Torreys Peak, with an elevation of 14,267 feet, is the 11th highest peak in the state of Colorado. Torreys and nearby Grays Peak have the
distinction of being the only two Fourteeners which lie on the Continental Divide within the lower 48 states. Torreys Peak was named after
botanist John Torrey by his colleague Charles C. Parry, who was the first man to ascend the peak in 1861 (Torrey did not see the peak
named in his honor until 11 years later, in 1872). Many climbers start at Stevens Gulch and bag Torreys after topping Grays.
Stevens Gulch (from the northeast) is the most popular of several easy routes to the summit. Many hikers use the well-marked and
heavily-traveled Grays Peak Trail to ascend Grays Peak before descending to the 13,707-foot high saddle with Torreys (which is less than a
mile distant), and then climbing that second peak before returning for a round trip of eight miles. To reach the trailhead, take I-70 West
from Denver to Bakerville, then take Stevens Gulch Road south 2.5 miles to the Stevens Gulch Trailhead. Follow the gulch for a slow
climb which will become steeper near the summit of Grays.
Sources: peakware.com, wikipedia.org, Dawson's Guide to Colorado's Fourteeners, Volume 1: The Northern Peaks
