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 · West and North Ridges from East Snowmass Creek
Overview
UN 13,255 sits on the ridge above the top of the Snowmass ski area's Big Burn, but this route comes in the quiet way, up East Snowmass Creek. From a camp near 11,160 feet you cross the creek, climb a talus fan and grassy ridge onto the west ridge of unranked Baldy Mountain, then walk south along the main ridge to the summit.
It is Class 2: a steep climb up grass, willows and scree, then easy walking on red scree and tundra. The summit is gray rock, with views of Pyramid, Snowmass and Capitol peaks. Mountain goats are common.
The round trip is about 11.6 miles with 4,845 feet of gain. From camp it took one party about two hours to the top. It makes a good weekend backpack: hike in and climb one peak on the first day, then climb the other and hike out on the second.
Plan of the day
Start by
From camp, by 7 a.m.
Turnaround
Be at the foot of Baldy Mountain by 10:30 a.m.
Crux
Finding the way up the talus fan and across to the grassy ridge above the red cliffs.
Route-finding
Moderate. Climb the right side of the talus fan below Baldy along the edge of the willows, then cross the gully and contour right onto the grassy ridge above the cliffs.
On Highway 82, about 4 miles up-valley from Basalt toward Aspen, turn south at the traffic light in the small town of Snowmass. After about 2 miles, go left at the T. Follow this road east and south: paved for 4 to 5 miles, then good gravel for about 4 more to a bridge over Snowmass Creek.
Past the bridge the road climbs to a junction. Turn right and go a few hundred yards south, past the East Snowmass trailhead, to where the road ends at the Snowmass Creek trailhead. One lot serves both trails and it overflows on summer weekends. There is no campground; car camping only. A locked ranch gate blocks the road beyond.
Trail in the treesTalus and screeRidgeExposed 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
Snowmass Creek trailhead 8,400' · 0 mi
Park at the main lot and walk back down the road about a quarter mile to the start of the East Snowmass Creek Trail (1977).
2
Steep start 9,000' · 0.75 mi
The first half mile is steep, gaining roughly 600 feet, then the grade eases as it heads up the valley. It is easy to follow, even through willows.
3
Avalanche path 10,500' · 3 mi
Cross the wide swath of an avalanche path coming down off Willoughby Mountain and a meadow beside the creek.
4
Camp at 11,160 feet 11,160' · 4 mi
Where the trail re-enters the trees and starts climbing more steeply away from the creek, there is a sheltered campsite in the trees. The backpack in takes about two and a half hours.
5
Talus fan 11,400' · 4.3 mi
Walk back down the trail a little, cross the meadow and the creek, and head up the fan-shaped slope below Baldy Mountain: grass, then willows, then a round clearing of red talus.
6
Edge of the gully 11,700' · 4.5 mi
Come out of the willows at a shallow talus gully on the right side of the fan. Walk up its edge, on grass beside the willows, for a few hundred feet until you are across from some red cliffs topped by a grassy ridge.
7
Grassy ridge 11,900' · 4.6 mi
Cross the gully and contour right on scree onto the grassy ridge above the cliffs.
8
Baldy's west ridge 12,500' · 5 mi
Climb the ridge southeast for about 600 feet, grass giving way to scree, to Baldy Mountain's main west ridge.
9
Foot of Baldy 12,900' · 5.3 mi
Another 400 feet brings you to the foot of Baldy's summit, an odd rock formation. Contour south across a saddle on loose scree.
10
Summit 13,255' · 5.8 mi
Walk south along the main ridge, about two-thirds of a mile, over one small false summit to the top.
Getting down
Return the same way.
If things go wrong
Any point on the ridge leads back down the way you came.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above the East Snowmass Creek Trail the route is trailless. 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.
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.