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The Mt. Princeton Anniversary Climb
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The Mt. Princeton Anniversary Climb
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You can print out this Itinerary or download the Adobe Acrobat version with full formatting and print that out.
Here is a description of the route that we will be taking from Gerry
Roach's Book, Colorado Fourteeners.
"Princeton is a singular mountain. It is a true monarch as its neighbors are far lower and far away. Princeton is one of Colorado's most powerful peaks. Its summit is less than 9 miles southwest of Buena Vista, and the peak rises abruptly out of the Arkansas River Valley.
Princeton is the most visible of the Collegiate fourteeners. As you descend
west in to the Arkansas River Valley on U.S. 285, Princeton stares you smack
in the face for many miles. You cannot ignore its gaze."
The route is described as a Class 2 route which means off-trail hiking
with some scrambling over large rocks on the upper sections. There are two
possible starting points for the Mount Princeton climb, a lower trailhead
at 8,900 feet and a higher trailhead at 11,000 feet. The upper point is
only accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles over a narrow, one-lane dirt
road. The large size of our group makes it unfeasible to transport people
above 8,900 feet. This means a round trip hike of 13 miles, which makes
for a challenging day when climbing 5,297 feet in 6 miles (an average of
882 feet per mile). The first 4 miles of hiking will be along the dirt road.
Here is Gerry Roach's description of the route.
"Follow the Mount Princeton Road to a tree line at 11,820 feet. Leave the road just as it starts to head south toward Bristlecone Park and climb north on a trail to a small ridge at 12,000 feet. The trail-road junction is not well marked and is easy to miss. You can see Princeton's upper slopes from the ridge.
Continue on the trail as it climbs west across a north-facing slope below
Point 13,300 (alias Tigger's Peak). The trail is not destined for Princeton's
summit but for an old mine at 13,100 feet east of the summit. Do not follow
the trail all the way to the mine as the slope above the mine is unpleasant.
Leave the trail between 12,700 feet and 12,900 feet and climb south west
up talus (large rocks) to Princeton's southeast ridge. Follow the easy southeast
ridge to the summit."
Our goal is to have an enjoyable day on Mt. Princeton celebrating the
250th anniversary. Reaching the summit will depend on many factors
such as weather, hiking pace, and physical condition. Even on a beautiful
day we anticipate that there will be some people who reach the summit and
others who do not. In the end, it's the journey and the camaraderie that
are important.
Due to the large number of participants it will be necessary to break
up into smaller groups and stagger our launch from the parking lot. We will
use the hikes on Thursday to help sort out hiking speeds and groupings for
the climb. We will assign you to hiking groups on Thursday evening. If you
want to stay together with others in your party, then the faster people
will need to hike with the slower paced folks. In families with children,
parents will need to decide how to group the family. At least one parent
must attend a child or children who are hiking. Because afternoon thunderstorms
are common during the summer, we will need to be off the exposed ridge and
back at treeline around 1:00 PM. Each group will have an experienced trip
leader to supervise. We will get an early start and carefully monitor the
progress of each group towards the summit. Based on the hiking time of each
group, the leader will decide whether there is enough time to get to the
summit and back down by 1:00 PM or not. If the leader determines that the
group needs to turn back before the summit, then everyone is expected to
cheerfully comply. Remember this is for your safety and the safety of the
others in your group. No one will be allowed to hike solo.
There will be several manned checkpoints along the way with staff in
case people need to rest or decide to turn back. Walkie talkies will allow
us to keep in touch with all the groups on the mountain. We will also have
two four-wheel drive vehicles at the upper parking area for emergencies.
In case of a bad weather, we will postpone the climb to Saturday, July 19.
After the climb, we will all rendezvous back at the Mt. Princeton Hot
Springs resort to enjoy a real Western barbecue. After all that high altitude
exertion, everyone will be ready for a great meal.
