Overview
Teocalli Mountain is the pyramid you see from the highway south of Crested Butte. From the end of the West Brush Creek Road, a trail branches east at the wilderness boundary, climbs to Teocalli Ridge, and heads north toward the summit, fading below some small cliff bands near the top.
It is Class 2, with trail most of the way and lots of wildflowers. The main challenge is the long, slow 4WD drive in, close to an hour.
The round trip is about 6.2 miles with 3,125 feet of gain. There is also a south face route from the Twin Lakes trailhead on the Pearl Pass Road (about 5.2 miles and 3,110 feet).
Plan of the day
By 7 a.m. from the end of the road.
Be on Teocalli Ridge by 10 a.m. and the summit by noon.
Nothing hard. The trail fades below some small cliff bands near the top.
Easy. The trail to Teocalli Ridge is not on most maps; it leaves the West Brush Creek trail a few tenths of a mile up, at the wilderness boundary.
Carry what you need; there is little water on the ridge.
Getting to the trailhead
West Brush Creek
From Gunnison, take Highway 135 north through Almont toward Crested Butte. Between mile markers 24 and 25, roughly 2 miles short of Crested Butte, go right on County Road 738, the Pearl Pass Road. It is paved for a mile, then gravel.
Stay left at a private road at about 4.5 miles. At about 5.3 miles, turn left onto FR 738.2A, the West Brush Creek Road. Passenger cars should park at the primitive camp area on the right just past this turn.
With high clearance, follow FR 738.2A: potholes for the first half mile, stay right at about 6.2 miles, pass a gate, and ford West Brush Creek at about 7.3 miles (can be deep early in summer). Then it is about 1.7 slow, potholed miles up the east side of the creek to the road's end on a grassy knoll. Primitive campsites line the road; there are no campgrounds.
Base towns and camping for this climb
Coming from out of state? See Lodging & Camping for how free camping works, what is closed this year and where to stay.
Before you go
Check these the week of your climb.
Official forecast
The National Weather Service forecast for the summit area, hour by hour. Look for thunderstorm chances and wind above treeline.
NWS point forecast →Directions to the trailhead
West Brush Creek. Road conditions near the trailhead change after storms. Check your clearance and have a backup plan for a lower lot.
Get directions →Roads and highways
Closures, construction and winter conditions on the highways that get you there.
COtrip road conditions →Closures and fire rules
Trail closures, fire bans and other alerts from the Forest Service in Colorado. For the latest on your trailhead, call the local ranger district.
Forest Service alerts →Snow on the route?
From fall through early summer, any snow slope can slide. Check the avalanche forecast before you go.
Avalanche forecast →Cell signal
Most trailheads and many summits have little or no signal. Check coverage near the trailhead and carry a satellite messenger or beacon if you can.
FCC coverage map →