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Bonus Fitness Hike: Pegmatite Points

This was a Bonus Fitness Hike offered to students enrolled in the Alpine Scrambling Course Denver. Location is ideal as offers 8 miles and 2600' gain (steep approach to saddle mimicking the off trail approach to our ridge scrambles.) In addition great location to review navigation/terrain features.

Cynthia Lehr Cynthia Lehr
May 15, 2023
  • Sun, Apr 23, 2023
  • Snowshoeing
  • Successful
  • Road recommended for high clearance only

  • Trip Beta: Search for Pegmatite Points did not yield much beta; the route to Rosalie Peak covers our adventure to Saddle between Rosalie Peak and Pegmatite Points. 

    • Rosalie Peak via Tanglewood Trail: All Trails
    • Rosalie Peak: 14ers.com
    • Rosalie Peak: The Virtual Sherpa
    • Weather:  Mount Evans/Epaulet Mountain (expect wind once you reach treeline)
    • CAIC: Bailey, CO
    • Map: Pegmatite Points
    • Trip Plan
    • Note: Last ~1 mile drive on Deer Creek road to the Tanglewood Trailhead can require high clearance/4WD due to mud or winter conditions.  There is an option to park at Deer Creek Campground; adding about 2 miles to your adventure. Bring a shovel, vehicles get stuck along this last bit.  

    Route Description: Our hike to the Saddle between Pegmatite Points and Rosalie Peak will start with an ascent through dense forest on a well denied trail, some stream crossing (log/bridge) along the way.  The trail becomes less defined/steep at ~3 miles.  We reach the treeline at ~3.3 miles and the trail steepens more, expect big wind.  Our plan is to reach the saddle and turn back.  If conditions permit, we will scramble over the Pegmatite Points from the saddle.  

    • 0.0 TH Parking; follow the Tanglewood Trail ascending through forest.  Pro Tip: start cold as you will be ascending/warming up/expect to use spikes here and carry snowshoes.
    • 1.0 Junction: Continue on Tanglewood Trail (stay RIGHT), trail to left is Rosalie Trail, sign in at station.
    • 2.0 Pause: Navigation Talk/Break
    • 3.0 Continue on the Tanglewood Trail, which is less defined at this point and becomes steeper; switchbacking.  Take care to stay on the route.
    • ~3.3 Treeline.  Put on snowshoes/wind protection just before the treeline.  Not much of a trail here, head West towards trees to avoid initial willows, then switch back ascending above the treeline.
    • ~3.3 Pause: Safety Talk: Last bit of wind protection via a cluster of trees.  Re-group, protected by the last tree cluster. We should see the saddle now.  Expect big wind for the last bit to the saddle.    
    • 4.0 Saddle: We anticipate this will be our destination. We anticipate that it will be extremely windy at the saddle.  We will re-group and head down (not anticipating staying at saddle and we will take a break when we reach the trees.) If conditions permit, we can scramble over the boulders of the Pegmatite Points … fun stuff (but not in the wind/ice.)
    • Descend back following our route into the trees.
    • 4.75 Anticipated Break, steeper travel behind us.
    • 7.00 Junction: Continue Left on Tanglewood Trail (remove snowshoes here.)
    • 8.00 Back at TH

     It was a beautiful day snowshoeing up to the saddle between Pegmatite Points and Rosalie Peak.  Conditions were amazing: blue bird day, 5" new snow and there was no wind.  Our team met up at 6:00 am at Twin Forks ParknRide.  The last mile from Deer Creek Campground was passible with high clearance vehicles (snow/mud/ruts.)  The first three miles of trail were easily identifiable, as we ascending in micro spikes creating fresh tracks.  At the three mile point the trail becomes less definitive, we used GPS to stay on trail.  Just below treeline, the team donned snowshoes.  Team opted to make our way through the last steep above treelined slope (about last 1/2 mile) by staying close/west to intermittent tree clusters then taking a straight ascent to saddle (avoiding snow drifts along covered designated trail.)  The views were incredible!  There was no wind, so our team enjoyed a break at the saddle.  Because of the snow pack/new snowfall, team was not able to scramble Pegmatite Points.  Realistically, scrambling Pegmatite Points can happen starting in June (although this will vary with snowpack seasonally.)  After an enjoyable break, team descended quickly down, removing snowshoes 6.5 mile mark.  After hike social stop at SnowPack Taproom.  

   Purpose/Goals of the activity were achieved: introduce students of Alpine Scrambling Course to local fitness hike, discuss terrain features as related to map, students/instructors get to know each other/create stoke for upcoming course.  Fun day!