Children: Children 8 years and up can participate in the climb
although younger children are unlikely to reach the summit. You should think
about the age, physical condition and hiking experience of your child. Children
under 10 are unlikely to be able to hike quickly enough to get up to the
summit and back before the 1:00 PM deadline. The South Summit (12,960 feet)
is a more realistic goal for kids and still a fun hike. It is 8 miles round
trip with 4,060 feet of elevation (an average of 507 feet per mile). Families
with children in backpacks are encouraged to do the South Summit hike. We
will hike towards the South Summit and get as high as we can. Leaders will
determine when to head back based on the hiking time and the need to get
back to treeline around 1:00 PM. Children seven and under can participate
in the Child Care program (you must register in advance) or can stay with
a parent or guardian at the Ponderosa Lodge.
Western Barbecue: For those who don't participate in the hike.
We will have transportation over to the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs resort
on Friday afternoon to join everyone for the western barbecue.
The hiking times depend on your physical condition level and how well you do at altitude. Here is a sample chart that indicates the approximate round trip hiking time based on the average hiking time per mile and including time for the ascent and descent. As you can see, for individuals hiking at more than 30 minutes per mile, it won't be possible to reach the summit and get back down below treeline (11,820 feet) by about 1:00 PM. Group leaders will keep careful track of each group's pace and will turn back if the group cannot reach the summit in time.
Hiking Pace for 1 mile in minutes |
Miles Round Trip | Total Hiking time in hours | Departure Time | Arrive at Summit | Return to Base at 8,900 ft |
| 20 | 13 | 6.1 | 5:30 AM | 9:31 AM | 11:36 PM |
| 25 | 13 | 7.6 | 5:30 AM | 10:31 AM | 1:07 PM |
| 30 | 13 | 9.2 | 5:30 AM | 11:32 AM | 2:39 PM |
| 35 | 13 | 10.7 | 5:30 AM | 12:32 PM | 4:10 PM |
The route up Mt. Princeton itself is not especially difficult in terms
of terrain, but it does involve a lot of elevation gain (5,297 feet) and
a reasonably long hiking distance (round trip 13 miles). That is compounded
by the effects of being at high altitude. It is very important that you
read the enclosed article on High Altitude Illnesses so you understand the
possible risks. Over 10,000 feet about 75% of people will experience mild
symptoms of altitude illness.
The altitude will be the major "huffing and puffing" factor.
It is important that you be in good aerobic condition before the climb.
This means some form of regular aerobic activity 30 to 60 minutes a day
at least 3 to 4 times a week for 2 to 3 months leading up to the
climb. Aerobic exercise that includes hills, stair climbers, or running
stairs, are particularly helpful in preparing your legs for a long uphill
hike. If you are not on any regular exercise program, you should consult
your physician before you commence your training program and before going
on this climb. Please fill out the enclosed health history form accurately
so we have pertinent information about you for the climb. There are certain
medical conditions that could preclude your participation in the climb.
One equipment suggestion, if you have any knee problems, you need to think
about how the hike could effect your knees. The descent is generally tougher
on knees. Trekking poles (basically ski poles) can help reduce the pounding
and strain knees take on the way down (helpful even for people without knee
problems).
On Thursday, July 17, we will offer half-day and full-day acclimatization
hikes in and around Buena Vista. These will be fun opportunities to explore
the area as well as to get in some additional acclimatization time. Hiking
up to a higher elevation and then going back down to sleep (the "climb
high/sleep low" approach) will help your body acclimatize. These hikes
will also give us a chance to evaluate and compare people's hiking abilities
and pace in order to organize appropriate groups for the Mt. Princeton climb
the next day. Everyone who plans to hike Mt. Princeton should plan to go
on one of the hikes.
Mt. Princeton Only Participants: For those from Colorado
who are only coming up for the climb, or others who will be in the area
and are only participating in the climb, please note that we will be getting
a very early start (5:30 AM). You should arrive in the Buena Vista area
on Thursday, July 17. You should plan to attend the climb briefing meeting
which will be held at the Ponderosa Lodge on Thursday at 8:00 PM. This is
the time that we will set up the groups for the hike. It won't be possible
to effectively distribute people if we just meet at the trail head on Friday.
