When you’re a peakbagging fiend, you can’t visit somewhere without climbing the highest thing around.
Since we’re currently boondocking in the Flat Tops area, that means Flat Top Mountain at 12,354 feet.
Staring up at it every day from our campsite, it doesn’t look like much, just a point on a long westerly slope. With almost no trail information on the internet, a few minutes spent in Garmin BaseCamp and the topographic contours show a nice constant slope up from the Derby trail.
Long and boring, there is absolutely zero reason to do this trail unless you’re a peakbagger. While the view over the Flat Tops Wilderness area are beautiful, you can get almost the same views 1,000 feet lower and then spend the afternoon fishing in the hundreds of lakes up here.
Morning Mirror
One of the benefits of an early morning start is no wind and mirror reflections on all of the lakes and ponds you pass.
Layer Cake
The Flat Tops all have layer upon layer of rock .
Reminder
Here’s a reminder that not everything that goes up the mountain comes back down.
Proof
The geodetic marker at the summit of Flat Top Mountain.
Flat Top Summit
The rocky summit of Flat Top Mountain. 12,354 feet.
Contrast
What a contrast between Flat Top Mountain’s rocky summit and the green meadows below!
The Ridgeline
The clearly defined ridge between the Tops and the Bottoms.
Back Up
The ridgeline going back up to Flat Top Mountain.
Keener Lake
The Keener Lake area with Derby Peak behind it.
Coming Out
Nice green on the outbound hike.
Puffballs
Puffy little clouds over the Flat Tops Wilderness.
Blue and Green
Stillwater Reservoir lights up blue against the brilliant blue sky.
Flat Top Mountain
Google Earth visual of the Flat Top Mountain hike
