MOUNT SHERMAN HIKE PICTURES! (alt. 14,036 feet, near Fairplay, CO) - August 11, 2004
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Mount Sherman! Standing in Leavick, Mt. Sherman is on the right and 13er
Mt. Sheridan on the left.
(Click here for good trailhead directions.) |
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If you have a high clearance vehicle, you can drive all the way to the gate at approximately 12,000 feet. |
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At the base, there's all sorts of old mining structures leftover from another era.
Pretty interesting!
Here are all of my 14er pictorials:
Mt. Demorcat - Lincoln - Bross & Kite Lake Area (near Alma)
Mount Princeton (near Buena Vista)
Pikes Peak near (Manitou Springs) |
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Up we go! Check out that mining structure way up on the left! |
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This trail is relatively easy to stay on, but cairns like these are always appreciated! ;) |
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Head up to this easy-to-spot saddle between Mt. Sheridan and Mt. Sherman, and then you'll get some nicer views!
TOP: Looking towards Mt. Sherman
MIDDLE: Mt. Sheridan, a respectable 13er.
BOTTOM: Looking west, you'll get your first view of 14er Mt. Massive and surrounding ranges. |
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Lots of exposure as you're heading up from the saddle.
A strong and very cold wind from the west warranted me to put my long-sleeve tie-dye and biker pants on
. Hey, what do you think about my cheap $4 sunglasses? I bought it at a local gas station!
Don't they rock? :) |
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One word of caution: There's a spot
where the trail switches over the to western ridge, although there's a slightly
deceiving trail that runs to the right. Don't go there! Otherwise, you'll go where I was,
scrambling dangerously on the steep eastern face. I did that for a few minutes before having the
good sense to return back to this spot. See adjacent photo! |
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You'll reach another mini-saddle with a great view of Leadville, Turquoise Lake and surrounding mountains. I love this picture! |
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Looking back down towards the trailhead and road to the east. |
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Now the western face of Mt. Sherman is extremely steep. In the top photo,
I'm looking nearly straight down at a mine operation
(alt. 12,500 feet?). From the same spot, I took the bottom photo looking towards the northwest. |
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Near the very top! Check out that huge patch of snow. The summit is long and flat and the official summit marker is up to the north. |
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Yippee! Hooray! Yeehaw! :)Okay, okay, a couple of token pictures of me! :) |
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I met three really friendly hikers along the way. The guy and girl (left) detoured below the saddle
and scrambled up the eastern face of the mountain. They were amazing! Also, a 66-year-old woman followed us to the top. She has hiked approximately
twenty 14ers ... Wow! People, I don't want to hear any lame excuses ... Most of you definitely
have what it takes to bag some 14ers! ;) |
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Some views from the summit!
TOP: I'm pretty
sure that's 13er Dyer Mountain with 14er Mount of the Holy Cross way in the background to the left.
SECOND: Looking west towards Leadville.
THIRD: Looking south, the
Collegiate Peaks stick their heads way in the background.
BOTTOM: Looking north,
Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Bross and Quandry Peak sit in a cluster. Grays
and Torreys Peak sit way to the right in the background! |
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Looking east, it was clear enough to capture a couple of shots of
Pikes Peak. Ooooooh! I like the bottom photo! :) |
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Heh heh! I'm thinking about starting a new tradition ... smoking a cigar atop the summit! :) |
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One last picture of the snow as I began my hike down! |
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And one very last picture below the gate, as I walked towards my car. |
