Northwest Ridge from Browns Creek

Overview

UN 13,712 is the high point of a ridge labeled Jones Peak on maps, near Tabeguache Peak and Mount Shavano. It is Class 2 from almost any side.

This route drives Road 278 over Mount Antero's west side and down into the head of Browns Creek, so you can skip the 14ers. From the road you cross the creek and willows, pass a small lake, climb through trees to a gully, and walk up the northwest ridge on tundra, then talus. The other main approach, from the Mount Shavano trail, means going over Shavano first.

The round trip is about 3.5 miles with 2,150 feet of gain from parking in the upper Browns Creek basin. Jones Peak is about 0.9 mile east on a rocky ridge. The Tabeguache-Shavano saddle is an easy tundra walk away, so both 14ers can be added.

Plan of the day

Getting to the trailhead

South of Buena Vista, U.S. 285 and U.S. 24 meet. Head south on 285 from that junction for roughly 5.5 miles, and past Nathrop take a right (west) onto Chaffee County Road 162. This road goes up the Chalk Creek valley; the pavement stops at about 10 miles. At nearly 12.5 miles, watch on the left for the signed Baldwin Gulch road, also known as the 277 road.

Passenger cars park at pull-offs along County Road 162 near the bottom of the Baldwin Gulch road. The 277 road is steep, rocky and narrow, and only short-wheelbase, high-clearance 4WD vehicles should try it. Drive slowly and be ready to back up for oncoming traffic. There are dispersed campsites along the road above the creek crossing near 10,850 feet. Snow can block parts of the road into early July.

About 3 miles up Road 277, at 10,870 feet, Forest Road 278 splits off to the left (southeast) and fords Baldwin Creek. This split is the upper trailhead. Road 278 climbs Mount Antero and drops into the Browns Creek basin; Road 277 keeps going southwest up the creek. The road is slow and rocky with heavy jeep and ATV use, so only bring a 4WD with excellent clearance. Land around the old Alpine townsite at the bottom is mostly private, so park carefully there.

Fee campgrounds along County Road 162 (Bootleg, Mount Princeton, Chalk Lake, and Iron City on the way to St. Elmo) fill up on weekends. There are a few primitive sites a short way up Road 277 past the split, and more on Road 278 just after the creek.

From the upper trailhead, Road 278 goes south-southeast through the forest to the last trees just above 12,000 feet. It then turns east up a short gully and climbs six tight switchbacks on Antero's west flank. This is the roughest part of the drive or walk. If you are on foot, don't cut the switchbacks: the slope is steep and the rock is loose. Past the sixth switchback the road heads south and tops a ridge at 13,100 feet, where it forks. Keep right. The road eases and runs downhill to the southwest across tundra to a junction at 12,670 feet, then down to a switchback at 12,460 feet. Keep going down into the upper Browns Creek basin. The road runs east-southeast, turns south, swings back to nearly north, then goes east. Park around there, a little north of Browns Creek. There may be campsites nearby.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Road in upper Browns Creek 11,550' · 0 mi

   Find a way over the creek, then wade through a short band of tall willows. Come out on a small ridge that stays free of trees for a while.

   Watch for: Creek crossing and willows.

2. 2

   Small lake 11,400' · 0.5 mi

   Head down southeast into a little basin holding a small unnamed lake near 11,400 feet. Game trails may lead around its west and south shores.

3. 3

   Gully 11,600' · 0.8 mi

   Go southeast through timber, crossing a creek or two, to a couloir that comes down from just southwest of the summit. Cross it to its east side instead of walking up it.

4. 4

   End of tundra 12,900' · 1.3 mi

   The northwest ridge is a pleasant tundra walk. A faint old mining road bed runs up it to where the grass ends near 12,900 feet.

5. 5

   Main ridge 13,200' · 1.6 mi

   Climb medium rubble and talus, with some big blocks in places, to the main ridge that runs north and south.

6. 6

   UN 13,712 13,712' · 1.75 mi

   Footing gets better. Walk the ridge straight to the top.

Getting down

Go back the same way. A gully just west of the northwest ridge makes a quick way down, best when snow still fills it.

If things go wrong

Drop back down the northwest ridge to the trees and the road.

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up UN 13,712 we list, with its class.

• UN 13,712 NW Ridge this routeClass 2 3.5 mi