Advertisement:  When I give a link to a map for a given route, please take it with a grain of salt.  I have not done these routes myself yet and the planned route is simply my best guess.  I could be completely wrong.  Please don't do something dangerous (technical climbing or exposed scrambling) or stupid (trespassing).

Colorado

Misc Boulder Area

Fairview Group Traverse:  ~30 miles, 2 days
  • Honestly, I'm not sure how feasible this one is.  It looks like the USFS land is very discontinuous to the west of Fairview Peak.
BURL: Boulder Ultimate Ridge Linkup
  • OK, yes I stole this name from the WURL: Wasatch Ultimate Ridge Linkup.  This one won't rise to that level of difficulty but looks like a lot of fun. 
  • The basic idea is to travel from Eldorado Canyon to Boulder Canyon staying as high as possible.  Think of the Boulder Skyline Traverse but replace all the trails with scrambling.  I've started scouting for this one and it looks doable but will definitely be a serious project.  

Indian Peaks Wilderness

Brainard Lake Traverse​:  This one day affair would hit all the major peaks that can be seen from Brainard Lake.  My original attempt of this one is here.  Will definitely make another go next season.  
  • Audobon (via SE Ridge, Class 3)
  • Paiute Peak (via East Ridge, Class 3)
  • Mt Toll (West Sneak, Class 4)
  • Pawnee Peak (S. Slopes, Class 2)
  • Shoshoni Peak (N. Slopes, Class 2)
  • Apache Peak (NE Ridge, Class 4--same as Kasparov Traverse but without the towers)
  • Navajo Peak (via Apache S. Ridge, Class 3 then Navajo West Chimney, Class 4)
  • Niwot Ridge (Class 2 if staying south of the ridge crest, at least Class 3 on the ridge itself)


Pawnee-Buchanan Loop, 26 miles, 2 days
Scramble on Lone Eagle Peak (Solo Flight Route, Class 4)
  • This could easily be included on the Pawnee-Buchanan Loop.  It's only a couple miles from the main primary Pawnee-Buchanan route; I visited Crater Lake on my previous attempt.

Pawnee Peak, Little Pawnee, Mt. Toll Combo
  • Short class 4 section on downclimb from Little Pawnee.
  • An easier variation would be: Pawnee Pass-->Pawnee Peak-->Mt. Toll-->return via Blue Lake.  This one would never get above Class 2.
  • The north ridge of Mt. Toll is technical climbing and should be avoided by hikers/scramblers.  Some info here:  www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=16275​

Shoshoni Peak, Apache Peak, Navajo Peak ridge traverse
  • The most well known route connecting these is known as "Kasparov's Traverse".  This climbs the ten towers between Shoshoni and Appache (Class 5.4-5.9).  I'm not particularly interested in this but apparently if you skip the towers the whole thing can be at Class 4 difficulty. 
  • There's some good info in Colorado's Front Range Thirteeners by Derek Wolfe.  Much of this info is on a Trip Report posted on 14ers.com before the publication of the book.  www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=17113​
  • This one is now redundant with the Brainard Lake Traverse.

Mohling Traverse

Rocky Mountain National Park

Lumpy Ridge- Still haven't explored this area yet.  

Never Summer Traverse ​
  • The Never Summer Range looks like it'll be my next obsession.  
  • Caltopo map here: caltopo.com/m/UGU0

McHenry's Peak (via Stone Man Pass, Class 3)
Hayden Gorge/Forest Canyon
  • I don't think it's totally crazy to try this one in the winter but maybe so.  

LA Freeway

Misc Northern Colorado Mountains

Mt. Zirkel Wilderness:  Wyoming Trail (seems to usually be done with a car shuttle) Rawah Wilderness: Rawah Lakes Loop

Cache La Poudre Wilderness

The USFS website description of the Cache La Poudre Wilderness:"Use is low and only one trail, the Mount McConnel National Recreation Trail, exists in the wilderness. Travel is accomplished only by scrambling and bushwhacking in stream bottoms, on ridges and along game trails."  Sounds like my kind of place.  

Sawatch Range

Collegiate Peaks Loop--160 miles, 1-2 weeks.  
Map here:  ​https://caltopo.com/m/39AS
Nolans 14-- would be done as a backpacking trip, not some crazy ultramarathon.

Flat Tops Wilderness

Lost Lakes-Devil's Causeway (19.5 mile loop)
Map here:  ​https://caltopo.com/m/8GGU  (route not mapped yet)

Pawnee National Grassland

Pawnee Buttes. -- Most material I've found online indicate that this is a very short out and back.  Maybe it's possible to turn this into a ~30 mile backpacking trip during the winter???

San Juan Range

Ice Lake Basin/ Vermillion Peak
Wheeler Geologic Area (La Garita Wilderness)

Sangre de Cristo Range

Sangre de Cristo Traverse
  • Only a loose idea at this point.  The idea is largely inspired by some trip reports I stumbled across on www.14ers.com.  It seems like the northern section could be done 2-3 days.  A traverse of the southern section would be much more involved and-of course-is much more appealing to me. 
  • Apparently, Cam "Swami" Honan has done his own variant of a Sangre de Cristo Traverse.
  • My ever evolving map is here:  https://caltopo.com/m/QA1A
I have since learned that you can't avoid Class 5 difficulty if you stay on the ridge.  This one requires more thought.  

Montana

Glacier National Park

Backpack to Cracker Lake.  (see beautiful photos here:  ​http://www.thenationalparksgirl.com/adventure-guides/#/backpack-to-cracker-lake-glacier-national-park/)

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Open

​bedrockandparadox.com/bob-marshall-wilderness-open/

Wyoming

Grand Tetons

Backpack the Teton Crest trail.  

Wind River Range

Wind River High Route!  
              http://andrewskurka.com/adventures/wind-river-high-route/
              ​http://www.adventurealan.com/wind-river-high-route-guide/

Gros Ventre Wilderness

Brewster Lake & Gros Ventre Wilderness Loop

Absaroka Range

Greybull River and Burwell Pass Loop

Misc southern Wyoming (desert)

Adobe Town Rim Wilderness Study Area

Other ideas from Douglas Lorain's book "Backpacking Wyoming"

Since my first visit to Wyoming, I've been surprised that the southern Wyoming is so un-loved.  
  • Full disclosure: these places were all listed as bad places to go because water is hard to find.  That should just keep the crowds down right?  
Sweetwater River Canyon
The Honeycombs
Jack Morrow Hill
Boars Tusk
Encampment River Trail

Idaho

Hells Canyon

Long Trails

Continental Divide Trail:  Mexico to Canada.  Crossing through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.  3100 miles, 4-5 months.  

Great Divide Trail:  Along the Canadian Rockies.  Connects Waterton Lakes and Kakwa Provincial Park. 786 miles, 1-2 months

Colorado Trail:  Connects South Denver to Durango San Juans Range.  486 miles, 30 days

Some items on this list are more realistic than others.  
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