Mosquito Range · Colorado 13er · No. 53 of the 13ers
North Ridge
Arkansas Mt, 13,804'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip5.25 mi
Elevation gain2,750'
TrailheadFremont Pass South
Trailhead elevation11,300'
Conditions on the summit
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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 · North Ridge
Overview
Mount Arkansas is a ranked 13er just south of Fremont Pass and the Climax Mine. This route leaves the highway on an old rail bed, climbs through the forest without a trail, then grinds up a steep slope to the north ridge and follows it to the summit.
It is Class 2, with one tricky spot: a set of rock towers on the upper ridge that would be Class 3 or 4 head-on. You skirt them on the west side, 50 to 80 feet below the crest, on easy rock.
The round trip is about 5.25 miles with 2,750 feet of gain, usually 5 to 7 hours. It is short but steep, with some route-finding in the trees.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6 a.m.
Turnaround
If you are not on the north ridge by 10 a.m., head down.
Crux
The towers on the upper ridge. Bypass them on the right (west) side instead of going over them.
Route-finding
No trail in the forest: head south until treeline, then south-southwest to the broad saddle at about 11,800 feet. After that, the ridge is obvious.
Water
A stream near the rail bed. Nothing higher. Filter it.
From I-70, take the Copper Mountain exit and drive south on Highway 91 about 11 miles to Fremont Pass and the Climax Mine. Keep going south less than a mile. As the highway makes a big hairpin turn, turn left onto a dirt road.
Stay right and drive about 0.3 mile to park near a road junction. Any car can make it.
Trail in the treesTundraRidgeExposed 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
Fremont Pass South trailhead 11,300' · 0 mi
Walk a few steps up a road heading south, then turn right (west) onto an old rail bed. The rails are gone but the dark ballast is still there.
2
Leave the rail bed 11,350' · 0.25 mi
After about a quarter mile, turn left (south) into the forest. There is no trail.
Watch for: Don't follow the stream uphill. It leads into thick willows.
3
Forest 11,500' · 0.6 mi
Keep heading south. Game trails help if you find them. You may cross a clearing or two.
4
Treeline 11,600' · 0.95 mi
Leave the trees and continue south-southwest over easy ground.
5
Broad saddle 11,823' · 1.3 mi
Reach the wide saddle. The north ridge is 1,100 feet above you to the southeast.
6
Steep slope 12,400' · 1.6 mi
Grind up the steep slope southeast.
7
North ridge 12,900' · 1.9 mi
Reach the crest and turn right (south) along the ridge.
8
Rugged section 13,300' · 2.2 mi
Where another ridge branches off to the northeast, stay right. Cross a couple of bumps and a flat stretch until you see the summit.
9
Tower bypass 13,550' · 2.45 mi
Drop 50 to 80 feet down the right (west) side of the ridge and traverse on Class 2 rock past the towers, then climb back to the crest.
Watch for: Stay below the towers. Going over them is Class 3 to 4.
10
Summit 13,804' · 2.65 mi
Follow the crest to the top.
Getting down
Reverse the route. Use the same west-side bypass around the towers. From the saddle, head north through the forest back to the rail bed. If you drift east you will hit the stream; follow it down to the rail bed.
If things go wrong
Retreat north along the ridge and down the steep slope to the saddle. There is no easy way off the ridge's sides.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
The route leaves an old rail bed into trailless forest and climbs an open 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.
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.