Twin Sisters 11,428' - Trip Report

Twin Sisters 11,428' - Trip Report

June 27, 1999

Dalene Russo

Twin Sisters proved to be a very pleasant little hike with beautiful views. We went up Sunday morning. It was very foggy on the drive up before 7am. Longs and Meeker were barely visible through the fog. Occasionally they would peek through. It sprinkled lightly before we began our hike, but by 8am the precipitation was burning off and the sky was a beautiful clear blue with only a few wispy clouds.

The Twin Sisters trail Head is well marked off 7 near Longs (N I think). We started a little after 7am had a leisurely hike and returned to the car at noon. It was warm on the way up. The trail is clear from snow. It is a very pristine, well maintained trail. The summit(s) are only slightly above tree line. I was glad to have my gortex as there were 35-40 mph gusts, but only on top.

The second sister is a fun little scramble with some good solid talus. The view of Longs is memorable from the summit of Twin Sisters. I would recommend this hike as a good beginner hike for those in reasonable shape. We saw several families with children and many who looked like tourist. Those without wind gear did not linger on the summit.

I got the closest to a wild fox I've ever been going up the first summit after we rounded the antenna shed. That was a very cool experience. He hesitated before dashing off. We had time to snap a quick picture. He was about 12 feet away, no farther. We saw chipmunks and squirrels. A fun low stress little outing.

From the Rockies List Processor .

Other Information

• Located in Rocky Mountain National Park
• USGS Maps - Longs Pk 7.5' quads
• Trails Illustrated Map #200 - Rocky Mountain National Park
• Class B Difficult - On Trail, Round Trip 9 mi./2,520'
• What to Bring on a Hike
• Safety And Survival
• There's Weather Out There
• Learning Safety Through the Experience of Others
• The Leave No Trace: Skills & Ethics: Rocky Mountains A must read for every backcountry user!

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