Grays Peak
Elevation: 14,270 feet
Rank: 9th
Did you know?
** The highest point on the Continental Divide north of Mexico: Grays
** 14er summits on the Divide: Grays, Torreys
** Grays and Torreys were named after famous botanists (Asa Gray and John Torrey, co-authors of the 1838 book "Flora of North America"). Torrey visited the peak which bore his name in 1872.
Trailhead:
(Formerly known as the Stevens Gulch Trailhead) To reach the Grays Peak trailhead, take Exit 221 at Bakerville on Interstate 70. Go over I-70 and continue straight (south) to Forest Road 189. It is almost 3 miles to the trailhead. After about 1 mile, there is a junction. Stay straight - follow the Grays Trail sign. The road will circle Kelso Mountain (13,169') and end at the trailhead. Park at one of the lots near the trailhead. There are restrooms here and a few dispersed camping spots.
Details:
A distant view of the route:
Grays Peak soon comes into view
Taken near 11,800', this photo shows the view of Grays Peak at you hike up the hill on the road-like trail. Continue for 1.5 miles to an information sign where there are excellent views of the two peaks -
Shortly after this point, hike to and across a flat, rocky area. The trail gradually turns left as it climbs behind a small ridge that runs south up to the east side of Grays. As you hike around this area and along a small basin, Torreys Peak is to your right. Continue west and southwest as more of Grays comes into view. Near 12,600', the trail turns left and continues south along the small ridge.
Continue along the ridge to 12,800’
to a trail junction near 13,300'. Stay left on the main trail toward Grays Peak and hike until you come to a corner with a large overlook of Stevens Gulch (approx. 13,700'). From the corner, turn right and gradually ascend west across Grays Northeast Slope. Follow the easy trail as it climbs toward the summit .
As you climb, Torreys is waiting off to the northwest. After 3,000' of elevation gain and over 3.5 miles, gain the Grays summit. This is the time to decide whether or not to proceed to Torreys. If so, your first goal is to hike down Grays' North Ridge. It's a 575-foot descent on a rough trail and it's the most difficult portion of this route. The ridge is rocky but still Class 2. From the summit, drop northwest off Grays and begin the descent down Gray’s North Ridge. Shortly after leaving the summit, the trail stays to the right of the ridge slightly before turning left back to the ridge for the remainder of the descent to the Grays-Torreys saddle.
Notes:
The road to the trailhead is somewhat rough, so a good clearance vehicle is recommended. The Grays trail is solid all the way to the top.
Panoramas from the summit (click to enlarge):
Quick Facts:
Grays Peak
Rank: 9 of 53
Elevation: 14,270'
Range: Front
County: Clear Creek, Summit
Lat/Long: 39º 38' 02" N, 105º 49' 01" W
Location: On the Continental Divide in the Front range. Interstate 70 is only 4 miles to the north. Grays Peak is the highest peak on the Continental Divide - in the United States.
Nearby Towns: Bakerville, Montezuma and Keystone
Nearby 14ers: Torreys Peak
Maps: USGS Quads: Grays Peak, Montezuma, Loveland PassTrails Illustrated: #104
Road Access:
Easy 4WD access to 11,280' from the northeast via Forest Road 189 in Stevens Gulch. Reach this road from exit 221 on Interstate 70.4WD access to 11,000' from the north by leaving Forest Road 189 in Stevens Gulch and driving into Grizzly Gulch.Easy 4WD access to 11,400' from the south via the 260 Road in Peru Creek. Reach this road from the town of Montezuma near U.S. 6 and Keystone. (Detailed trailhead directions and status)
Hiking Info: East Slopes , Difficulty: Class 1
Trailhead: Grays Peak
Trailhead Elev.: 11,280 feet
Elevation Gain: 3,000 feet
Trip Length: 8 miles
Trail to summit: Yes
Stability: Very stable
Exposure: 1
Crowds:
Crowded. Huge crowds on summer weekends
Fees: None
Camping: Several spots at trailhead. Dispersed camping in Stevens Gulch.
Check out trip reports at http://www.14ers.com/ Here is a good one:
www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=6918&parmuser=Jessie_s+Dad&cpgm-tripuser
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