Sangre de Cristo Range · Colorado 13er · No. 201 of the 13ers
Ridge over Hermit Peak, down by Eureka Lake
Eureka Mountain, 13,505'
DifficultyClass 2+
Round trip10 mi
Elevation gain3,500'
TrailheadHermit Pass Road
Trailhead elevation10,960'
Conditions on the summit
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—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 · Ridge over Hermit Peak, down by Eureka Lake
Overview
Eureka Mountain sits south of Hermit Peak, above Horseshoe and Eureka lakes. The usual loop goes up the road to Hermit Pass, over Hermit Peak, south along the ridge to Eureka, and down past the two lakes.
The ridge is Class 2+: a steep, rocky drop from Hermit, broad tundra meadows, then rubble to a summit ridge with two nearly equal high points. Tag both. The way down to Eureka Lake is rugged through broken cliffs, then steep flowered tundra.
From parking near 10,960 feet the loop is about 10 miles with 3,500 feet of gain. Mileage and gain are our estimates. Parking at the sharp bend above Horseshoe Lake cuts it to a 2.5- to 4-hour outing.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 7 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Hermit Peak by 11 a.m.
Crux
The steep, rocky ridge south of Hermit and the rough descent to Eureka Lake.
Route-finding
Moderate. Easy on the ridge. On the way down, pick a line through the broken cliffs east of the meadow.
Hermit Road (County Road 160) leaves Colorado 69 heading west just 0.3 mile south of the 69/96 junction in Westcliffe. After 6 miles, stay left at a fork. The road soon gets rough; it needs 4WD with good clearance above about 9,100 feet.
You pass the Rainbow Trail about 2 miles from the fork and the Hermit Lake trail at about 6 miles. The last 3 miles to Hermit Pass are very rough. Below 11,400 feet there are many pull-offs and camp spots, including a great one on the left near 10,960 feet.
Trail in the treesTundraRidgeTalus and screeExposed 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
Parking near 10,960 feet 10,960' · 0 mi
Walk up the Hermit Road.
2
Hermit Lake trail 11,400' · 0.8 mi
Pass the trail to Hermit Lake on the left.
3
Above the trees 11,900' · 1.5 mi
Leave the trees and zigzag north up a broad slope.
4
Overlook 12,500' · 2.6 mi
Reach an overlook of Horseshoe Lake and Eureka Mountain.
5
Hermit Pass 13,000' · 3.6 mi
Follow the road about another mile to the pass.
6
Hermit Peak 13,311' · 4 mi
Climb about 330 feet south from the pass, 15 to 20 minutes.
7
Saddle 12,700' · 4.5 mi
Head south-southeast down the steep, rocky ridge to a broad tundra meadow.
8
Point 13,005 13,005' · 4.9 mi
Go over or around the point to another tundra bench.
9
Summit 13,505' · 5.4 mi
Climb the steepening slope, tundra turning to rubble. The summit ridge has two high points close together; the western one looked higher to one party.
Watch for: Class 2+.
Getting down
Return down the north ridge to the meadow below Point 13,005. From its east edge, descend through broken cliffs and rock to steep tundra and Eureka Lake. Follow a tundra bench north to Horseshoe Lake, crossing a boulder field where the path fades, and climb a short way back up to the road.
If things go wrong
The meadows between Hermit and Eureka lead east toward the lakes.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past Hermit Pass the route is trailless. 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 Eureka 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.