Cottonwood

12/16/09 - Hartman Benchmark, 8373, 8260 & 7910

From Fort Collins, I drove south on I-25, west on I-76 and I-70, then north on CO-9, then headed west on Trough Road to the Hartman Benchmark-8260 saddle. There is a parking area on the east side of the road here. I headed up the southeast ridge of Hartman Benchmark to the summit in boot deep snow. Roundtrip took 30 minutes. Next, I headed up the northwest slopes of 8260, finding the summit just southwest of a barbed wire fence. I was surprised to find a cairn on the summit. Roundtrip took 55 minutes.

Hartman Benchmark & 8260

Next, I drove further southwest on Trough Road to an unnamed 4WD road. I continued up the road until my Jeep got stuck, then continued on foot up the south ridge of 7910, then back to the road and up the southeast ridge of 8373 finding some boulders at the summit. I continued back down the ridge and road and back to the Jeep, which I then had to extricate. Roundtrip took 2:50.

8373

7910

8373 & 7910

12/17/09 - Cottonwood Benchmark, Mount Bross, 8420 West & 8420 East

From Troublesome, I headed south on a county road to County Road 33, which I followed east to a public parking area adjacent to Williams Fork Reservoir. I headed up a gated road, then cross country up the southeast face of 8260 East to a 4WD road heading just east of the summit. Roundtrip took 53 minutes.

8420 West

From Parshall, I headed south on County Road 3, then west on a county road to an gated, unnamed 4WD road heading north where I parked. I followed the road, the northwest towards the summit of 8420 East. Roundtrip took 39 minutes.

8420 East

From Hot Sulphur Springs, I headed west on a county road, then up a driveway marked as private where I parked and continued north up to Mount Bross' southeast ridge, which I followed to the summit. Roundtrip took 1:29.

Mount Bross

From Hot Sulphur Springs, I continued southeast up County Road 55 to Cottonwood Pass, where I found Forest Service Road 253 plowed, but closed. I reluctantly parked, then walked up the road to the first intersection, where I continued up the unplowed Forest Service Road 253, then up Forest Service Road 253.1F to the summit. Roundtrip took 2:23.

Cottonwood Benchmark above Hot Sulphur Springs

Cottonwood Benchmark

12/18/09 - San Toy Mountain, Green Mountain & Wolford Mountain

From Kremmling, I headed north on County Road 22, then west on County Road 224 to the intersection of BLM Route 327, where I parked. I continued west up BLM Route 327, then cross country up to the south ridge of Wolford Mountain. I then continued up to the summit. Roundtrip took 2:29.

Wolford Mountain

From Kremmling, I headed south on CO-9, then west on Trough Road to the first house on the right just after the bridge where I asked permission to climb San Toy Mountain. I was able to drive farther than expected up this good road, then continued on foot due north to the summit. Roundtrip took 46 minutes.

San Toy Mountain

I continued south on CO-9, then west on County Road 30 to a parking area on the east side of the road. I continued up the east slopes of Green Mountain finding a summit register with many names. Roundtrip took 1:53.

Green Mountain