Distance

8.6 mi to summit

17.2 mi total

Elevation

8,320 ft start

Vertical

4,200 ft gain

Time

8 hr 0 min total

The hike to Peak 11116 is 8.6 miles one way, six miles on trail and 2.6 off-trail. Trails from the Panchuela trailhead to Horsethief Meadows are signed and obvious. After crossing the stream at Horsethief Meadows the trail becomes faint in places due to high grass/vegetation but some narrow, not easily seen poles help guide the way. The Horsethief Meadows trail ends at the junction with the Panchuela West Trail (which can still be seen in places). The Horsethief Creek trail junction is still present but its my understanding from a 2019 trip report that the trail is totally obliterated and difficult to navigate due to lots of deadfall, the result of a massive burn some years ago. In order to get to Peak 11116 the most obvious route under normal circumstances would be to hike the Horsethief Creek Trail but given the issues involved I elected to use the ridgeline which also heads toward Peak 11116. At the junction of the Panchuela West and Horsethief Meadow Trails I headed up the ridge, gaining over a thousand feet along the way. Just south of Peak 11116 I lost over 400 feet of the gain due to a saddle. Transiting up and over the ridge route involves crossing a burn scar with lots of blow downs. Fortunately most of the downed trees are simple step-overs through open forest. Peak 11116 is mostly bare, lots of downed step-overs. There's a jar containing a summit log on top. Don't look for a large summit cairn, just a small pile of rocks next to a downed tree. Plenty of water along the way to the junction of Panchuela West. Nothing on the ridges.

Obstacles

blowdowns

Key gear

trekking poles, GPS device