Sawatch Range · Colorado 13er · No. 180 of the 13ers
West Ridge from Mount Blaurock
Ervin Peak, 13,538'
Technical climb: Class 2+ with Class 3 sections
Ervin Peak's summit ridge is a long run of big rocks, gaps and small steps, with some Class 3 scrambling if you stay on the crest. Early in summer, snow and cornices add to it. This page is an outline, not a move-by-move guide.
DifficultyClass 2+
Round trip4.5 mi
Elevation gain3,500'
TrailheadWest Winfield
Trailhead elevation10,600'
Less traffic, less margin
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.
Ervin Peak sits east of Mount Blaurock above Winfield, with views west to La Plata and south to Ice Mountain and the Apostles.
From Blaurock you retrace its rough ridge, cross a 13,060-foot saddle, and work east along Ervin's summit ridge over big rocks and small pitches. It is Class 2+ with Class 3 moves on the crest. The high point is at the far east end.
The loop with Blaurock is about 4.5 miles with 3,500 feet of gain. Allow over an hour between the two summits.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Blaurock by 10 a.m.
Crux
Ervin's long, broken summit ridge.
Route-finding
Moderate. On the way down, stay on the southwest ridge and don't drift into the creek.
Water
Grey Copper Creek low down only. Bring plenty.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,538'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
Today
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Tomorrow
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Day three
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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.
Take County Road 390 about 11.3 miles to Winfield (turn west off US 24 about 20 miles south of Leadville or 14.5 miles north of Buena Vista). Where the main road bends left, turn right onto the 4WD road with signs for La Plata Peak and the Continental Divide Trail.
Cars should park near Winfield. The road passes the Winfield cemetery at 0.4 mile, then parking areas on both sides. A clearing at about 1.2 miles is a good place to park for Blaurock and Ervin; the road crosses Grey Copper Creek soon after. Higher up, the road reaches the wilderness boundary.
ScramblingTalus and screeRidgeExposed 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
Road near 1.2 miles 10,600' · 0 mi
Walk up the road past Grey Copper Creek. About a quarter mile past the crossing, where the road turns west, leave it and walk up a grassy meadow.
2
Treeline 11,900' · 0.9 mi
The open slope narrows into a ridge on the west side of Grey Copper Creek. Skirt the patches of trees.
3
Southeast ridge 13,200' · 1.6 mi
Tundra gives way to small scree up to Blaurock's southeast summit ridge. A snowbank may linger at the edge.
4
Mount Blaurock 13,626' · 2 mi
Head northwest along the rocky, broken crest. Early in the season, snow and small cornices fill gaps, and you may need to drop into a steep couloir on the south side and climb loose talus back up.
Watch for: Class 2+.
5
Saddle 13,060' · 2.4 mi
Go back down Blaurock's southeast ridge; it eases below 13,400 feet.
6
Summit ridge 13,400' · 2.75 mi
Climb southeast on bigger, broken rock to Ervin's summit ridge.
7
Ervin Peak 13,538' · 3.2 mi
Work east over large rocks, snowbanks and short rocky pitches, using both sides of the crest.
Watch for: Class 2+ to 3.
Getting down
Head back west along the summit ridge, then turn southwest down the broad ridge east of Grey Copper Creek over broken rock to the trees. Keep to the ridge, follow clearings and game trails south, avoid a private cabin, and drop through aspens to a clearing that leads east back to the road.
If things go wrong
The saddle is the last good place to turn back.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above the road 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.