Afternoon storm risk is the line that matters. Everything else is comfort. In summer, plan to be off the ridge before the build-up starts, not as it starts. Forecast for the summit point, adjusted for its elevation · data from Open-Meteo.
Colorado 13er · Bear Basin and East Ridge from Crystal
Overview
Treasure Mountain is a remote 13er south of the old mining town of Crystal, with big views of the Snowmass massif and the Ruby Range. From Crystal you cross the Crystal River, bushwhack up into Bear Basin, climb to a saddle west of Point 13,407, and follow a long, mostly grassy ridge west to the summit.
It is Class 2+. The hardest parts are getting across the river and fighting through the thick, wet plants in lower Bear Basin. The ridge itself is easy.
The round trip is about 8 miles with 4,600 feet of gain. The drive to Crystal needs 4WD. Many people add Treasury Mountain to the east.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6 a.m. from Crystal.
Turnaround
Be at the saddle west of Point 13,407 by 10:30 a.m.
Crux
Crossing the Crystal River and the brushy lower basin.
Route-finding
Moderate. Stay on the west side of the Bear Basin creek, take the west fork above 10,300 feet, and turn south at about 11,800 feet.
Water
The Crystal River and Bear Basin streams. Filter it.
From Highway 82 at Carbondale, drive south on Highway 133 past Redstone. Less than a mile before the highway starts its switchbacks up McClure Pass, turn left toward Marble. Follow the rougher paved road to Marble, jog left and right through town, and continue east to Beaver Lake. Park here in a regular car.
With 4WD, climb steeply past Beaver Lake to the junction of Roads 315 and 314 and take 314 to the right toward Crystal. It is a narrow one-lane shelf road where you can't see oncoming traffic, so honk on blind corners. It is a slow, rough 4 miles to the old Crystal townsite. People live there: park out of the way, and ask permission if you can.
No camping in Crystal. There are a few roadside spots on the way in, and Forest Service fee campgrounds at Redstone, near the Marble turnoff and just over McClure Pass.
Trail in the treesOff-trail, no set pathScramblingTalus and screeRidgeTundraExposed to lightning
The line is elevation, the band underneath is the ground, and the numbered dots match the steps below. Mileage and elevations are approximate.
1
Crystal townsite 8,965' · 0 mi
Walk east past the last cabin and head south to the Crystal River.
2
Crystal River 8,950' · 0.1 mi
Find a way across. The river splits into three channels between willow islands. Past parties have used fallen logs, and a footbridge behind the southernmost house has been reported.
Watch for: The crossing can be dangerous in early summer.
3
Bushwhack 9,600' · 0.8 mi
Climb a steep bank south to an old roadbed and follow it east until it fades. Push through logs and brush up a steep slope until you pick up a faint path along the Bear Basin creek, keeping to its west bank.
4
Bear Basin 10,300' · 1.5 mi
Most of the way up the creek is open, but the plants are thick and tall and the trail keeps disappearing. You will get soaked if it has rained. Once past about 10,300 feet, stay with the creek's west branch.
5
Upper basin 11,800' · 2.3 mi
The tall plants give way to tundra. Water pours over huge slabs and the rock towers of Treasure Mountain rise to the west. At about 11,800 feet, turn due south.
6
Saddle 12,900' · 3 mi
Climb to the saddle just west of Point 13,407. Expect snow in early summer and loose rubble later.
Watch for: An ice axe or microspikes help early in the season.
7
Point 13,211 13,211' · 3.4 mi
Turn west and follow the ridge crest over Point 13,211.
8
Summit 13,535' · 4 mi
Drop about 100 feet, then walk mostly tundra with a little rock to the top. Yule Lakes sit at the mountain's south foot.
Getting down
Return the same way, or continue to Treasury Mountain.
If things go wrong
From the saddle, the basin leads straight back down.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past the Crystal River the route is a bushwhack and a trailless basin. A flyover only works when there is a set trail to trace. Without one, the line would be a guess, and a guess could send you the wrong way on the mountain. Use the step-by-step route with a good map and GPS track instead.
See the trail on video
No video yet
We haven’t found a good video of this route that matches the way we describe it. The route strip, junctions and 3D flyover show the way in the meantime.
Other routes
Every way up Treasure Mountain we list, with its class.
Treasure Mtn. Bear Basin Approachthis routeClass 2+ 8 mi
This describes the route on a dry summer day. Most 13ers see few people, so there may be no one along behind you. Check recent conditions the week you go, carry a map, tell someone your plan, and turn around when the day tells you to.