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Day Trip to Sentinel Point


October, 1999

Sentinel Point, a rock promontory on the Northwest side of the Pikes Peak massif, was my first climb with the Colorado Mountain Club many, many years ago. I have since climbed it from different routes with Dog when she was young and healthy, and this hike was a trip down memory lane. This was a great hike since the aspen were nearing their peak, and this area is a prime viewing area to see the turning leaves.

My last trip started where Oil Creek crosses the highway between Divide and Cripple Creek, but that area is now closed off, with no-trespassing signs posted. So this trip started at the trailhead to Horsethief Park, at a parking area just on the other side (South side) of the old railway tunnel on the highway to Cripple Creek. The route starts up an old road toward Horsethief Park, then follows the route described in Zoltan Malocsay's book Trails Guide to the Pikes Peak Country, 1991 edition, to Pancake Rocks.

I followed the road and trail past Horsethief Park and up to the top of a ridge, then over to Pancake Rocks. When I arrived I found a multitude of people already there, enjoying the beautiful views of the turning aspen. I didn't linger long here for my destination was Sentinel Point. I retraced my steps back to the top of the ridge and down to where I left the main trail to follow a side trail off to the left. While the main trail continued down, this small trail took me to the top of a ridge, where I started bushwhacking up along the ridge.

The top of the ridge is almost llike a volcanic dike - an unbroken line of rocks which comes off a ridge higher up. I climbed up along the 'dike' until I reached a point where there was a break in the rocks where I could cross to the North side. From there I 'side-hilled' across the side of the slope to another wall of rocks, then up and across to a distinct saddle at the top of the ridge line. Climbing up I was surprised to see another hiker coming down - I thought this particular part of the mountain was far enough off the beaten path to preclude me from seeing anybody else at all!

Once at the saddle I was above timberline and on the tundra. The terrain flattened out and I was able to see Sentinel Point off to my left, and Pikes Peak to the East. I hiked over the ridge I was on to look down on the Oil Creek drainage. I had returned that way once with Dog, and I remember having to fight through willows almost all the way back to the road.

At this point I decided not to continue along the ridge to Sentinel Point since it was getting late in the day, and I had commitments. After drinking in the views, I retraced my steps back to the car.

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Last updated: 1 May, 2002