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Base Camp
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- Statistics:
- Date Hiked: August 22,
2008
- Miles Hiked:
8.5
- Elevation Gain: 4,160'
- Hiking Partner(s):
None
- Description:
- There wasn't much going on at work, but I didn't want to drive too far
for a hike, so I decided on Mount Bethel and Pettingell Peak near
Loveland Pass. I had already hiked many of the peaks in the area
including Citadel, Machebeuf, Woods, Parnasus, and Bard. Instead
of starting up the Herman Gulch trail, I decided just to scramble up the
Interstate Gully on Bethel. This is the prominent couloir on the
southeast side of Bethel that is clearly visible from Interstate 70.
I made a couple of mistakes on this hike that really didn't cost me
anything but some time. As I started up the on ramp, I noticed a
"no hitchhiking" sign so I quickly jumped in the trees and started an
ascending traverse to the Interstate Gully. When I finally popped
out of the trees into the gully I had already gained about 800' and
didn't realize I was in the right fork of the gully which isn't the main
branch. I didn't even know there were two branches, so I simply
continued up to the base of a large cliff band.
- I took a break here and surveyed the scrambling above me. It
looked more difficult than I anticipated or remember seeing from the
interstate. Traversing further to the left into the main gully
didn't look like an option from my vantage point. So I picked a
line and began working my way up to cliff band to what I thought was the
main gully. The rock was loose, rotten, and chossy. I sent
some huge boulders down and every other hold I grabbed or stepped on
came off. The scrambling wasn't that steep, but the bad rock made
it relatively difficult. I made it to the top of the cliff band
and thought I was near the summit when I finally traversed left and saw
the primary Interstate Gully that looked pretty mellow. I got back
into the main gully and finished the scramble to the summit which still
included some fun Class 3.
- I think I reached the top in 1 hour and 50 minutes. From the
summit, I started west on the ridge towards The Citadel. I had
already climbed this peak and didn't even think about brining a harness
and rope to complete the Citadel/Pettingell traverse. In
hindsight, I should have added the weight and did the rappel.
Instead, when I got to the low point of the ridge, I continued down to
about 12,000' and cut across Herman Gulch below the northeast side of
The Citadel to the Citadel/Pettingell saddle. From here I simply
scrambled/hiked to the summit of Pettingell Peak. I watched hikers
throughout the day heading up and down Herman Gulch to Herman Lake, but
no other peak baggers were out.
- I went down the east ridge of Pettingell because a route description
indicated it was Class 3 so I wanted to make a loop around the basin.
The ridge was pretty easy so when I got north of Herman Lake, I dropped
south to the lake and the trail down Herman Gulch. This was my
second mistake of the day. You should either come down the south
slopes of Pettingell or continue all the way down the ridge to and pick
up the trail east of Herman Lake. The descent was loose and
moderately steep making it somewhat unpleasant. I caught a short
glissade on a snowfield above the lake and then hiked the trail back to
the Herman Gulch trailhead. It was a 7 hour day car-to-car.
- Maps:
-
Click here to view a
2D map of
the area where this hike is located.
- Photographs:
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