Is it right for you?
Carbonate Mountain is an easy Class 2 summit between St. Elmo and the 14ers Antero, Shavano and Tabeguache. It is usually climbed together with Cyclone Mountain.
Drive Road 278 over Antero's west side into upper Browns Creek and climb Cyclone first (see that page). From Cyclone, walk southeast down the crest about 335 feet, then back up about 400 feet to Carbonate. It's mostly tundra with embedded rock, rubble and chip rock, and game and use trails make it easier.
The round trip, back over Cyclone, is about 5.7 miles with 1,950 feet of gain from the 12,460-foot switchback. Other ways in start off Forest Road 240 north of Maysville on US 50 (a rough road toward North Fork Reservoir): the old Jennings Creek trail, which the Forest Service would rather people not use, or the Cyclone Creek trail half a mile farther, leaving it after roughly 0.3 mile for a long talus climb up Carbonate's south ridge. Mileage and gain are our estimates.
Plan of the day
By 7:30 a.m.
Be on Cyclone by 11 a.m.
Nothing hard.
Easy.
Browns Creek. Filter it.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
Loading Fetching the forecast for 13,662'…—
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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
Baldwin Creek (Browns Creek switchback)
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. Park at that switchback (12,460 feet). Hikers bound for Cronin Peak use the same spot.
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
Baldwin Creek (Browns Creek switchback). 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 →