Torreys Peak and Kelso Ridge Loop via Gray's Peak Trail

21 Nov 2020- Climbed Torreys via Kelso Ridge. Snow has blown off most of the mountain; top of Torreys was semi covered. Kelso ridge with a little bit of snow was a lot of fun with micro spikes and an ax.

Honestly this hike kinda sucked. So many people, we thought we'd avoid them by getting a late start and hiking in October, but that was not the case. Once we left the main trail and got on the ridge the crowds did disappear and the fun began. The first half of the ridge was solid class 3 with easy route finding. The second half was a mix of good rock and steep loose scree. There were some spots I felt way more sketched out than on objectively harder routes. Avoid the left side of the ridge whenever possible, that's where it was the loosest, although it's unavoidable in places. Once we got to the summit we were back among the crowds and ran down the easy trail just to be done.

A great intro to class 3 climbing/ hiking along Kelso ridge, the shorter and more direct route up torreys. Took the walking trail down grays after crossing the saddle. Definitely do a little research on the Kelso ridge route if you choose to go up, it’s more of a scramble than a hike most of the way and requires a bit of route finding but nothing too crazy. Amazing day on 10/4, very warm even on the summit.

The road to the trailhead from the main road was super bumpy, which is a little surprising for such heavily trafficked 14ers. Started at 6am on a Tuesday morning, and there were a few cars in the parking lot. Not too many people on the way up to Grays. It was windy and cold at the summit, so didn’t spend much time up there. Past the ridge to Torreys and up to the summit, it was less windy and much warmer. View at the top of Torreys was good, especially since there was a mountain goat relaxing near the summit. Lots of people making their way up while I was on my way down, even starting at the trailhead when I was done.

Fun, but way to many people. Going the kelps route (sporty route) the best pad and a must in summer conditions.

Very well maintained, heavily trafficked 14er trail. Recommended to hike Grays and then to Torreys and then back down to Grays again via the diagonal shortcut. Do not take Kelso Ridge unless you are a true mountaineering OG and know what you are doing. Weather conditions today were near perfect. Parking fills up. Decent amount of free camping near parking lot.

Great trail for those who want something challenging out of a hike. Some exposed situations but if you’re comfortable with your footwork then it’s totally doable. No ropes needed but make sure you wear something better than tennis shoes (a stiff sole).

So we originally went up to summit Grays peak. At the fork my wife and decided to go to Kelso ridge. Well..... that was a huge decision we made on the fly that we definitely were not prepared for. Yes I am a newbie when it comes to class 3 exposure and it was very scary. The whole route is pure climbing and scrabbling. The saw tooth was one of the hardest climbs I’ve ever done. I know there is way hard climbs but if your not comfortable with climbing balance, foot holds and exposure on both sides I would NOT recommend you to do it. The fear and anxiety I felt I would have gave this a 1 star review. However, we made the choice ourselves to go off course without preparation, So I gave this a 5 stars rating because we made the summit “Alive” and the weather was really nice. FYI this has to be the most busiest 14ner in Colorado on a Saturday. Both trails are clear from snow and I recommend getting to trail head no later than 5:30am or you will be parking closer to I-70.

The kelso ridge is super awesome but also super dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing and super scary if you’re terrified of heights. Do it only if you’re really up for it or with someone who knows what he’s doing. And helmet wouldn’t hurt either. Don’t drive up there if you love your car too much or if you don’t have 4x4, it’s very bumpy!

Fun trail, Kelso ridge was way better than the trail walking down.

There isn’t much of a trail for the most part so route finding skills are important. I relied on trekking pole marks in the rocks to find my way. I believe I got off route a few times and got into a few class 4 situations. Very fun and very challenging if you’re up to it!