Front Range Range · Colorado 13er · No. 517 of the 13ers
East Ridge from Mount Audubon
Paiute Peak, 13,094'
DifficultyEasy Class 3
Round trip10 mi
Elevation gain3,700'
TrailheadMitchell Lakes (Brainard Lake)
Trailhead elevation10,500'
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,094'…
—Summit temp now
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—Gusting to
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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 · East Ridge from Mount Audubon
Overview
Paiute Peak is Mount Audubon's rugged neighbor to the west in the Indian Peaks. You climb Audubon first, then drop down its west ridge to the saddle and climb Paiute's steeper east ridge, going around a white rock outcrop on the left.
It is Class 3, with a few easy Class 3 sections on Paiute's east ridge and rough spots on Audubon's west ridge. You need to climb nearly 600 feet back up Audubon on the way out.
The round trip is about 10 miles with 3,700 feet of gain. Only go over from Audubon in good weather.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Audubon's summit by 9:30 a.m.
Crux
Easy Class 3 sections on Paiute's east ridge.
Route-finding
Moderate. Stay near the crest on Audubon's west ridge. On Paiute, just before a white rock outcrop, go left around its south side, then back to the ridge.
From Highway 72 about a mile north of Ward, turn west on the Brainard Lake road (America Street). After a little over 2 miles, pay at the Brainard Lake Recreation Area entrance; in summer you may need a timed-entry reservation, so check ahead. Drive 2 more miles to Brainard Lake and about 1 mile past it to the Mitchell Lakes trailhead, a big paved lot with restrooms. The Audubon trail starts at the upper end of the lot.
Trail in the treesTalus and screeTundraRidgeExposed 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
Mitchell Lakes trailhead 10,500' · 0 mi
Start on a gentle path through the forest.
2
Out of the forest 10,900' · 0.75 mi
The trail leaves the trees and switchbacks up.
3
Treeline 11,300' · 1.5 mi
Break out above the trees.
4
Trail split 11,400' · 1.7 mi
Go left on the Mount Audubon trail; the Beaver Creek Trail goes right.
5
Saddle 12,700' · 3 mi
Walk cairned tundra to the saddle north of the summit. Look for a cairn telling you to turn left into the talus; the faint path is easy to miss.
6
Talus slope 13,000' · 3.5 mi
Climb the moderately steep pile of rocks on any of several paths. It eases above 13,000 feet.
7
Mount Audubon 13,217' · 4 mi
The slope levels near 13,200 feet. Walk a few hundred feet past the rock wind shelters to the high point.
8
Audubon's west ridge 12,900' · 4.3 mi
Walk west off the summit over a couple of rocky bumps and down the ridge. Halfway down it steepens; work around rough spots without straying far from the crest.
9
Audubon-Paiute saddle 12,620' · 4.6 mi
Continue down to the saddle.
10
White outcrop 12,900' · 4.8 mi
Climb a first rocky section, then the firmer ridge crest. Just before a prominent white outcrop, go left around its south side, then back toward the ridge.
Watch for: Easy Class 3.
11
Summit 13,094' · 5 mi
Go over a false summit, drop a little, and climb to the top.
Getting down
Come back the way you came, over Mount Audubon; other ways off are not simple.
If things go wrong
From the saddle, return to Audubon.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past Mount Audubon 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 Paiute Peak we list, with its class.
East Ridge from Mt. Audubonthis routeEasy Class 3 10 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.