Front Range Range · Colorado 13er · No. 527 of the 13ers
West Slope from Boreas Pass
Boreas Mountain, 13,083'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip3 mi
Elevation gain1,700'
TrailheadBoreas Pass
Trailhead elevation11,482'
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,083'…
—Summit temp now
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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 · West Slope from Boreas Pass
Overview
Boreas Mountain rises just east of Boreas Pass. From the pass you walk east across open slopes, climb the grassy, then rocky, west slope to the north ridge, and follow it south to a summit with an odd, man-made-looking trough in it.
It is Class 2, mostly without trail, with loose, plate-shaped rock near the top.
The round trip is about 3 miles with 1,700 feet of gain.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 7:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on the north ridge by 10:30 a.m.
Crux
Loose, plate-shaped rock onto the summit ridge.
Route-finding
Easy. Aim for Point 12,815 on the north ridge, or a little left of it.
At the south end of Breckenridge, turn east on Boreas Pass Road. The pavement ends after about 3.5 miles, where the road is closed in winter. In summer, drive 6.5 more miles of easy dirt road to the top of Boreas Pass, with a few small buildings, signs, an old boxcar and plenty of parking.
TundraTalus and screeRidgeScramblingExposed 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
Boreas Pass 11,482' · 0 mi
Walk past a building and look for a small trail heading east behind it.
2
Open slopes 11,900' · 0.7 mi
Head east-northeast across grass and old stumps. The ground flattens near 11,900 feet.
3
Base of the west slope 12,000' · 0.9 mi
Study the slope and pick a line toward Point 12,815 or a bit left of it.
4
West slope 12,400' · 1.15 mi
Climb grass and willow patches, then more talus. It is steepest in the middle.
5
North ridge 12,800' · 1.3 mi
Top out on the grassy north ridge and head south. If you land north of the point, go around it to the east.
6
Summit 13,083' · 1.5 mi
Cross a talus hump and a small dirt saddle. Scramble loose, flat rock on the left to reach the more easterly of the two summit ridges, follow it south, drop a bit, and go up to the top.
Getting down
Step west into the trough between the two summit ridges, walk it north to the main ridge, and go back down the west slope.
If things go wrong
Boreas Pass is always in view.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
This route is off trail. 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 Boreas Mountain we list, with its class.
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.