Two Days in Colorado in August- What would you climb?

I'm planning a trip in CO this August. I've visited a couple times before and had a great time in the Grenadiers, but this time I have just two days (before a backpacking trip with some buddies). So, help me dream: if you were me and had:

• two days
• a car
• no partner 
• ability and stoke to climb up to 4th class solo
• no problem with long approaches and overnights
• a proclivity toward long moderate alpine routes, summits, and remote areas,

where would you go? What would you do? Thanks for any help! 

Kiener's on Long's.  West face of Quandary. Shelf Cirque Traverse.  Study up, take some topos, and don't be afraid of turning back if you think you could be off route.

Otherwise check out the advanced search function on MP.  Also check supertopo.

Where is your backpacking trip starting?

Knife Edge on Capitol Peak, Shelf Cirque Traverse, Little Bear to Blanca traverse, the Beaver on Long's. Kiener's struck me as a touch harder than 4th class, and a lot of loose rock, especially in August. Cables Route on Long's is another option.

Maybe hike in and camp at Colony Lake, and do the Crestone Traverse? I have not done it (on my to-do list), but from what I've gathered, if you do it from Crestone Needle to Crestone Peak, you can rappel the final headwall and avoid the supposedly 5th class climbing.

By the way, check out 14ers.com for lots of information on stuff less than class 5 in Colorado.

Matheo wrote:

If you are going all the way out to Lone Eagle Peak for Solo Flight, better to find a partner and actually climb.  Das a looong walk!  Incredible spot though!!  https://www.mountainproject.com/v/north-face/105752470

what about hiring a guide for a day and climbing some grade 5 stuff.  My partner was out of town for a couple weeks and I wanted some local insight into a major climbing area in NC that I'd never been to before I brought the boys.  climbed with a guide for the day, learned a lot, climbed a shit ton (no looking for routes or waiting on one because he was super familar with the area) and generally had a awesome day.

I'm headed to Denver in AUG for work and was planning on doing something similar.  I've got a day carved out to just climb and was thinking of heading to the flatirons.

Thanks y'all for the input. I'm probably not going to shell out dough for a guide, as fun as that would be. I'm thinking flatirons might be super fun, but will also be checking out the alpine objectives as those are more my style. Keep 'em coming!

WDW4 wrote:

Thanks y'all for the input. I'm probably not going to shell out dough for a guide, as fun as that would be. I'm thinking flatirons might be super fun, but will also be checking out the alpine objectives as those are more my style. Keep 'em coming!

Keep an eye on falcon closures in the flats. 

Flatirons can be very hot in August. Try to plan your trip to allow an early start. They'll be much more enjoyable that way.

Kelso Ridge to summit Torreys. If weather good, tag Greys on the way back.

Tradgic Yogurt wrote:

Kelso Ridge to summit Torreys. If weather good, tag Greys on the way back.

Good choice, but don't go near those two peaks on a weekend. Also, the road to the summer trailhead is getting pretty beat up. With the use it's getting, it will be 4WD or high clearance 2WD before too long.

I should mention that the two days in question will be a Tuesday and a Wednesday. I'm hoping that will clear out crowds quite a bit. I'm also leaning away from the flatirons, mainly because peaks are just sounding so much more fun...

And the flats are balls hot in the summer 

Kieners, the Beaver, and Cables are all fun solo routes on Longs, but just be aware, most consider them 5th class (Cables being the easiest).  Cables and the Beaver could both be retreated from easily to climb an easier route to the summit, (Keyhole instead of Cables or jut over to the Homestretch instead of the Beaver).  Kieners would be a bit more of a pain in the butt once you're up to the 5.4 pitch.