Mount Edwards – Goatfinger Couloir Scouting Trip

What a magnificently glaciated basin Stevens Gulch is from Google Earth's point of view!

On a cool, windy December day Fremont, Mystic and I headed up Stevens Gulch to scout out the Goatfinger Couloir on 13,856 ft. Mount Edwards (and for me to practice my suspect cross-country skiing skills). Many of you have been up this road to hike Grays and Torreys Peaks. It’s a wonderfully barren place in the winter as the access road is closed just off of I-70. We ended up doing 9 miles round trip in about four hours, a good winter’s day out for a pair of high-energy border collies.

The famous bridge leading to Grays/Torreys/Edwards trail. No one but us border collies here today!

If you’re looking for fun winter dog adventure close to the Front Range, this access road is perfect. It’s fairly well protected from the elements (until you get above tree line) and you gain enough elevation for it to feel like a workout (about 2,330 ft.) We went to 12,100 ft. to the Grays Peak “welcome sign” to scout out the couloir. There was barely any snow in the gully, which is just as well since this is likely going to be a spring climb.

Fremont (foreground) & Mystic enjoy the only sunbeam we saw all day.

Right about the same spot in the summer. Photo taken during a fun solo scramble of Kelso Ridge.

Fremont reads the Grays Peak welcome sign while Mystic heads off into the willows.

The ol' Goatfinger Couloir (middle of the photo leading to the saddle) is still bereft of significant snow. We'll see you again in April, Goatfinger!

This is also a fun area to winter camp and if you happen to know the right people, you can rent one of the cabins at the end of the road for super-duper comfort. Twas a good day out and I was glad to share it with my favorite dogs!

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