Quandary Peak

Distance: 6.75 miles RT
Elevation: 10,850-14,265 ft
Elevation Gain: 3,450 ft

Quandary Peak (14,265 ft) viewed from the East Ridge
Technically, Quandary Peak is one of the easier 14ers. There is no large scree dome at the top to navigate and minimal exposure. There are also large rock steps placed frequently along the route so that at times I felt like I was on a Stairmaster instead of a mountain. I have long legs and was able to easily navigate these steps. My two companions were shorter and these step-ups were more difficult. Still, since they have redone the trail and laid gravel down, I would say Quandary Peak is actually harder than Mt. Bierstadt, which is several peaks higher on the difficulty scale. This is all subjective of course. Which is harder, navigating a large boulder-like scree pile or descending for 2 hours on loose gravel? While I was happy for my ankle high boots, there were many hikers wearing running shoes. The slip potential was so high, I am not sure that is the best choice but that again is subjective. I know folk who prefer running shoes saying they are more limber, maneuverable, and more padded.

The lower part of the trail is in the trees.

The elevation gain on Quandary is nothing to laugh at, but given a nice day without pressure from the weather, anyone who has either exercised regularly or who is very determined can achieve the summit. As it was, two flatlanders who had just flow in the night before, zoomed up the trail ahead of us. As I stopped to take pictures, they grew steadily smaller as the distance between us grew. If these folks can hike this “hill”, what is your excuse? Climbing a 14er is the quintessential Colorado experience. Everyone should try it at least once in their life.

Northstar Mountain viewed from the left side of Quandary's ridge

The trail for Quandary begins in the trees. It takes you to the right of the ridge, close to the McCullough Gulch side but then winds back towards the Blue Lakes side. At one point the trees open up with a great view of the summit in the distance. On a closer slope you can see a trail cut into the hillside. This is actually the old trail. The new trail goes around the left side of this hill and steeply ascends the far side to the top of the ridge rather than traversing the broad flat top of the ridge itself. I am not sure why they rerouted the trail this way. It may have been concerns over erosion control.

Monte Cristo Gulch and Blue Lakes
The views of Blue Lakes are very dramatic as you near 12,000 ft. Monte Cristo Gulch is bordered to the south by a jagged ridgeline that joins North Star Mountain to the east and Wheeler Mountain to the west. The damn at the end of the Gulch is the starting point for the West Ridge route up Quandary. This route is much more exposed and should only attempted by more experienced climbers. Just last week a renowned chef from Missouri died on Quandary on this route. Earlier in June another climber nearly died after a horrible tumble down the Monte Cristo couloir.

Quandary summit viewed from the left

If you can take you eyes off the view and look upwards, you can see the top of the East Ridge above you. This ridge sits at 13,150 ft, so by the time you reach it, pat yourself on the back and be aware that oxygen deprivation is going to increase significantly.

Heading up to the ridge at 13,150 ft

From Hwy 9, you can see this ridge and the summit beyond. From that angle, you can see that there is a large drop and rise between them. I was afraid we were going to have to descend a significant distance before rising again but the ridge continues on the narrow left side without a loss of elevation. From there the summit is one mile and 1,100 ft of elevation gain away. It looks worse than it is. The trail, still filled with gravel, but occasionally dirt, winds its way up and over small piles of scree. Only on the lower, and first pile, did I need to pull myself up occasionally with my hands. This is the zone of walk 30 yards, breathe, breathe, breathe…repeat. This area is not technically difficult but is frustratingly slow. I was not able to find a pace at which I could just keep going without stopping. Elevation does make a difference. At 9,000 ft this sort of grade would not wind me.

On the East Ridge, a little farther up

On the narrow portion of the ridge

I have had friends tell me that they dislike Quandary Peak because of this ridge. Each succeeding pile of scree blocks the upper portions of the ridge and gives the illusion that it will be the last. Alas, you will be able to see the last pile and the summit just off to the left so until you do, don’t be fooled and just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

First large scree pile on the upper 1,000 ft

The last false summit

As I mentioned before, there is no large boulder field at the top of Quandary. You can stroll across its top with ease. The views to the west are by far the most dramatic. You can clearly see Mount of the Holy Cross and Notch Top in the distance. Closer in, just across the West Ridge is the Fletcher Mountain and the backside of Mayflower Gulch. To the north is the cone-shaped Crystal Peak. To the south you can clearly view Mt. Democrat, Lincoln, and Bross, and can even see some of the trails that connect these three. On that massif, there is a sharp decent from Democrat up to Lincoln that looks unappealing. The route from Lincoln to Bross looks much more smooth. That will probably be next summers trip.

The summit is in sight.

The journey down from the summit was an exercise in drudgery. This is not unique to Quandary but I do think the level of focus required to survive the gravel made it worse. I had forgotten how much rock there was on the route until I had to descend through it. When ascending you tend to ignore this sort of detail while consumed with summit fever. I was almost joyous to see dirt again.

View from the summit looking northwest towards Crystal Peak

View from the summit looking at a hiker coming up the West Ridge

The trip through the trees was different on the way down. The sun was high in the sky, and the grasses both on the slope and down the neighboring valleys were verdant green. We had been blessed by excellent weather, and could have slept in a little if we had wanted to. Unfortunately, you just can’t trust Colorado’s weather so it is better to start early regardless of the forecast. As it was, by the time we were down in Breckenridge feeding on a well-deserved burger, large storm clouds had begun to form over the summit.

Back down, looking at the green hills of Summit County

I would not recommend Quandary as your first 14er, but if you plan to do a few, it should be on your list. It has a more mountaineering feel to it than Bierstadt, Grays, or Torreys without being technical. It will give you a fantastic sense of accomplishment and a great calf workout. It is still a mountain, and every mountain has its dangers however. We saw people in cut off tops with no sunscreen. We saw babies in backpacks with no sunscreen or glasses. Take Quandary seriously folks. Safety, fitness, and standard preventive measures are essential on Quandary and on any Colorado trail. There is no Starbucks up here nor is there a five minute paramedic response. As always, treat the Wilderness with the respect it deserves.

Note: Jan 2008, I have a nice broad view of Quandary Peak on my Baker's Tank Snowshoe