Sawatch Range · Colorado 13er · No. 283 of the 13ers
Southwest Ridge from Geissler West
Geissler Mountain East, 13,381'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip5 mi
Elevation gain2,500'
TrailheadRoaring Fork River
Trailhead elevation11,506'
Conditions on the summit
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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 · Southwest Ridge from Geissler West
Overview
Geissler Mountain East is the higher of the two Geissler summits, northwest of Independence Pass. The easy loop over both is classic Sawatch tundra walking.
From Geissler West, drop over rubble to a saddle and climb tundra benches between big rock formations to the top; most groups cross in under an hour. The way down follows the east ridge, partly on scree, to the pass above Independence Lake and the Lost Man trail.
The loop is about 5 miles with 2,500 feet of gain. Mileage and gain are our estimates. Expect lots of day hikers on the trail on summer weekends.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 7:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Geissler West by 11 a.m.
Crux
Nothing hard.
Route-finding
Easy. Leave the trail where it bends east near 12,100 feet.
Take Highway 82 toward Independence Pass. On the west side of the pass, the highway makes one last sharp switchback near the young Roaring Fork River before the final climb to the top. The trailhead parking for the Lost Man and Independence Lake trails (about 11,500 feet) is at this bend.
Any car can make it. The highway over the pass is closed in winter, usually from early November to late May.
TundraOff-trail, no set pathRidgeScramblingTalus 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
Trailhead 11,506' · 0 mi
Head north on the Independence Lake trail along the creek. Just past a stream crossing, skip the left fork to Linkins Lake.
2
Creek crossing 11,800' · 0.55 mi
The trail switches to the creek's east bank and winds through willows. Old maps show a trail on the west bank; it's gone.
3
Leave the trail 12,100' · 1.1 mi
Where the trail bends sharply east and climbs, leave it and head northwest over lush, wet tundra.
4
Ridge 13,100' · 1.8 mi
Aim for a tundra slope that reaches the ridge just south of the summit.
5
Geissler Mountain West 13,308' · 2 mi
Turn north and scramble over or around some rocks guarding the top.
6
Saddle 12,820' · 2.3 mi
Head east down mostly rocky rubble.
7
Summit 13,381' · 2.7 mi
Climb the southwest ridge on good tundra, weaving between large rocks near the top.
Getting down
Walk down the east ridge, partly on scree, to the pass north of Independence Lake. Take the Lost Man trail about 2 miles south back to the trailhead.
If things go wrong
The pass north of Independence Lake and the trail are close by.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above the Independence Lake trail 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 Geissler Mountain East 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.