RITO ALTO PEAK
(13,794 ft.)May 20, 2006
By Tim Briese
I left home at 4:45 a.m. with my two labs and headed south to the Sangre de Cristos. After passing through Westcliffe I drove west into the mountains on the Hermit Pass Road. I drove up this modest four wheel drive road about two miles and parked at an elevation of around 9800 feet. There was no particular reason to stop at this point, because I could have four-wheeled several more miles up the road. I simply preferred to hike rather than four-wheel today, so I could feel the wind in my face and hear the sounds of the forest and stream, rather than grind up the road in a mere mechanical adventure.
At 7:20 I struck off up the road on foot, presently passing a state wildlife area, and then a few people camping in a meadow off to the side of the road. It was a beautiful sunny spring day, and I clipped rapidly along in a spirit of intoxicating exuberance. As I climbed higher I noted deep snow lying in the woods off to the side of the road, but encountered little on the road itself most of the way up. When I neared timberline I was treated to a splendid view of Eureka Mountain (13,507') off to the southwest across a basin.
After hiking four and a half miles I reached Horseshoe Lake, at about 12,000 feet. Here I had my first good look at Rito Alto, looming above about a mile to the northwest. At this point I left the road and took a shortcut climber=s trail up toward Hermit Pass. I climbed about 700 feet on the trail and rejoined the road again just below the 13,000 foot pass. A big snowfield covered the road and made it impassable above that point. Two ATV=s that someone had driven up the road were parked here but their owners were nowhere to be seen. I assumed they had probably hiked up to the pass to enjoy the view.
The simplest way to climb Rito Alto from this approach would typically be to follow the road up to Hermit Pass and then ascend the peak=s south ridge. I did not have the inclination to do a snow climb that conditions today required, though, so I headed directly up toward the south ridge on steep talus to the right of the snow.
After a short, grueling climb up the talus I reached the south ridge at 13,300 feet, and headed north on the crest of the easy ridge a third of a mile to the summit. The ridge was mostly snow-free except for a few patches as I approached the top. I stepped on top at 11:10 and sat down to enjoy the fine views all around. The view to the south toward the Crestones was quite dramatic. It was pleasant and sunny, with a temperature of 43 degrees. I noted some convective clouds building off to the west over the San Luis Valley, but it was not threatening where I was just yet. I pulled out my map and proceeded to identify numerous peaks both to the north and south along the crest of the range. It felt great to be on the summit of a high peak once again. This was my first 13er this year.
At 11:45 I left the top and headed back down the ridge. I elected to go all the way down the ridge to Hermit Pass, not wishing to go down on the steep talus I had climbed up. Hermit Pass is a broad, scenic saddle on the crest of the Sangres, with commanding views both to the east and to the west. Apparently a road used to continue off from the west side of the pass, but it is now blocked off at the boundary of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, about a hundred yards west of the crest of the pass.
I gazed wistfully up at Hermit Peak (13,350'), directly up the ridge south of the pass, and contemplated climbing it as well today, but a glance at the rapidly building clouds in the sky convinced me to forgo that idea. As I turned to the east to head down from the pass I encountered a half dozen people approaching. They had four-wheeled on ATV=s up to the road-blocking snowbank and then climbed around the snow on foot up to visit the pass. One couple was from Westcliffe and the others were their relatives from Pennsylvania. As I headed down the slope east of the pass I thought about the fine, easy access that the popular Hermit Pass Road provides for visitors to enjoy some of Colorado=s high elevation splendor.
From Hermit Pass I rapidly hiked back down the climber=s trail to Horseshoe Lake, where I stopped for a while to take a relaxing break and soak up the surrounding scenery. After this pleasant sojourn I headed on down the road. Along the way I met three or four more ATV= s going up, and I noticed on the face of every passenger a broad smile and a glow sparked by the excitement of wilderness adventure. I usually do not care much for hiking on roads in the mountains, preferring instead the quiet and solitude of trails when they are available, but I found this scenic road hike quite enjoyable. At 3 p.m. I returned to my truck, completing this rather easy 12 mile, 4000 foot climb in about seven and a half hours.
