August 23, 2024

By Tim Briese

Blue Ridge: 2.3 miles, 400’ elevation gain, 1:30 roundtrip time

Today promised to be rather rainy but Brian and I didn’t mind because we were going after some lower elevation and easier peaks and would be in the protection of trees most of the time. From Fraser we drove west a few miles on CR 50 and then forest roads to a point a short distance northwest of Blue Ridge. Topo maps indicated this starting point would provide the most expedient route with the least elevation gain. We bushwhacked southeast through intermittent woods, skirting around a drainage that dropped to the south, and gained a ridge north of the summit. We headed south along the ridge and had to negotiate some nasty deadfall shortly before the final push to the top.

brian coming through the deadfall

the slope to the summit

The summit afforded some nice views off to the southwest.

brian on the summit of blue ridge

On the descent we avoided the deadfall on the ridge by dropping directly off the summit into the woods below to the northwest, and in short order bushwhacked back to the truck.

Unnamed 10279: 1.8 miles, 500’ elevation gain, 1:30 roundtrip time

We drove a short distance southwest on forest roads and parked north of this peak when the road became untenable. This climb was a bit steeper than the last one and we bushwhacked right up the slope through the woods to the south up to the summit, with minimal deadfall to contend with.

we parked at the edge of the meadow visible below in the distance

brian on the summit

Rain looked imminent so we headed right back down to the truck.

Lonesome Peak: 3.2 miles, 700’ elevation, 2:10 roundtrip time

We drove back to Fraser in the rain and took US 40 a few miles north toward Tabernash. We followed the excellent Meadow Creek Road several miles as it climbed steadily up to Meadow Creek Reservoir. We parked in a camp area off the road north of the reservoir. It was raining lightly as we began bushwhacking up the slopes to the northeast. Once we gained the ridge above we turned to the north toward our peak, dropping down a bit to a saddle and then gradually ascending toward the summit. We had the benefit of a trail now and then, but it did not go to the summit and its ultimate destination was unknown to us. A trail wasn’t really needed though because the relatively open trees afforded an easy bushwhack.

brian coming up the trail

Upon reaching the summit ridge we continued toward its northern end and found what we deemed to be the highpoint amidst some downed trees.

me at the summit of lonesome peak

The rain was gone and the sun was out now. It was a fun bushwhack back down on the varied and easy slopes.

meadow creek reservoir on our drive out