elk Mountains.  The summit is called Pyramid peak because it resembles a ragged square pyramid and is visible from a valley north of Aspen along the canyon of Maroon Creek. This peak has an elevation gain of 4,500 feet and begins at the Maroon Lake trailhead.

The peak has steep slopes, loose rock, and exposed ledges, putting it in the Class 4 "technical" peak category. The round-trip length from trailhead to the summit and back is 8 miles.

The exposure of Pyramid Peak is rated as 4/6, meaning that there is a more serious exposure that could result in serious injury if you fall. Moving past many areas will require some scrambling or short technical moves.

Good Luck on your Hiking Adventures!

Maroon Bells Peaks, Elk Mountain Range: 14,156 and 14,014 feet

The Maroon Bells are two peaks in the Elk Mountains, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak. Their peaks are 14,156 and 14,014 feet, and they are 1/3 mile apart and 12 miles southwest of Aspen. Both peaks have an elevation gain of 4,500-4,800 feet, and both are accessed by the Maroon Lake trailhead.

The different between Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak is the difficulty of the climbs. Maroon Peak has a difficulty of Class 3 and a 4/6 exposure, meaning a pretty serious exposure that could result in serious injury if you fell,hiking past the area will require some scrambling or short technical moves.

North Maroon Peak has a difficulty of Class 4, rope is often used on Class 4 routes because falls can be fatal; the terrain is often steep and dangerous, although some routes can be done without rope because the terrain is stable. The exposure of this peak is the same as the Maroon Peak.

Snowmass Mountain, Elk Range: 14,092 feet

Snowmass Mountain is a summit along the East Slope in the Elk Mountains off the Snowmass Creek trailhead. Snowmass is a Class 3 with Moderate Exposure along the immediate route, avoidable with some slow hiking or scrambling. It is located within the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness of the White River National Forest.

The elevation of Snowmass Mountain is 14,092 feet, and the elevation gain is 5,800 feet. The trailhead is easy-access at Snowmass Creek and is part paved and part dirt. The round trip hike to the summit and back to the trailhead is 21.5 miles and is a nearly year-round alpine snow-climb ascent.

Note: this hike is usually done as an over-nighter.

Castle Peak, Elk Mountain Range: 14,265 feet

Castle Peak is the highest peak in the Elk Mountains at 14,265 feet, and the 12th highest peak in Colorado. It is on the Northeast Ridge of the Elk Mountains and is classified as a difficult level 2, and is an ideal beginner 14er that has an exciting and breathtaking summit ridge.

The exposure is a 3/6, meaning that there is a moderate level of exposure on the immediate route and some slow hiking or scrambling may be necessary on the trail. The length of the trail to the summit and back is 13 miles if you start at the main trailhead, 6.5 miles if you start hiking from 11,200 feet, although you must have a 4WD vehicle to park this high up on the mountain.

The elevation gain is 4,600' if you start at the main trailhead, 3,100 feet if you start at 11,200 feet. The Castle Creek trailhead is found by following Castle Creek Road out of Aspen. The trailhead follows a 2WD paved access to 9,750 feet, a rough 2WD access to 9,900 feet, a 4WD access to 12,800 feet by following Castle Creek up past the Montezuma Mine and into a basin north of Castle Peak.