Rosalie Peak

The hike last weekend and a few workouts at the club help restore my confidence for hiking a bit. Rosalie Peak has been something I’ve been planning since Ellen mentioned it on a hike I did with her, Aaron and Jerry. I figured I might as well “git r done”. The route was in GAIAGPS, so all I needed to do was pack my daypack and go.

Weather at Rosalie Peak

Rosalie Peak sits in the Mt. Evans Wilderness (random thought, Mt. Evans is supposed to be renamed Mount Blue Sky, will they rename the wilderness?). For those that have hiked or backpacked the Mt. Evans massif, you know it seems to have its own weather pattern which is usually for the worse rather than the better. The forecast called for rain before noon with afternoon thunderstorms. The afternoon thunderstorms are pretty typical right now since we’re experiencing monsoon season weather. I didn’t want to get caught in a thunderstorm on the summit, however, so I left a little early…but not TOO early.

Getting there

The trek to Rosalie Peak starts at the Deer Creek Trailhead. The trailhead is off CR-43A. I took US-285 towards Bailey. Once I passed Pine Junction, I turned right onto CR-43 after a little over 4 miles where the stoplight and gas station are located. In case you are jonesing for coffee, the Mudslingers Drive-Thur Coffee is also located here. Follow CR-43 for about 6 miles and there is a Y in the road. Head left onto CR-43A and follow this to the end of the road, Deer Creek Trailhead. You’ll pass by the campground on the way.

The drive was pretty uneventful for me. I left around 5:30AM and made it there by 6:30. It went quickly enough that I didn’t even finish my coffee. I was hoping it would be warm when I returned. 🙂 Temperature at the trailhead was 48.

Heading out for Rosalie Peak

There was only one other car at the trailhead. I switched into my hiking boots, put on my pack, started the GPS track, grabbed my camera, and totally forgot to lock the Jeep. I realized this about half-way through the hike so there wasn’t much I could do.

There is only one trail option at the trailhead so I took it, proving the navigating genius I am. Pretty quickly the trail crosses the creek. About a mile in, you get to the Mt. Evans Wilderness with the usual permit and signs. I went to fill out a permit, saw the box was empty and was promptly bit by a nasty bug. I think the bug was waiting for unsuspecting hikers.

Continuing up the trail

As you can see from the GPX track below, the trail is a pretty steady climb. The trail has some rocky parts at the beginning from washouts during the spring runoff. Later it transitions to mostly dirt as you go through the forest. It’s a really pleasant hike without killer inclines, just a steady, upward climb.

Just past 3 miles, there is a steeper incline as you head up to the saddle point. The trail weaves through some willows and then puts you into a grove of bristle cone pines. These trees are amazing! If you ever see them, take some time to check them out and appreciate their longevity and the things they must have seen. I chatted with a few and took a few pics. Oh, the stories they told me!

The trail takes you on up to the saddle point between Rosalie Peak and Pegmatite Points. As I approached, I heard the familiar call of a marmot. There was one checking me out while his lazy friend just gazed my way. I snapped a shot and continued on.

Once at the saddle, I turned left near the indicator post and began the “no trail” section. This portion of the hike heads across the tundra and up to the peak without a marked or official trail. The GPS track doesn’t show much increase in incline but crossing over 12,000′ seemed to take something out of me. The peak had a lot of clouds around it. I didn’t see or suspect any thunderstorms so I continued up. Around halfway between the saddle and the summit I saw someone ahead of me making good progress towards the peak. That helped me summon up my motivation since I’m pretty competitive. I gave an extra push for 10 steps and took a rest again. 🙂

Near the top, there is a little ridge that drops off into a flat area before a small climb to the peak. Right before the ridge, my “companion” came by on his way back down. We chatted a bit and headed on our way. It’s always fun to exchange some conversation with other hikers.

Shortly after meeting him, I made it to the summit. The views were amazing!

As is typical, I didn’t spend enough time at the summit. I had a snack and began my trek back to the trailhead. On the way to the saddle, an inversion effect in the clouds created a few good pictures. Looking up, I saw Rosalie Peak was covered in clouds. I guess I was lucky to get the view I did!

The hike back was relaxing and uneventful. I was able to take time to get a few more pictures of flowers and critters. I even got a pic of a beautiful butterfly, always a plus. Eventually I made it back to the car by 12:00 and headed home. In case you’re wondering, my coffee was still warm. Gotta love those Yeti’s!

Summary of Rosalie Peak hike

The hike was a great motivator for me. It felt good to get up a decent summit. Hopefully I’ll get a few more good hikes in this month, and maybe even complete that Bubble Lake loop that’s been on my to-do list for 2 years! As always, thanks for reading.