Lost for Life- a 3 pack in Lost Creek Wilderness.

Lost Creek Wilderness, it's been awhile.  Nine years in fact, and my last visit brought one of the longest non-race outings of my life- 39 miles and almost 11k of gain over 18 hours.  I started and ended in the dark, almost 5 hours out there after the sun set.

This time I was determined to only have darkness in one direction, and do a more reasonable day.  This still meant a 3 am wake up, and 1.5 hour drive to the Brookside-McCurdy trailhead, just outside of Bailey, Colorado.  Headlight equipped and bundled up (27 degrees at the TH), I was on the trail just after 5.  My best estimates put me at around 12 hours of time on foot, though I was hoping for less.

It was good to start early in the dark, just motor on up the trail, stop here and there to look up at the night sky and feel small, and make some miles.  

Back finally.

I was able to cover about 4.5 miles and 2k feet of gain before the sky started to lighten and I left the trail, headed to the first goal of the day, the 10,659 foot Lost Platte Peak.  The bushwhacking here was moderate at most, a little bit of deadfall and new growth, but reasonable movement overall.  Eventually I found myself on a 'trail' of sorts, just a thin snake of a cleared path running through the forest with cairns and everything.

I reached the summit shortly after sunrise.  The highest point looked to be to the south, with a small plastic bottle as a register.  There was also a cracked plastic peanut butter jar register under a boulder a bit northwest of there.  I signed into the bottle, but didn't bother with the other.  If you go soon, take a new jar and consolidate please!

Lost Platte Peak, 10,659 feet.

"I am a thing that nothing is, and yet I have a name..."

My plan was to drop SE from the summit, angling south and then SSW as I lost elevation to meet the trail I'd recently left further on and nearly 2,000 feet below me.  This was entirely off trail and while I'd looked at the satellite imagery, I had no real idea what things would be like.  It looked like I could work through or around any rock encountered, but the bushwhacking was of unknown quality and quantity.

Would it be hellacious deadfall with copious bushy undergrowth?  Or a easy romp through mostly open forest?  I felt if it was the former, that at least I'd be working with gravity the entire time.  But it was the latter.  Off trail movement but with no real obstacles besides some easy rocky sections here and there.  

Golden light.

The going was so easy it only took me 45 minutes from the summit to the trail, even with a restroom break.  Where was the restroom?  Where ever you want it to be.

I paralleled Craig Creek for a bit, and filled up on water.  My next definite source was the very same creek, time and elevation (higher in fact than the summit I just stood upon) ahead.  It was pretty nice down here, and I passed a number of established campsites.  Some day...

Colorado Trail.

Which is this area, is an old jeep road.

Heading up the CO trail was easy, and while uphill, there were times it didn't feel like it.  I was even able to jog here and there.  The trail continued in this manner up until around 9900 feet, where it was rerouted, steeper, and singletrackier.  

Colorado Trail.

I got to the saddle between Windy Peak and 11269.  I'd thought about adding Windy on to this day, but ultimately decided against it due to time and also wanting to visit 11542, which is in the opposite direction I wanted to go on this day but probably best visited with Windy.  So onward!

While most of the bushwhacking to this point had been moderate at most, here it was definitely a step up in difficulty.  Down trees, new growth, and some rock all provided obstacles to forward progress.  Plus it was uphill!

I came to a point that looked like it could be the summit and took a photo just in case, but found the true summit soon after.  Look for the white jar.

11269.

This was the best summit register of the day, dating back to 1999.  I enjoyed seeing so many familiar names within.  That put a real smile on my face.  

I was surprised the bushwhacking continued.  I'd expected it to ease up with the elevation, though I did drop down into the 10800's before continuing to 11732.  It was only when I got close to the third summit of the day that I met tundra, and had easier going.

11732 and views forward.

11732 was a LiDar find, as I believe the summit was thought to be lower and the saddle between it and Zephyr higher than the reality.  Hence it was an unranked bump on the ridge of bumps.  But with more accurate measurement, it actually has 310 feet of prominence.

I stayed south around the next bump on the ridge, and then north around the one beyond that.  A short descent and I was on the Brookside-McCurdy trail.  I was 8 hours in and only had about 500 more feet of elevation gain over the last 8 or so miles.  I was pretty sure the day would take me less than 12 hours in total.

As I found the last time I was on it, the trail was in good shape with all deadfall cut and removed yet also paradoxically difficult to follow in places.  I dropped another thousand feet over the next two miles down to Craig Creek (again).  I was around 5.5 miles and 2000 feet above where I'd intersected it earlier.  The water was colder, with some ice forming around the edges.  

Craig Creek drainage.  Not THE lost creek, though I felt suitably lost.

A suitably worn sign.

I got water from the creek and tried to strategize- too little and I'd run out before I got back to the car, too much and it would be extra weight to carry.  

I climbed 400 feet to the saddle between Payne Benchmark and No Payne (which brought the payne) and started down.  The forest looked pretty open and there was a huge switchback, so I went off trail to cut some distance.  At this point, I just wanted to be done.  

At around 9800 feet, I noticed what looked like an old jeep road on my right.  This was another switchbacky section, so I was happy to explore in hopes of avoiding them.  It was indeed an old road, and this cut out half a mile of distance.  

One more switchback down below which I cut, and then through a meadow close to the end.  

Smelling the barn, and some clouds to add interest.

A short downhill and I was back at the car, clocking 10:41 for the day.  Bonus: I'd be in daylight for the entire drive home.  Negative: rush hour traffic the entire way and it took about 30 minutes longer on the return trip.  That made me wish I'd been able to go faster yet, or slower and get back after dark.  Or that I'd brought a tent and could spend the night.  Hopefully next time!

In total, this day covered ~27 miles with around 7,700 feet of elevation gain, and included both on and off trail travel.  Hopefully it won't be 9 years until I get back next time!  Link to hike map/GPX on caltopo.