Southwest Flank over the Heisshorn

Overview

El Punto is a sharp point just north of the Heisshorn, where the Middle Fork of the Cimarron begins. It is mostly a walk until the last bit, where a short climb leads to a tiny, exposed top. Some call it Class 3, but the loose rock and drop-offs make Class 4 a fairer rating.

The usual plan is a backpack to a camp near 11,600 feet, then the Heisshorn and El Punto in one day. From the 12,595-foot pass northeast of the Heisshorn, you contour over tundra to a loose slope on El Punto's southwest side, battle up the rubble, slip through a short, tight couloir in the summit cliffs, and climb about 75 feet of stacked blocks to the top.

The round trip with the Heisshorn is about 13.1 miles with 4,060 feet of gain; from camp it is about 4.3 miles and 2,500 feet. Heisshorn to El Punto is about 1.3 miles and 700 feet one way. You can skip the Heisshorn and head from the pass straight to El Punto. UN 13,350 is an easy half mile to the north.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

Leave US 50 about 2.7 miles east of Cimarron (coming from Montrose) and head south on County Road 858 (Forest Road 858) toward Silverjack Reservoir. From Gunnison, this turn comes up about a mile after the County Road 864 turn. The graded dirt road runs about 22 miles and is fine for cars, though it can be dusty and rough with washboard.

Roughly a mile beyond the reservoir, turn right to cross the creek, then turn left almost at once onto Forest Road 861.1. If you miss that left you end up climbing toward Owl Creek Pass. From Ridgway or the south, you can instead come over Owl Creek Pass (County Road 8, which becomes Forest Road 858, leaving US 550 about 2 miles north of Ridgway) and find the same turn. Follow 861.1 about 4.6 miles to its end. Small stream crossings have washed out parts of this road before, so high clearance is wise.

The trailhead was once a campground. There is a vault toilet and plenty of flat, primitive sites in the trees, plus more near a meadow just up the trail. There are three Forest Service campgrounds north of Silverjack Reservoir and a big primitive area near the 861.1 turn. The 2026 Gold Mountain Fire closed some campgrounds and trailheads on the Cimarron side. Check current Forest Service closures before you go.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Middle Fork trailhead 10,050' · 0 mi

   Walk south past willows into a big meadow and pick up Trail 227 up the valley. The first two miles climb gently through forest and meadow. Cattle graze here and can churn the trail into mud.

2. 2

   Porphyry Basin creek 10,500' · 2.2 mi

   Cross the stream that drains Porphyry Basin. There may be no bridge, but the crossing is usually easy.

3. 3

   Flower meadow 10,900' · 3 mi

   The trail gets steeper and crosses an old avalanche path with fallen trees, then reaches a meadow. Precipice Peak's wild cliffs and spires fill the view to the west.

4. 4

   Middle Fork camp (about 11,600 ft) 11,600' · 4.4 mi

   Where Trail 227 bends east to climb toward a 12,595-foot pass, leave it and walk south, staying east of the creek and crossing a side stream, to a large camp spot used by horse packers.

5. 5

   North ridge of the Heisshorn 13,000' · 5.2 mi

   Go back to Trail 227 and follow it east up through forest and wet tundra. About halfway to the pass, head south to the Heisshorn's north ridge and walk up to a flat spot near 13,000 feet.

6. 6

   Heisshorn 13,418' · 5.8 mi

   The last 400 feet are a loose maze of rock: a rubble ramp left of the crest, a narrow catwalk, a contour on the north side, then short rock walls and stacked blocks to the top.

   Watch for: Class 4 and very loose. Severe exposure.

7. 7

   12,595-foot pass 12,595' · 6.2 mi

   Climb back down the same way and walk to the pass northeast of the Heisshorn.

8. 8

   Base of the southwest slope 12,700' · 6.6 mi

   Follow the crest northeast a short way, then contour over tundra toward a steep, rocky slope that runs between two big rock outcrops below El Punto.

9. 9

   Couloir in the summit cliffs 13,200' · 6.95 mi

   Climb the slope, using tundra where you can. Higher up it is loose rubble that slides back with each step. Angle right to a short, tight couloir through the dark cliffs and scramble to a flat spot west of the summit block.

   Watch for: Loose rubble. Watch for rockfall.

10. 10

    Summit 13,319' · 7.1 mi

    Climb about 75 feet of loose, stacked blocks (Class 3 moves), go around the corner to the right onto a small ledge, and pull onto the top. There is no safe perch up there.

    Watch for: Severe exposure on both sides.

Getting down

Go back down through the couloir and the rubble, then drop into the big basin to the southwest. It turns to easy tundra and leads back to the Middle Fork trail.

If things go wrong

Below the couloir, the southwest basin is an easy way back to the trail.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up El Punto we list, with its class.

• El Punto North Ridge this routeClass 4 13.10 mi