Ascent: -North-west ridge class 1
Descent: -West slopes class 2
Hike: RT 7.0 (includes Mounts Democrat, Cameron and Lincoln); 45 minutes up from Lincoln. Mount Bross is the final ascent of the 4-peak circuit. It is also the easiest summit to attain but to do so requires trespassing on private property.... Justifying trespassing to gain this final summit was easy; who was gonna come to tell me I wasn't suppose to be up there... besides, I hadn't driven all the way from Canada to be denied the last 14er of this fabulous 4-peak traverse! I was at peace with my decision to go rogue. The downhill traverse towards Mount Bross is as casual as it gets. I enjoyed the sun, the hike, the scenery and the fact that I would finish the day with 4 additional 14ers under my belt. The gradual climb that followed was enjoyable, the snow was still firm and provided a consistent base. Once atop the very broad summit, I proceeded to take some pictures before sitting down for an extended break. I decided to hang out to enjoy the feat and wait for the two young men I had met earlier; I didn't feel an urgency to start my descent, the weather appeared stable at the time. I pondered upon my time alone on these summits and my trip to Colorado, I thought about the human potential and resilience of the spirit. Lost in deep thoughts, happy and sad, I felt a sense of cleansing. My meditation was interrupted by the voices of the two hikers, they had also completed the circuit and were quite thrilled to join me a the top. We exchanged greetings, high-fives and brief conversations. Soon thereafter, I picked up my stuff and started heading down the west slopes towards Kite Lake. The descent was fast and the rise in temperature was very noticeable; after shedding layers, I resumed my return to the trailhead without stopping. The parking lot had filled up drastically for a mid-week day. I called Tim, my emergency contact, to let him know I was safely back down and make him aware of my plans for tomorrow. I slowly got ready to leave for Buena Vista, where I would drive up towards Cotton Pass and find the trailhead for tomorrow's climb up Mount Yale. These objectives had been planned in order to execute a loop bringing me closer to Leadville for the weekend. I was excited, Buena Vista was my last stop before driving to Pb-ville and seeing my friend Tim!
