East-Southeast Ridge from Lead King Basin

Overview

Siberia Peak is like a little sister to Snowmass Mountain: big, blocky, pale rock. From the Geneva Lake trailhead in Lead King Basin, you hike past beautiful Geneva Lake and Little Gem Lake to Siberia Lake, climb benches beside the east-southeast ridge, and weave along a broken summit ridge to the top.

It is Class 3, mostly on large blocks. The summit ridge is cut by gullies and huge boulders; it is slow but fun, and some lines touch brief Class 4. It took one party about 3.5 hours up from the trailhead.

The round trip is about 9.8 miles with 3,735 feet of gain. Getting to the trailhead takes a high-clearance 4WD; without one, plan to backpack in.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

From Highway 133 south of Carbondale (or north from McClure Pass), turn east on County Road 3 about a mile below the McClure Pass switchback. It is paved 5 miles to Marble. Jog left and right through town to Beaver Lake, where regular cars should park.

With a high-clearance 4WD: 0.7 mile past Beaver Lake, take the right fork between cabins and climb steep, rough Daniels Hill to the junction of FR 314 and FR 315. Go left on FR 315, the Lost Trail Creek road. It climbs through six tight switchbacks, crosses Silver Creek, tops out near 10,800 feet, then drops through seven more switchbacks into Lead King Basin. The trailhead lot is about 1,000 feet past the last switchback. Long-bed trucks will struggle, and snow can block this road into August.

The other way in, through Crystal, is even rougher, with rocky ledges that can wreck tires and axles. A jeep shuttle service in Marble can drive you in. There are several camp spots in Lead King Basin. Camping at Geneva Lake is only in designated sites with a permit reserved ahead on recreation.gov, and bear canisters are required.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Geneva Lake trailhead 9,685' · 0 mi

   Walk north up the road to the first switchback, or take a path from the lot, to the trail kiosk. Register if staying overnight.

2. 2

   Switchbacks 10,500' · 1.2 mi

   The trail heads north, then west, through tall plants and some old avalanche damage, then switchbacks between about 10,400 and 10,600 feet with views of the falls below the lake.

3. 3

   Geneva Lake 10,950' · 2 mi

   Stay on the main trail high above the west shore, past campsites 1 through 4, and continue north above the creek.

4. 4

   Little Gem Lake 11,700' · 3 mi

   Cross a big flowery bowl and climb steeply to the bench holding Little Gem Lake.

5. 5

   Siberia Lake 11,900' · 3.6 mi

   Keep going to Siberia Lake, leaving most of the trees behind. You can start up the ridge before the lake or from its south end.

6. 6

   Benches 12,900' · 4.4 mi

   Climb a series of grassy benches between outcrops and boulders just north of the ridge. It gets rockier as you go, with Class 3 moves over big boulders.

7. 7

   Summit ridge 13,250' · 4.6 mi

   The final 400 feet up to the crest, which runs north and south, gets steeper and more interesting.

8. 8

   Summit 13,425' · 4.9 mi

   Work north along the ridge in and out of gullies and around huge blocks, sometimes on the crest, sometimes to one side. A steep, sandy gully may take you back up to the crest. The top is a pile of tilted blocks with great views of Capitol and Snowmass.

   Watch for: Some lines are brief Class 4. Stay near the crest to keep it Class 3.

Getting down

Return the same way. The big step-downs are hard on the knees; use your arms. Listen for rockfall from climbers on Snowmass Mountain nearby.

If things go wrong

Below the summit ridge, the benches lead back to Siberia Lake.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Siberia Peak we list, with its class.

• Siberia Peak ESE Ridge this routeClass 3 9.8 mi