Quandary Peak   14,265'   13th highest of Colorado's 53 14ers

I Started this easy route at 2 am and was back at my truck at 8 am. Really nice route with crowds to match.

I tried counting the hikers coming up the trail as I was coming down and lost count around 180 or so.

I don't understand hikers starting any 14er from the trailhead after 8 am, but hey that's just me

www.14ers.com

Quandary from HWY 9, just south of Breckenridge

 

Listen up!

 

Here we go Quandary peak, on the trail at 2am.

12,500

Summit just above me. Up, over and to the left of the snow field is the true summit. MJM at about 13,500, 4:30 am.

Looking south

Sunrise from about 13,800

Summit shot @ 5:40am, first one to the top.

 

Various pics from around the summit:

Looking southwest

Mt Lincoln (above the g) and Mt Bross in the background

Weather to the northwest

The snow field east of the summit

Looking southeast down the east ridge

 

Heading back down 6:00 am

Looking up towards the summit

Looking down the southeast ridge

Upper Blue Dam

Blue Lakes

That's a wrap

 

Back at the trailhead

With well over 200 hikers (I left at 8:30am) there were many, many cars lined along CR 851. Looking south on CR 851.

Looking north on CR 851

Back at Hwy 9 with my latest partner up and behind me