East Partner is one of the harder Gore Range summits. The west ridge is a time-consuming maze of rock ribs with exposed Class 4 moves, few cairns and no obvious line. This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide.
DifficultyClass 4
Round trip14.4 mi
Elevation gain5,010'
TrailheadPitkin Lake
Trailhead elevation8,450'
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,057'…
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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 · West Ridge
Overview
East Partner Peak rises above the north end of Pitkin Lake. From the lake you climb open tundra and scree to a saddle on the ridge between the Partners, east of its hardest middle section, then follow the ridge east over broken blocks and rock ribs to the small, rocky summit.
It is solid Class 4 with short exposed sections and loose rock. Expect to use your hands for most of the ridge, to leave it on both sides at times, and for route-finding to eat up time. Plan your descent before you go: the ridge is hard to reverse, and the gullies off the east side get steep and loose.
The round trip is about 14.4 miles with 5,010 feet of gain from the trailhead. From Pitkin Lake the ridge alone can take three hours.
Plan of the day
Start by
From a camp at the lake, at first light.
Turnaround
If you are not on the summit by 11 a.m., turn back.
Crux
The rock ribs on the upper west ridge, including a narrow, exposed gully back to the crest.
Route-finding
Difficult. Few cairns, and some lead you below the ridge into dead ends.
From I-70, get off at exit 180 for East Vail, roughly 4 miles past the main Vail exit heading east. Cross to the interstate's north side and go right (east) on Fall Line Drive. Drive a short way past condos and cross Pitkin Creek. The small trailhead lot is right after the bridge.
There are only about 10 spaces, and a sign limits parking to two days; call the Vail police for permission to park longer. Don't park in the cul-de-sac just beyond. If the lot is full, try the parking area just south of the interchange on Bighorn Road and walk back.
Trail in the treesTalus 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
Pitkin Lake trailhead 8,450' · 0 mi
The Pitkin Lake Trail starts out easy, following the creek's east bank, then crosses on a bridge.
2
Steep log steps 9,100' · 0.7 mi
The trail suddenly climbs very steeply on log steps for about half a mile, then eases, staying above the creek.
3
Beside the creek 9,700' · 2 mi
The trail runs right beside the creek for a while, then crosses a meadow and climbs to another bench.
4
Lower campsite 10,460' · 3.3 mi
The path fords Pitkin Creek's west fork. A large campsite sits just past the crossing, shortly before the trail turns left and climbs steeply to Pitkin Lake.
5
Pitkin Lake 11,380' · 4.5 mi
Climb the last steep stretch out of the valley to Pitkin Lake, ringed by the Partner Peaks.
6
East shore 11,420' · 4.7 mi
Walk along the east shore to near its north end.
7
Tarn bench 11,900' · 5 mi
Climb northeast through willows and flowers along a dry streambed to a flat spot with grass, boulders and small tarns.
8
Saddle on the Partners ridge 12,620' · 5.5 mi
Head north up the green slope to a saddle just east of the 12,620-foot point, past the ridge's middle difficulties.
9
West ridge 12,800' · 5.7 mi
The tundra gives way to big blocks. The first stretch is easy scrambling; near 12,800 feet you start using your hands.
10
Rock ribs 12,950' · 5.9 mi
Work mostly on the south side of the crest. Rock ribs block the way lower down; getting back to the crest means an exposed Class 4 gully.
Watch for: Exposed. A fall here would be serious.
11
Summit 13,057' · 6.1 mi
Stay on the crest as much as you can; a few obstacles force you off it. The summit is small and rocky.
Getting down
Reversing the ridge is slow and confusing. Some parties go down the northeast ridge to a saddle and descend a broad rocky couloir to the southeast, but it narrows, steepens and gets very loose lower down. Study it from above before committing.
If things go wrong
Before the rock ribs, return to the saddle and go back down the green slope to the lake.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
East Partner is a technical ridge climb with no 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 East Partner Peak 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.