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.:Getting to the trailhead:. The shortest route to get to the trailhead for Princeton is to drive US-285 SW from Denver to the T-intersection with US 24 at Johnson Village. Turn south on US 24 for 6 miles until you're just past the tiny berg of Nathrop, and then look for the turnoff for the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs road, also Chaffee County Road 162 (very well signed). From the turnoff, drive about 4.4 miles to the junction with Chaffee County 321. Turn right on 321 and drive 1.3 miles, the turn left on CR 322. After 0.9 miles is the parking area for 2wd cars. 4x4s can bear right and continue up the Mount Princeton road a little over 3 miles to ample parking near the prominent radio towers. There is additonal parking for about a dozen vehicles in ones and twos along the road for a half-mile or so higher up. After that the parking runs out, along with the chance to turn around
.:The trail:. .:Trip Report:. Mount Princeton is (in my opinion) one of the most impressive 14ers to look at. It looms large over the Arkansas Valley, and from anywhere near Buena Vista it is dominates the landscape to the west. On this Sunday I got an early start from my home in Denver, and was on my way at 4am. I settled into a parking spot at the antenna array and started hoofing it at 7:30am. The trail follows the road for about 1 mile and a half, and is a very pleasant hike, as ever-expanding views of the Arkansas Valley floor are your companion along the roadway. Right at treeline you have to look sharp to the right for a cairn marking where the trail breaks off and climbs the grassy ridge. If you miss it, the road continues up to over 11,000 feet and terminates south of the Princeton sub-peak. There seems to be some sort of religious retreat or something up there...I could make out a couple of crosses and some type of building, but decided to save exploring this for another day. From this point, the hike is fairly straightforward as the trail contours along the north and east faces of Princeton until you get in the bowl under the summit. At that point, it's pretty much the climber's option as to which way to go. The trails are faint and erratic, and personally, I just kept following the path of least resistance until I made the top of the east ridge. From there, its a ridge climb to the summit, where you can count on cold winds blowing hard from the west. Just below the summit (maybe a hundred yards or so) you'll come across a small brass plaque (see pic at right). This plaque was placed there in memory of one Catherine Pugin, an avid Colorado outdoors-woman who died on that spot in 1995, struck by lightening. This humble memorial serves also as a reminder...high-altitude endeavors like 14er bagging can be deadly, no matter what your experience level. I paused a moment and paid my respects, then continued to the windy summit of Princeton. After a Clif Bar and a chat with the 4-5 other folks who were around, it was time for the descent, which involves a bit of rock-hopping and scree-surfing until you pick up the main trail again. After that, it's pretty much a nice walk back down to the parking area. This is probably not a beginner's climb, but as long as you're in shape and have a good sense of balance, I bet you'll enjoy this climb immensely. |
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