This underrated peak was surprisingly fun with a spontaneous Labor Day whiteout and the summit and route entirely to ourselves. We drove up early in the morning from Denver waiting out a whiteout storm at the 4WD trailhead. From there we drove a little higher to the upper basin by Mount White while we waited out the storm.

Unsure if we would get a window we finally had a brief clearing allowing us to hustle up the standard west slopes and enjoy the foggy mystic summit all to ourselves. We quickly hightailed our way back down to the car just in time before the next batch of storms, this time pouring rain.

As it continued to rain we ran into a group of three fellas who were getting drenched and looked to not have proper rain gear. We offered them a ride to escape the rain. One of the guys had just flown into Denver the day prior and was climbing with a leather satchel. They were thankful to get a lift to the lower trailhead and graciously accepted our offer.

A lovely day on this peak with a perfect window and variable conditions! 

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Buena Vista is quite possibly my favorite mountain town in the Sawatch range. The people, the culture and the vibe are all excellent. I always make a point to stop in BV, usually Eddyline, my favorite brewery in Colorado. Highly recommend stopping or staying in Buena Vista.

Local spots: Simple Eatery & Spoon It Up, House Rock Kitchen, Eddyline Brewing.