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Pawnee Pass marked by sign on Continental Divide
Pawnee Pass是Indian Peaks Wilderness一條穿越洛磯山脈大陸分水嶺的高山步道,登山口在Brainard Lake Recreation Area。沿著步道沿途會經過Long Lake和Lake Isabelle兩個高山湖泊;上到最高點後是一大片的苔原,從此高點可攀爬Pawnee Peak和Shoshoni Peak。越過分水嶺後往西下可達Pawnee Lake ,在Brainard Lake Recreation Area地區是一條蠻受歡迎的登山健行路線。該路線我於兩年前走過一趟,主要是去攀爬Pawnee Peak和Shoshoni Peak。
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登山日期:2007.08.09
攀登山岳:Pawnee Peak( 12,943 ft . / 3,945 m )
Shoshoni Peak( 12,967 ft . / 3,952 m )
登 山 口:Long Lake Trailhead (10,480 ft. / 3,194 m )
登山里程:全程來回約12哩 ( 19.2公里 )
爬升高度:約2,900呎 ( 884公尺 )
花費時間:7 小時 42 分
登山口行車指南:
從Golden走72號公路(Peak To Peak)或由Boulder走119號公路到Nederland後續往北走12哩到達小鎮Ward,剛過小鎮路旁就可看到一面大指示牌指向西邊標明“Brainard Lake”,順著指示牌左轉沿Brainard Lake Road行約5哩即可到Brainard Lake ,中途2.6哩處會經過一收費站(夏季每一車輛9美元,持有國家公園年票-- America The Beautiful可適用;冬季大約10月初到次年6月中旬則免費。) The Long Lake Trailhead則續行約一哩,登山口有一停車場,但在夏季若不早到往往是客滿的。過了收費站後沿途會經過Red Rock Lake 和 Brainard Lake。
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行程紀要:
我於清晨六點左右到達Brainard Lake,清晨的湖光山色吸引我駐足好久,岸邊早就有釣客在此垂釣。六點半到達登山口停車場,因為來得早,車輛沒幾部。
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Morning light on Brainard Lake
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Morning light on Brainard Lake
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迷霧中的釣者
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登山路線圖
06:48 登山口出發,沿著Long Lake Trail在松林間西行。
06:55 到達Long Lake東口,沿湖的北岸續往西行。

Long Lake
07:15 到達Long Lake的西端遇The Jean Lunnings Trail和Pawnee Pass Trail岔路(海拔10,674’),取右循Pawnee Pass Trail直行。
07:43 經過一段小陡坡後抵達Lake Isabelle。
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Lake Isabelle 岔路
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Lake Isabelle
稍事停留續往右“之”字形攀升,步道轉為陡峭。約3/4哩後(距登山口約2.75 哩海拔約: 11,355呎)出了森林線,步道轉為較平緩,兩側是亂石堆的苔原地形,苔原上不時看到土撥鼠(Marmot)、短耳兔(Pika)和雷鳥(Ptarmigan) 在活動。

俯瞰Lake Isabelle

步道北眺Pawnee Peak東稜
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步道南眺 Navajo Peak
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Marmot
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Ptermigan
經過一斷平緩的亂石坡後再爬升一段陡坡便看到一片高原--Pawnee Pass最高點到了!
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Shoshoni peak as seen from higher tundra plateau just below Pawnee Pass
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Shoshoni peak(L) as seen from Pawnee Pass
09:30 抵達Pawnee Pass,海拔12,541呎,距登山口4.55哩,很寬廣的一片苔原,北側是Pawnee Peak ,南邊是一座海拔12,878呎的無名山頭,步道續往西行便是洛磯山脈的西邊,可達Pawnee Lake。
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Pawnee Pass
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Pawnee Peak as seen from just below Pawnee Pass
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Pawnee Peak as seen from Pawnee Pass
在Pawnee Pass稍事休息並到處逛逛後開始朝Pawnee Peak山頂出發,一路在Pawnee Peak的南側坡上升,沒有明顯路跡但不難走,朝山頂自行尋路上山,爬升約400呎即可抵達山頂。

West face of Point 12,878' from Pawnee peak
10:12 抵達Pawnee Peak山頂,海拔12,943呎.( 3,945 公尺)。

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On the summit of Pawnee peak
山頂有極佳的展望,環視整個Indian Peaks Area和北邊的洛磯山脈 ,北邊幾座山頭如Mt. Audubon ( 13,223’ )、Mt. Toll ( 12,979’ )和Paiute Peak (13,088')就在不遠處; Blue Lake and Little Blue Lake.也在山腳下,熟悉的Longs Peak也清晰可見。
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View to south from Pawnee's summit
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View to south from Pawnee's summit
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View to north from Pawnee's summit
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View to north from Pawnee's summit

View to north from Pawnee's summit

Mount Audubon、Blue Lake(右下) and Little Blue Lake(左)
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West view to Lake Granby from Pawnee Peak
10:40 下山
11:10 下抵Pawnee Pass,續往南邊的Shoshoni Peak前進。
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Pawnee Passs
Shoshoni Peak位在Pawnee Pass的南方,要上此峰必須橫切Pawnee Pass南側12,878呎的無名山頭(Point 12’ 878’ )。Point 12’ 878’整座山頭都是亂石坡,走起來小心翼翼的,我在11:40切到Point 12,878’和Shoshoni Peak的鞍部,回望Point 12’ 878’和南眺Shoshoni Peak等群峰都有極佳的山景。

Point 12,878'

View to north from the gentle northern slopes of Shoshoni

Navajo Peaks cone shaped summit peaking over Shoshoni-Point 12,878' saddle
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Navajo Peak, Dickers Peck, and Apache Peak from the saddle
過了鞍部後便沿著Shoshoni Peak的西北坡直朝山頂爬升,這是一段緩坡好走的路段。
11:54 登頂Shoshoni Peak,海拔12,967 呎( 3,952公尺)。

On the summit of Shoshoni peak
站在峰頂上東眺Brainard Lake Recreation Area的Red Rock、Brainard、Long和Lake Isabelle等湖;南北則是洛磯山脈和印地安山群等諸名山,站在此有一種傲視山河的感覺。
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Navajo Peak(L) and Apache Peak(R) from the summit of Shoshoni Peak
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View to south from the summit of Shoshoni peak
View to north from the summit of Shoshoni peak
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View to north from the summit of Shoshoni peak
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Longs Peak as seen from Shoshoni Peak
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Lake Isabelle and Long Lake from Shoshoni Peak
12:15 下山,我循原路下切到Point 12,878’和Shoshoni Peak的鞍部後,轉向右下在Shoshoni Peak的北坡朝東下切。
12:54 接到Pawnee Pass Trail,此地海拔約11,860呎。

回望下切路
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Lake Isabelle from the upper spot
13:42 返抵Lake Isabelle
14:04 抵達Long Lake
14:30 返抵登山口,結束一天愉快的行程。