Signal Mt and Stormy Peak from Dunraven (Commanche Peaks Wilderness/Northern RMNP, CO)

Trip date: July 18, 2020

Caltopo map here: caltopo.com/m/DL9Q

This was a fairly straightforward but long hike in northern RMNP and the Comanche Peaks Wilderness.  I'd start at the Dunraven Trailhead which I've used in a previous winter overnight trip to Lake Husted and Lost Lake in RMNP.  

I'd start up Bulwark Ridge towards Signal Mt.  There was a nice views early on.  

Nice view of Mt. Meeker and Longs Peak on the climb up to Bulwark Ridge.

Bulwark Ridge itself was very pleasant and shaded.  There weren't too many views so I didn't take any pictures but I enjoyed my time in the forest.  Looking back now, after the Cameron Peak Fire burned this area later that fall, I'm sad that I didn't take at least a few pictures.  

Bulwark Ridge was burned in the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire (red). I was glad I got to see it before it changed.

First views of Signal Mt.

Summit of SIgnal Mt in Comanche Peaks Wilderness. There was a guy with a giant HAM radio antenna up there listening to signals from Wyoming. You can see the thin black antenna in this photo If you look closely. (It looks like a long bent over fishing pole).

Looking towards Fort Collins from Signal Mt.

People clearly feed marmots up here.

Another view of Signal Mt.

Signal Mt. from South Signal Mt.

The forests on thee other side of Signal Mt. were unaffected by the fire and are still as magnificent as I found them.  The trail does mostly vanish as far as I could tell.  Every once and a while I'd pick it up again but this part doesn't seem to really be maintained (or I suppose I just missed it descending from summit of S. Signal Mt.).​

The magnificent forests west of Signal Mt. were unaffected by the Cameron Peak Fire.

Did a double-take on this one.

The trail is off and on. Expect to jump over a lot of downed trees and some bushwacking.

The trail is off and on between South Signal Mt and the saddle to the west. RMNP maintains the other two trails entering the junction at the saddle.

Pretty Boulders on the way to Stormy Peak

Shoulder of Stormy Peak on the right.

Gibraltar Mt, UN 12,780' and Little No Name

I apparently really liked looking at these mountains.

Like, really liked it.

Storms were building pretty fast and I was ready to head down.

I was surprised that I was able to see the little dry patch of land that I'd found on my Lake Husted trip.  

This tree-less patch was snow free on a previous trip which is a real treat on a winter trip. Unfortunately, I had chosen to camp literally 800 feet beefore seeing this.

This is a good depiction of how much easier trails are to travel on vs bushwacking.

The valley floor of the North Fork of the Big Thompson River is really rough with tons of blowdown.  I hadn't appreciated this in the winter when everything was covered with snow.   It reminded me of Forest Canyon.

If this looks like fun to you, you would love Forest Canyon.