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Aug 17, 2020 — Located just north of Interstate 70, this loop hits a few Colorado 13ers and ended up being quite a nice, mostly straightforward route. I parked at a turn off with an information sign related to the reclamation of the area's nature and walked to a massive "Danger" sign at a locked gate. This is what I believe is the Ruby Gulch Trailhead. I started along this old road for a half mile or so until the forest became less dense and I got some views of Ruby Gulch and the peaks surrounding it. I left the road and bushwhacked up a ravine, my goal to end up on a forested ridge to the left. My first goal was Englemann Peak, and the ridge seemed to be the best ascent option. I left the ravine when the trees on the ridge seemed to become less thick and before the ravine became too overgrown, gaining the forested ridge and ascending. The ridge/slope was steep, but nothing unpleasant. Soon the trees gave way to open tundra, and I continued up toward Engelmann Peak. A few hundred feet before the summit, some minor Class 2 talus broke up the easy tundra, but to my surprise, there was a social trail leading through the talus.
I continued to Robeson Peak from Engelmann, a really nice tundra stroll down the slopes. Unfortunately, the forest fire smoke gave me hazy views, but it was still quite pleasant. Robeson Peak was really just a ridgeline bump before the steep ascent up to Bard Peak. This portion included a steep grassy slope, followed by some minor Class 2 rocky terrain as I neared the summit. The traverse from Bard Peak and Mount Parnassus was more of the same, lots of grassy strolling on relatively steep slopes, mixed in with some minor Class 2. The descent from Mount Parnassus to its saddle with Woods Mountain was even more of the same, as was the ascent up to Woods Mountain. It was a good time of listening to music and tundra walking.
From Woods Mountain, I could see my intended descent route ahead. I stuck to the ridge crest, preferring to ascend some extra minor bumps and navigate some easy Class 2 rather than keeping right and side-hilling on talus. The ridge descent was steep and grassy. The views were surprisingly neat, despite the mining operation below. I just felt like I was on top of the world, likely due to the steep grade and panoramic views of the valley below. There were a couple of extremely steep spots on the grassy slopes that are avoidable using animal trails and keeping just right of the ridge crest. Eventually, the slope led into the forest and I descended more steep slopes, this time using trees to aid in not slipping onto my butt. I stumbled upon an abandoned makeshift cabin, likely illegally placed, a few hundred feet from the forest road below (Woods Creek Road). Once on the road, I followed it back to my car.
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