Kenny Mt. (Lyons/Estes Park, Colorado)

Trip date: Jan 05, 2019

Just before the final climb to Kenny Mt.

Caltopo map here

This week I chose another area with a recent wildfire (see Fairview Peak trips #1 and #2 and Cache la Poudre Wilderness overnight).  Somehow these places draw me in.  Kenny Mt. is between Lyons and Estes Park off of Highway 36 and also between Lion Gulch (trip report here) and Coulson Gulch (Trips #1 and #2) 

Like Fairview Peak I'd see this curious mountain while driving and wonder what it was.  Kenny Mt. ​is also barren from a wildfire (in 2002) exposing many inviting granite slabs.  There would be easier access to Kenny Mt. from the north along USFS roads but it since it was these slabs that caught my eye I started on the SE side.  With the exception of a short 0.25 mile road walk at the end, this hike was 100% off-trail.  

I think I deserve royalties.

On the whole the snow was pretty minimal.   The fun parts (granite slabs) were in direct sun for most of the day (see sun exposure map below) .  There was a pretty snowy gulch (see first "blue" valley) in the first half and more snow towards the summit area.  

Avg daily sun exposure map for January. Yellow -->direct sun, blue --> shady. The places I found snow corresponded well to the shady areas.

More dead animals!

At this point I'd reached the slabs.  

Lots of class 3 moves in this area (see caltopo map link).

Looking west along towards Estes Park (Hwy 36 is in that valley).

The primary "snowy gulch" ( (just out of view) is over between the ridge in the middle and mountain in the background.

My feet got a little wet descending that hill to the gulch.

Kenny Mt. actually had a summit cairn!

And even a summit register! Only 5 people signed in the last year (as long as it went back). Regarding food choice, donuts don't pack nearly as well as M&M's...