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 · South Ridge from Rainbow Lake
Overview
West Elk Peak is the isolated high point of the West Elk Wilderness, northwest of Gunnison. From the Rainbow Lake trailhead you follow trails a couple of miles, then walk a long, grassy ridge north over South, Middle and North Baldy to a single cliff band, go around it on a game trail and up a loose couloir, and stroll the last mile to the top.
It is Class 2 and mostly easy tundra walking, with just the one obstacle. It is a long day, with big herds of elk and wide-open wilderness views.
The round trip is about 15.2 miles with 4,400 feet of gain.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 5:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be past the cliff band by 11 a.m.
Crux
The cliff band below an unnamed point north of North Baldy, and a loose couloir around it.
Route-finding
Easy. Walk right up to the cliff, then find a game trail on its west side through ledges and across rocky ribs to a loose couloir leading back to the ridge.
From Gunnison, drive west on US 50 about 15.1 miles and turn right on FR 724, the Rainbow Lake Road (County Road 3037). It has only a small sign and is easy to miss. From Montrose, it is 7.1 miles east of the Blue Mesa Reservoir bridge.
It is about 11 miles of narrow, badly washboarded dirt to the trailhead, about half an hour. Regular cars can make it if driven slowly. You'll find the trailhead roughly a quarter mile beyond the side road to Rainbow Lake, with room for a couple dozen cars. Don't confuse a smaller pond just before it with Rainbow Lake.
There is no campground, but there are primitive sites near the top of the road, at the small pond and at Rainbow Lake.
TundraRidgeTalus and screeScramblingExposed 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
Rainbow Lake trailhead 11,060' · 0 mi
Head northwest on Trail 449 through tall forest to the wilderness boundary and a small stream in under 15 minutes.
2
West Elk Rim Trail 11,300' · 1.8 mi
Follow the edge of a long meadow for more than a mile to the junction with Trail 446. Go east-northeast for about 10 minutes.
3
South Baldy 12,400' · 3 mi
Leave the trail and walk nearly due north up a broad grassy ridge to South Baldy Mountain. You can see most of the route from here.
4
Middle Baldy 12,650' · 4.3 mi
Drop about 600 feet northeast to a saddle, then climb about 800 feet to the south summit of Middle Baldy. Skirt a boulder field low down on its west side.
5
North Baldy 12,650' · 5.4 mi
Continue over the north summit of Middle Baldy to North Baldy. Watch for elk in Mill Basin below.
6
Cliff band 12,400' · 6.3 mi
Follow the rockier ridge north straight to the cliff band of an unnamed point. Take a game trail around its west side through ledges and across a couple of rock ribs, then climb a loose couloir to the ridge northwest of the point.
Watch for: A small rock step near the top of the couloir may be icy early in summer.
7
Summit 13,040' · 7.6 mi
Stroll northwest a little over a mile, gaining about 535 feet, past cliffs of conglomerate rock and a needle-like spire. A game trail leads almost to the top. The Castles are visible to the northeast.
Getting down
Retrace the ridge south to the south summit of Middle Baldy, then drop to the West Elk Rim Trail to skip the climb back over South Baldy. The trail contours through a big bowl (a bit longer, with some ups and downs) back to Trail 449.
If things go wrong
Anywhere along the ridge, turn back south. The West Elk Rim Trail runs below the Baldy ridge.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past the West Elk Rim Trail the route follows a trailless ridge. 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 West Elk Peak we list, with its class.
West Elk Pk South Ridge Approachthis routeClass 2 15.2 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.