July 3, 2021
Woods Peak (12,940 feet)
Route: None (based on alltrails route for Mt. Parnassus from Watrous Gulch)
6.6 miles; 2701 feet elevation gain
3 hours 34 minutes
Not quite a 13er but close enough to write about ;) We were planning to do this mountain in combination with Mt. Parnassus in 2020 but after Parnassus almost killed me there was no way I was doing more incline to get this peak. My parents are here visiting and my mom is an avid hiker too; I wanted something challenging but not too difficult, with great views. I heard that this area was in full bloom for wildflowers so off we went. The weather forecast was amazing, no clouds in the forecast so we got a slightly later start than normal. We left Arvada at 5:50am and were hiking by 7am. I had Nyx and Brittany had Gryff. Such an easy trailhead to access and most people head towards Herman Gulch making Watrous Gulch my preferred path.
The entire route was covered in blooming wildflowers and it was absolutely beautiful. I love summer in Colorado so much. We didn’t see anyone on the way up, aside from a guy behind us who started around the same time, but he went up Parnassus at the saddle. The first two miles are in the trees and very straightforward, although it is a decent amount of elevation gain. We did the first 2 miles in just under 1 hour. Just past the 2 mile marker you reach the tree line and start climbing significantly from there to the saddle between Woods and Parnassus. This is a really steep climb, so we took a lot of breaks. Once we reached the saddle it was smooth going from there, you continue to climb but it is a more moderate and doable grade. The views on the top are absolutely stunning. There was not a cloud in the sky, barely any wind and 360 degree views. We had the summit to ourselves and hung out for about 15 minutes before heading down. The descent from the saddle to the tree line is very steep and takes a toll on the legs. We saw a couple of groups heading up as we came down this part.
If you read my posts from last year you will remember that I absolutely hated the 2020 trip up Parnassus. I struggled so much, it was hazy from the fires and it was brown and ugly. This year’s trip definitely redeemed this route for me, it was so beautiful and peaceful. Having my mom with me made it even more special, I love being able to share these mountains with her!
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