Antero is not a very exciting mountain, unless you're a rockhound, I suppose. Gem-quality aquamarines, topaz and quartz have been found here, and the mountain is crisscrossed with roads from the old mining days. Many people drive 4X4 vehicles and motorcyles up and down the mountain in search of gems, or making the short walk from the highest point on the road (13,700') to the summit. This makes for an interesting cross-section of people on the mountain, as well as detracts from any sense of solitude one might be looking for.

The Baldwin Gulch trailhead is on Chaffee County 162 at 9420'. A 4X4 road goes all the way to 13,700', but a good place to park and camp is at a road junction at 10,840'. It's a rough 3 miles to this junction. I started up the road at about 21:15 in total darkness, except for the stars, and only saw one other vehicle parked on the side. At first I couldn't even find the trailhead because Roach said it was 2 miles past Cascade Campground, when it's really more like 3. I was looking for a place to pull over and set up a tent for the night, and I couldn't really find much until I was close to the road junction. I finally found a spot above Baldwin Creek and set up camp. The night was very clear, in contrast to the rainy nights I'd been experiencing.

I awoke around 05:30, and took an hour to get out of the sleeping bag, pack up camp and hit the trail. I left the Jeep parked where it was, I knew I was close to the trailhead. At the road crossing I took a road to the left, which immediately crossed Baldwin Creek. Here I saw many campers and vehicles. The road climbed steeply out of the trees and started switchbacking up Antero's west slopes. After a couple of these switchbacks the road was less steep, and it was pleasant hiking on it. I was passed by ATVs and 4X4s, and there were a couple other parties walking behind me.

At around 13,000', the road swings south and crosses Antero's south ridge. From here Roach says to leave the road and climb up the ridge to a bump at 13,800', then on to the summit. I did that, while the other climbers kept on the road which led to the ridge at 13,700'. The final climb to the summit was on easy rock at first, then steepened into scree and dirt mixed with larger rock. The trail became indistinct, but it was easy enough to climb the ridge.

Foto ©2001 by John C. Maki

I summitted at 09:10 - no false summits on this mountain. We were pretty much socked in by clouds, though the wind would blow them away at times allowing climbers some views of the surrounding landscape. I stayed on the summit only until 09:20, because it looked like we might be in for some snow. It never did snow, but it was windy and cold on the descent of the ridge. I took the road instead of the rest of the ridge I came up on, and reached a junction in the road. I didn't realize it was a junction at the time and ended up taking the wrong fork, which led down and around toward Antero's south ridge, where it climbed back up to the other road. I wasn't happy about losing elevation and having to gain it again, but it was a gentle climb. One of the guys I was on the summit with found a bat, presumably dead (or very cold) clinging to a rock on the road. That was a first for me...

I hiked down the switchbacks toward treeline, passing many people in vehicles and walking. What a circus Antero is... Texans in jeans and windbreakers asking what the way to the top is... Prospectors on ATVs churning up the road and digging holes in the mountain. There were hikers who thought it would be prudent to huff and puff up the gullies instead of following the easy road. I was glad to get down below treeline and back to the Jeep. I reached camp at 11:10, which gave me 2:40 hours for the 3400' ascent and 1:50 hours for the descent. I did not fill up my gas tank back in Buena Vista the night before because I had a quarter tank and I thought that would be enough. 4-wheeling uses up a lot more gas than normal driving, and when I started back down the 2.7 miles to the county road, the low-fuel light came on. I hurried back down the rough road, having to back up and pull off for several climbing vehicles, and finally made it out of the woods. I coasted as much as possible on the county road back to US 24, and drove a few more miles to Johnson Village and a gas station. Next time I won't cut it so close.

Well, I didn't get to attempt Wilson Peak or Uncompahgre, and I didn't stay out for 6 days but I bagged 3 new 14ers, each from a different range, in 4 days. I found the more I worked my legs the better they responded, so I am encouraged to do even more hiking. Next climb will probably be Mount Princeton, in a couple weeks, then Holy Cross.