Since you may not be able to make the acclimatization hikes on Thursday,
you need to know your basic hiking pace at altitude and whether you can
sustain that for 13 miles. If you have questions, please contact Rick Curtis.
For those who are participating in the full five-day program, we have
a range of exciting optional outdoor activities planned. Outdoor Action
is working with American Adventures Expeditions, an outfitter based in Buena
Vista to provide the following options for Wednesday, July 16 and Saturday,
July 19. Participants will also be required to sign release of liability
forms with the outfitter.
Wednesday is exploration day. You can select from a range of different
outdoor activities exploring the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
The San Isabel National Forest land has hundreds of miles of trails for
mountain biking. Your day trip can be a gentle ride down a country road
or an adventurous single track trail high into the mountains. Sites include
ghost towns, abandoned mines, beautiful valleys, mountain lakes and streams.
Your mountain biking experience and physical condition will help us determine
the appropriate trip. Guides will first outfit you with a quality mountain
bike (if you bring your own bike, it must past American Adventure Expedition's
equipment criteria). Experienced guides will then lead you off on a fun-filled
morning ride that will teach you basic mountain bike handling skills. After
a relaxing lunch, you'll spend the remainder of the day exploring local
trails. Minimum age for children is 6. It is essential that we know your
height and weight on your health history form in order to get you a bike
that will fit properly. If you have previous biking experience, please describe
it on the application so we can place you on an appropriate trip.
This one-day kayaking instructional program is geared for a range of
abilities from beginner to intermediate (Class II level). The instructors
from American Adventure Expeditions are American Canoe Association certified.
Everyone will start on the lake for an introduction to strokes. Beginners
will spend the day on flatwater learning basic strikes and maneuvering.
More experienced paddlers will move to the river and practice skills on
easy whitewater. You'll spend time learning to read water, practicing river-running
strategies, and learning personal and group paddling safety. Minimum age
for children is 12. Please indicate any previous kayaking experience on
your application. Non-swimmers will not be allowed to participate.
You will spend the day at a local climbing site learning basic climbing
techniques and belaying with instructors from American Adventure Expeditions.
The rocks provide a range of difficulty of climbs from beginner to intermediate.
Climbing is a fun activity for kids who are great natural climbers. Minimum
age for children is 6.
With experienced fishing guides you can spend the day fishing some of
the best spots in the Arkansas River Valley. Beginners can learn the basics
of fly fishing and experienced folks can tune up their technique. Bring
your own gear or use equipment from American Adventure Expeditions. Fishing
licenses are available from American Adventure Expeditions.
We are offering both a morning and an afternoon horseback riding trip
on through the spectacular mountain scenery of the Upper Arkansas Valley
with Monarch Mountain Ranch. Minimum age for children is 6 years old and
a minimum weight of 40 pounds.
On Thursday we will do half-day and full-day hikes. These will be fun
opportunities to explore the Rockies as well as get better acclimatized.
Everyone should plan to go on one of the hikes if you plan to hike Mt. Princeton.
This is our opportunity to check out people's hiking paces in order to arrange
hiking groups for the Mt. Princeton Climb. No age limit for children, but
you should be prepared to pack toddlers on your back.
For those who don't want to do a full-day hike, we will offer a half-day
hike and an afternoon session on the Team Building Course at the Ponderosa
Lodge. The Team Building Course presents a series of group problem solving
initiatives that are fun, creative, and teach you to work together as a
group. It's a great activity for families and for getting us all pumped
up to work together on doing the climb on Mt. Princeton on Friday. Minimum
age for children is 6.
The Arkansas River offers tremendous Class II - Class III whitewater through Brown's Canyon. This is a great trip for rafters of all experience levels and includes 22 miles of rapids like Pinball, Big Drop, Staircase, Squeeze Play, and Twin Falls. Minimum age for children is 6. Non-swimmers will not be allowed to participate.
Copyright © 1997, all rights reserved, OutdoorAction Program and 250th Office, Princeton University.