Dragon's Back
Date: 07/16/2024
Partner: Kristi Henes
Trailhead: Wildhorse Pack Trail (just below and east of Engineer Pass)
Summits:
* Dragon's Back (Low 5)
* Wildhorse (solo)
* PT13,140 aka ST Bear Creek Benchmark
Distance: 9.1m
Elevation Gain:3100 ft
Duration: 7hrs 15min
GPX
Wildhorse 14ers.com Page
PT13140 14ers.com Page
After climbing the Engineer Pass 13ers, coming back to climb Dragon's Back was high on the list. Although short, this low five 12er was worth returning for.
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9.1m - 3100 ft - 7hrs 15min
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Walking the meadows from CR20 and the start of the Wildhorse Pack Trail. Dragon's Back rising up left of center
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On approach to Dragon's Back. Darly Mountain behind
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Scootin on by Wildhorse Peak
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Blackwall Mountain just northeast of Dragon's Back
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There she is!
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We contoured around the south side of the peak and found a gully to climb towards the saddle
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The gully
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Stay to climbers left when ascending/descending this gully
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We found this ledge with loose kitty litter rock to traverse to the cairns on the climbers left side of the gully
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Was happy to see we could rap the loose kitty litter section.
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Climbing further up... mostly class 4 with a short section of low 5
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The low 5 section
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Lots of solid rock but also some loose. Be sure to test hand and foot holds
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After the low 5 it wasn't far to the summit
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Summit views - Looking west to Wildhorse Peakl
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Northeast views to the Cimarron
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Western views to the Yankee Boy peaks
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Sorting out the rappel. We added a quick link to the old but reasonable webbing that was there.
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A 30m rope worked
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Kristi on the first rap
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A short walk down to the kitty litter rap
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Kristi on the kitty litter rap. We added a new piece of webbing for this one
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Back down the gully
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I headed up Wildhorse and Kristi headed to PT13140 (where we would meet up)
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Up to the Wildhorse saddle
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Eastern views from the Wildhorse saddle toward Dragon's Back and the Cimarron
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Wildhorse summit views
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After Wildhorse I headed over to PT13140 to meet Kristi. Darly Mountain from the base of PT13140
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PT13140 is a loose pile but not too bad to climb
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Summit views from PT13140
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Back across the meadows to CR20 . Cimarrons behind
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My truck had a radiator issue the day before so we rented this Texas Wheelchair
