I drove up it in a Chevy Equinox, and while we were able to make it, I would 100% reconsider if there was heavy rain the day before. Sort by. Because of this, a wealth of information is available on the internet. At about an hour's drive from Denver, Grays Peak (14,270 ft./4338m) and its sister mountain, Torreys Peak (14,267 ft./4337m), are two of the most popular 14ers in the state. 0 comments. Hopefully some of it will melt in the coming days since there’s no precipitation forecasted! It's a 575-foot descent on a rough trail and the most difficult portion of this route. You will notice a cut-off across the saddle to Torreys Peak (about 3/4 mile north of Grays) however I chose to bag Grays Peak first. Grays was a beast, Torreys was much more manageable. Saturday. Unless you're confident the snow in this area is stable, it's best to leave the trail near 11,600' and take a more direct line up through Stevens Gulch before re-joining the Grays Peak trail near 12,100'. The trail reaches the Torreys Peak South Slope junction 2.8 miles in at 13,270. Grays-Torreys Connector is a 636 m black diamond singletrack trail located near Montezuma Colorado. The Torreys trail climbs 3000 feet in 3.70 miles. Peaked Grays and Torreys on Saturday. I would highly recommend! Most people conquer the Grays and Torreys Peaks together from the popular Herman Gulch trailhead off of I-70. I’m sure you can do it too.. Cold but well maintained trails, no ice on the trail as of 10/3. This 8.35-mile hike will take you to two 14ers (Colorado’s peaks above 14,000 feet) with over 3,300 combined feet of elevation gain. Grays Peak Weather (Days 0-3): The weather forecast for Grays Peak is: A dusting of new snowExtremely cold (max -13°C on Mon morning, min -23°C on Mon night)Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Mon night, strong winds from the NW by Wed morning). This time we started a lot earlier, getting on the trail at 7am. Round trip was exactly 4.5 hrs. So, does anyone know of any relatively good camping locations along the combined G&T trail, preferably along the treeline or in the treeline? Torreys Peak, located near Bakerville, Colorado is a 7.0 mile backcountry skiing & snowboarding and climbing trail with a top elevation of 14267 feet. leading to the trailhead? Torreys Peak and Kelso Ridge Loop via Gray's Peak Trail, Grays and Torreys Peak from Argentine Pass Trailhead, Mount Edwards and Argentine Peak via Argentine Pass Trail. Grays and Torreys Peaks. The trail was in perfect summer condition! Continue another 2 miles to the trailhead, at 11,280'. Torreys Peak is climbed from the same trailhead. Pretty much no snow at all. The approach to Grays summit will make you work but it's not terrible and the approach to Torreys summit has a lot of loose pebbles instead of dirt so you can slip a little bit, but overall it's a solid hike. The hike down Torrey's Peak Trail leads across Grays and Torreys Saddle and across the eastern face of Grays before tying back into Grays Peak Trailhead. Andy adds, and I agree: Not all passenger cars can make it to the trailhead, even under optimal conditions. The Grays Peak Trail is a National Recreational Trail and part of the Continental Divide Trail. It is very cold and windy up top especially if you start early. Started at 7am, took about 6hrs total travel time for both. Very bouldery. save hide report. I decided to climb Torreys first. It is also the highpoint of the Front Range, the highest point on the North American divide, and the highest peak visible from the Great Plains. I hiked west along the trail and watched the sun rise above the mountains as I approached the tree line. Descend the Grays Peak Trail to the trailhead. Technical Difficulty. Great views from the tops of both peaks. Road is very bumpy and rocky to trailhead. Conditions: Light snow. Follow these up into the Grays Peak Bowl. My suggestion, let the sun get up a bit before getting too far up. Even in the snow lol. Grays and Torreys Conditions. Grays-Torreys Connector is a 636 m black diamond singletrack trail located near Montezuma Colorado. A small SUV going slow should have no issues. Got to the summit of Grays at 9am and only saw one group. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, camping, and backpacking and is best used from April until September. Grays and Torreys are terrific introductory 14ers. We were going to hike the 3 miles to the trailhead but the sign says the national forest is closed to *all* activity until further notice (perhaps due to the fires? There are restrooms and a few dispersed camping spots near the parking area. Download Agreement, Release, and Acknowledgement of Risk: Take I-70 to the Bakerville exit (#221). If you are a registered member of the lollipop guild, you may find it slower going over some of the high steps that lead up to the talus/boulder field. We started around 4:30am and were able to summit both peaks and get back down to the car a little after 11am. There was no snow covering the trail on Oct. 10th and smoke was a non issue. The best way to get to Grays and Torreys trailhead is to put it into Google/Apple Maps which will take you from Denver on I-70 West. Share. 14ers Peaked: 8. Comparable to the road leading to Democrat and Sherman, this is worse. Temperatures will be below freezing (max -5°C on Tue morning, min -12°C on Sun morning). I would suggest layers and hot hands in the gloves to use poles up top without freezing. Explore more in our professional, high quality trail guides and outdoor reviews. From the Grays Peak Trailhead the trail climbs 3000 feet in 3.75 miles to the summit. This hike primary trail can be used both directions. The saddle between Grays and Torreys is a short distance ahead. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from May until October. Conditions on the road can vary, but it is easy for a high clearance vehicle. The Grays Peak Trail is a National Recreational Trail and part of the Continental Divide Trail. Log in … Great 2 for 1 trip. I almost got him to go, but he decided to go ahead and follow the Grays Trail. This hike primary trail can be used both directions. Torreys Peak is climbed from the same trailhead. Completed both Grays and Torreys with a bit of time to chill at the top and the views are insane, making this incredibly exhausting and long hike worth it. Much less crowded than Bierstadt, which was great. One unsigned intersection allows you to take the rugged Kelso Ridge to the right of Torreys, but you should continue onward up the Class 1 trail to Grays. Hit the trail by 6 and walked in the dark for about an hour. Got to grays in 3hrs, and then took 45 mins to traverse over to Torreys. So, this is where we went our separate ways. The trail was in perfect summer condition! Follow the Torreys Peak Trail along the south slope to the summit. General Trail Information: Grays & Torreys via Kelso Ridge Virtual Trail Guide: Grays & Torreys via Kelso Ridge Grays & Torreys Via Kelso Ridge Rating: ★★★★ (4/5 Stars) Distance: 8.0 Miles RT Elevation Start: 11,250ft Highest Point: Torreys Peak: 14,275ft, Grays Peak: 14,278ft . In this upper basin, Grays looks like a pile of loose rocks, Torreys a large pyramid. There was snowfall on Sunday, and I decided to try anyway. The Torreys trail climbs 3000 feet in 3.70 miles. Grays Peak is a 7.3 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Silver Plume, Colorado that features a river and is rated as difficult. The first mile of the trail isn’t bad- only 2-3 inches. Once I left the Grays-Torreys saddle, post-sunrise, the winds had picked up to a pretty steady 25mph or so, with some gusts above that and some lulls below. There’s not much ice but again, the snow gets super deep at many points. Dec 12. Lying just south of Interstate 70 about 40 miles west of Denver these peaks are climbed by hundreds of hikers each weekend during the summer hiking season. Grays Peak (14,270') and Torreys Peak (14,267') are the two highest points along the Continental Divide, and considered among the most accessible Colorado fourteeners. Go slow. Torreys can also be climbed, returning back over Grays to Horseshoe basin. Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Mon night, strong winds from the NW by Wed morning). Lots of ruts. There are stunning views at the top and it’s a great first 14er hike!! S a great first 14er hike! through tight switchbacks for less than a mile of steady uphill.. Cars in the lot Grays Peak, on your way there and?... 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