The Tenmile Traverse
Ah, I have so much to say about this solo outing. The Tenmile Traverse is a mountain range located in Summit County, Colorado. The traverse is a high altitude hike that follows a ridge line for about 16-17 miles(all depending on the individual) and offers stunning views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. Honestly, I would absolutely do this one over again.
I started this at Rainbow Lake TH and ended up in Breckenridge. The milage here will vary depending on what peaks are included. Personally I was around 18, but I had to backtrack as I left a very important piece of gear in my car which added about a 1.5 miles. I then branched off and added in Mt. Royal, not a huge effort here, but I wanted to really push myself and go from peak to peak that day. I was in a pretty bad place and needed to clear my head.
As I moved along and pretty quickly from my normal days as I knew I had a big day ahead of me I had some of the most incredible views of the surrounding mountains. To the north is Gore Range and the Sawatch Range to the south. I was blessed with a lucky day of just some clouds and miles upon miles of visibility. Due to this being so long I’m going to break it down each peak.
Mt. Royal 10,502'
Mt. Victoria 11,785'
Peak 1 12,805'
Tenmile Peak 12,933'
Peak 3 12,676'
Peak 4 12,866'
Peak 5 12,855'
Peak 6 12,573'
Peak 7 12,655'
Peak 8 12,987'
Peak 9 13,195'
Peak 10 13,633
So in total that day I had 12 summits. It’s a very long day and does require some of the most challenging route finding I’ve encountered along the Dragon’s Tail. Then I had to compile myself for a good 30 minutes at another bailout around Peak 7 or 8 to push on. This is a dry hike, as in there is no water sources along the way unless you decide to descend about 500 or so feet and regain it towards the end around Peak 8. Gain wasn’t much once you hit Mt. Victoria and the very end when you drop from Peak 9 and back up to Peak 10.
I want to mention, on this hike I saw a lot of people without helmets and while I’m not here to police anyone I do HIGHLY recommend bringing a helmet for the Dragon’s Tail. As I approached Peak 4 there were goats and I did see the people in front of me kicking rocks(not intentionally obviously). I only wore mine from Tenmile Peak to Peak 4(I believe), and yes it is extra weight, but your brain is worth more. You only get one.
I was never so happy to come across a little stream after Peak 10 on my way down the road. I literally soaked my feet, filtered some water, and cried tears of joy for accomplishing such a big push for me. Then to get blessed even more, a lovely couple(van lifers) offered me a lift. I told them I really just needed to go to the bus stop in Breck, but that couple took me all the way back to Frisco. I had actually seen them biking a trail that is popular that intersects earlier in the day. To this day, I gotta say, I’m forever grateful they took me back to my car.
Overall, bring a lot of water and be prepared for a long day. Bring layers, although I found myself pretty hot on that day. It does get windy and if you stop to take a break you might cool down.
Well I think that pretty much sums up that day.
