Is it right for you?
Pole Creek Mountain is a big, remote peak south of Lake City, above the Rio Grande drainage. Any approach needs 4WD, a backpack or both. Its map holds about a dozen 13ers, so a few days here can net a lot of summits.
From a base camp above Cataract Lake, you climb Northwest Pole first, then cross tundra to a broad saddle and go up Pole Creek Mountain's north ridge. Spires and steep drops on the ridge look worrying, but staying on the west side keeps it Class 2. Most people backpack to a base camp. The broad tundra ridge above Cataract Lake has big views and is central to a dozen 13ers, but it has no trees for shelter. Cataract Lake has easier water but sits lower, so each climb gains more.
From Carson Pass the round trip is about 17.7 miles with 3,195 feet of gain. From the trail junction near camp the loop is about 7.3 miles and 2,295 feet. From Northwest Pole it is about 2.1 miles and 875 feet one way.
Plan of the day
From camp by 7 a.m.
Leave Northwest Pole by 11 a.m.
Steeper rubble near the top of the north ridge.
Moderate. Stay west of the crest, and steer around the willow basin on the way back.
Streams in the Pole Creek drainage and Cataract Lake. Filter it.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
Loading Fetching the forecast for 13,722'…—
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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.
Getting there
Carson Pass
From Lake City, drive south on Highway 149 and turn right onto County Road 30 toward Lake San Cristobal. Pavement lasts until you are beyond the lake; after that the road is graded dirt that any car can drive. Roughly 2 miles beyond Williams Creek campground, go left (south) on the Wager Gulch road toward the old town site of Carson.
From this turn, 4WD with good clearance is best. The road climbs through aspen and conifer forest, steep in places, to Carson. Above Carson it gets rockier as it climbs through willows to Carson Pass at about 12,370 feet. Recent grading has made it easier, but it is still slow. If you are not comfortable with the last mile, park near Carson and walk. A few primitive campsites line the road below Carson, though many dead trees stand around them.
Just south of the pass, a junction of several tracks is a good place to park. A 4WD can save about 0.6 mile of walking by taking the road southwest to where the good road ends at a viewpoint. On the way down that road, the Continental Divide / Colorado Trail (Trail 787) leaves on the right at about 12,100 feet, marked by a post. You can also start from the Cataract Gulch trailhead near Sherman, which any car can reach, but that adds about 2,500 feet of climbing over roughly 4.5 miles to Cataract Lake. For a developed campground, try Williams Creek, Mill Creek or the ones by Lake San Cristobal.
Base towns and camping for this climb
Coming from out of state? See Lodging & Camping for how free camping works, what is closed this year and where to stay.
Before you go
Check these the week of your climb.
Official forecast
The National Weather Service forecast for the summit area, hour by hour. Look for thunderstorm chances and wind above treeline.
NWS point forecast →Directions to the trailhead
Carson Pass. Road conditions near the trailhead change after storms. Check your clearance and have a backup plan for a lower lot.
Get directions →Roads and highways
Closures, construction and winter conditions on the highways that get you there.
COtrip road conditions →Closures and fire rules
Trail closures, fire bans and other alerts from the Forest Service in Colorado. For the latest on your trailhead, call the local ranger district.
Forest Service alerts →Snow on the route?
From fall through early summer, any snow slope can slide. Check the avalanche forecast before you go.
Avalanche forecast →Cell signal
Most trailheads and many summits have little or no signal. Check coverage near the trailhead and carry a satellite messenger or beacon if you can.
FCC coverage map →