Hiked Half Peak (13841') from Minnie Gulch 4WD, with Point 12990 and Point 13164 along the way. Total distance 14.7 miles per the GPS, with around 4700' of climb. Total time right at about 6 hours.
This was a pretty tough outing for me--maybe the hardest endurance effort of the year. Weather was perfect until the end, when I ended up running all the way down Minnie Gulch to escape the thunderstorm that was stalking me. I also ran some of the downhills on various slopes, but mostly it was just good hiking.
That whole area up on the Continental Divide really feels like you're WAY out there. I didn't run into anybody else the whole day; just saw a couple of folks way off in the distance at one point. Pretty cool to climb one of the highest 100 peaks in CO on a perfect late summer day and not run into anybody.
Gerry Roach describes the scrambly maze below the summit as Class 2, but I'm not sure. Maybe class 2+, although Vermillion is 2+ and I'm not sure it was as hard as that. There's some exposure, though.
The couloir leading up to Point 13164 is interesting--looks like you won't be able to find a way to get up the cliff band until you're right on it, and then it's easy.
A great--and tiring--day.
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