Front Range Range · Colorado 13er · No. 289 of the 13ers
Northwest Ridge from French Gulch
Mount Guyot, 13,372'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip7 mi
Elevation gain3,100'
TrailheadFrench Gulch (Breckenridge)
Trailhead elevation10,300'
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,372'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
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Day three
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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 · Northwest Ridge from French Gulch
Overview
Mount Guyot is the sharp peak east of Breckenridge. From the French Gulch road you walk up the road and a trail into Little French Gulch, then climb onto the northwest ridge near treeline and grind up talus to the summit ridge.
It is Class 2, with a lot of talus up high. In winter or spring, a gully of 30 degrees or less in the middle of the northwest slope is a snow route, only when avalanche conditions are safe.
The round trip is about 7 miles with 3,100 feet of gain.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 7 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on the ridge at 12,500 feet by 10 a.m.
Crux
Talus on the upper ridge.
Route-finding
Easy. In summer, turn right near 11,300 feet to reach the northwest ridge at treeline, then follow it up.
In Breckenridge, go east from Main Street on Wellington Road, just north of the Main and Lincoln stoplight. Follow it through a neighborhood with many stop signs, onto dirt and past old mines. About 4 miles from Main Street, park in the marked area on the right where signs ask you not to drive farther.
RoadTrail in the treesRidgeTalus and screeExposed 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
French Gulch parking 10,300' · 0 mi
Walk up the dirt road with Guyot in view to the southeast.
2
Trail leaves the road 10,700' · 1.2 mi
Pass a gate after about half a mile, then walk 0.7 mile more to a trail leaving the road on the left.
3
Little French Gulch 11,000' · 2 mi
Follow the trail up Little French Gulch; after a while it switches to the creek's right bank.
4
Onto the ridge 11,700' · 2.6 mi
Near 11,300 feet, turn right and climb onto the northwest ridge near treeline.
5
Ridge flattens 12,500' · 2.9 mi
Follow the ridge to where it levels off near 12,500 feet.
6
Summit ridge 13,300' · 3.4 mi
Grind up talus to the west end of the summit ridge.
7
Summit 13,372' · 3.5 mi
Turn left and walk about 0.1 mile east to the top.
Getting down
Return the same way.
If things go wrong
The gulch and trail are close below.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above Little French Gulch 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.