Monumental & Hancock
Date: 11-13-2021
Partner: Heather Ryan
Trailhead: Alpine Tunnel
Summits: Van Wit, Monumental, Van Wirt, Hancock
Distance: 9m
Elevation Gain: 4200ft
Duration: 6.5hrs
GPX
A scenic Sawatch loop where the snow sometimes made travel tricky.
![Monumental 01]()
9m - 4200ft - 6.5hrs
![Monumental 02]()
Southerly views of Van Wit and Chalk Creek Pass(L)
![Monumental 03]()
Heather shows off her postholing skills en-route to Chalk Creek Pass and Van Wit's northeast ridge
![Monumental 04]()
High Steppin Heather on Van Wit's blocky northeast ridge
![Monumental 05]()
Van Wirt and Hancok from Van Wit's northeast ridge
![Monumental 06]()
Approaching Van Wit's summit
![Monumental 07]()
Easterly views from Van Wit
![Monumental 08]()
Mount Aetna (R) from Van Wit
![Monumental 09]()
Starting the out and back to Monumental Peak from Van Wit
![Monumental 10]()
![Monumental 11]()
and back to Van Wit
![Monumental 12]()
Descending Van Wit's north ridge with Van Wirt front and center
![Monumental 13]()
Looking back to Van Wit from Van Wirt's south ridge
![Monumental 14]()
The route from Van Wirt to Hancock. The snow made some of this terrain tricky
![Monumental 15]()
Ascending Hancock
![Monumental 16]()
![Monumental 17]()
Views to the west
![Monumental 18]()
Looking all the way back to Monumental (top center) from Hancock
![Monumental 19]()
Descending Hancock's north ridge was a bit tedious
![Monumental 20]()
The snowy road back to the trailhead had some sections of treacherous ice
