I just completed this hike/climb. The Gilpin Creek approach is really challenging -- fun, but challenging. The climb to Point 12006 is long and steep. Go in just south of Point 12006. As and after you summit Point 12006, you want to stay to the right on the ridge to get to the plateau and Mount Zirkel. Gorgeous views. Getting back down off the ridge to connect back to the Gilpin Lake trail is no easy task -- there is no trail (no game trail that I saw to descend) and plenty of scrub trees/loose rock to contend with on the way -- but you can see it all ahead of you as you descend. For some (stupid) reason, I went from Mount Zirkel down the Red Dirt Pass trail into the basin and then scrambled back up to the ridge just south of Point 12006. (It was all snow in the basin and the trail wasn't visible.) This was in July!
WZimmerman - Jul 9, 2008 11:48 pm - Voted 10/10
Mt Zirkel the hard wayI just completed this hike/climb. The Gilpin Creek approach is really challenging -- fun, but challenging. The climb to Point 12006 is long and steep. Go in just south of Point 12006. As and after you summit Point 12006, you want to stay to the right on the ridge to get to the plateau and Mount Zirkel. Gorgeous views. Getting back down off the ridge to connect back to the Gilpin Lake trail is no easy task -- there is no trail (no game trail that I saw to descend) and plenty of scrub trees/loose rock to contend with on the way -- but you can see it all ahead of you as you descend. For some (stupid) reason, I went from Mount Zirkel down the Red Dirt Pass trail into the basin and then scrambled back up to the ridge just south of Point 12006. (It was all snow in the basin and the trail wasn't visible.) This was in July!