Southwest Face from Fairview Lake

Is it right for you?

Ribbed Peak rises above Fairview Lake at the head of Lime Creek in the Holy Cross Wilderness. Three rock ribs run from near its summit down to the lake, which gives it its name. Wildflowers and campsites are everywhere, and it may well become a classic.

Most people backpack in about 4 to 5 hours to Fairview Lake. Beyond Eagle Lake the trail is hard to follow, with avalanche debris across it. From the lake you climb a gully, cross to the middle couloir and finish on the summit ridge. It's mostly stiff Class 2 with some Class 3 near the top.

The round trip from the trailhead is about 13.4 miles with 4,070 feet of gain. From a camp at Fairview Lake it's about 2.2 miles and 2,370 feet. Strong hikers can join it with UN 13,071 by a 2- to 3-hour ridge traverse.

Plan of the day

This week on the summit

Getting there

From Basalt, follow the Frying Pan road (County Road 104) up the valley, past Ruedi Reservoir, to Thomasville. There, turn north on the Crooked Creek Pass road, a steep graded dirt road. After about 7 miles of climbing, turn right on Forest Road 507 and go 1.6 miles to the small Eagle Lake parking area. This last stretch is rougher, and a car with extra clearance is a good idea. The lot sits a bit less than half a mile before Woods Lake, which is private land.

From I-70 at Eagle, head south through town on the Sylvan Lake road (County Road 307). The pavement ends after about 10 miles; keep right at a fork near there, now on Forest Road 400. Pass Sylvan Lake 4 to 5 miles later. The road then gets rougher for about 4 miles to the top of Crooked Creek Pass and drops roughly 2.5 miles down the far side to the Forest Road 507 turn. Careful drivers have made it in ordinary cars, but higher clearance is more relaxing.

There are a few camp spots along the road shortly before the parking area, but none good at the lot itself. Ruedi Reservoir has campgrounds farther away. Inside the wilderness there are good sites about 2 miles in, on the north shore of Eagle Lake, and at the east end of Fairview Lake.

Next: the route, step by step →

The route

1. 1

   Eagle Lake trailhead 9,400' · 0 mi

   Take trail 1915 northeast through meadows and into aspens. The trail swings around the private land at Woods Lake, climbing nearly 400 feet in the first mile and then dropping most of it again.

   Watch for: Stay on the trail around the private land.

2. 2

   Lime Creek bridge 9,450' · 2 mi

   The trail meets the old road east of the private land and follows it past an old building to a solid bridge over Lime Creek. There's a nice campsite just before it. Past the bridge, sign the wilderness register; overnight campers get a permit here.

3. 3

   Eagle Lake 10,100' · 3 mi

   The trail climbs steeply, then rises in steps with flat stretches between, passing a waterfall. At Eagle Lake, cross the west outlet on a pile of logs and follow the north shore. It's roughly 1 hour 45 minutes from the car.

4. 4

   Halfmoon Lake 10,400' · 4.6 mi

   Past Eagle Lake the trail isn't kept up. Recent avalanches have dropped debris across it in three places; the first, just past Eagle Lake, means a long detour uphill. Do your best to stay on the path to Halfmoon Lake; it gets a bit clearer past there, except across a grassy meadow.

   Watch for: Avalanche debris; detour uphill.

5. 5

   Fairview Lake 10,730' · 5.6 mi

   Near the end the trail climbs steeply over a small rise with a fine view down to the lake. Go around the north shore to a large campsite in the trees at the east end, near the inlet.

6. 6

   Gully exit 11,400' · 5.9 mi

   From the northwest corner of the lake, head up the westernmost of the drainages, on tundra and then boulders. Before the gully gets too deep, climb out right onto the rib near treeline. Finding a good exit can mean pushing through low evergreens.

7. 7

   Middle couloir 12,200' · 6.3 mi

   Go up through thin trees, tundra and boulders until you see the jagged top, then angle east over boulders and slabs into the middle drainage that falls straight to the lake. Climb the couloir on boulders and rubble as it narrows.

8. 8

   Ribbed Peak 13,089' · 6.7 mi

   At the head of the couloir, where it drops away steeply to the north, climb out right (east). Follow the narrow ridge over a false summit to the top on fairly solid big blocks.

   Watch for: Class 3 with some exposure.

Getting down

Reverse the route back to Fairview Lake.

If things go wrong

The couloir and the gully lead back down to Fairview Lake.

Last step: check in before you go →

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

Every way up Ribbed Peak we list, with its class.

• Southwest Face this routeClass 3 13.4 mi

Check in before you go

Send someone your peak, route, trailhead and when you’ll be back. If you’re late, they know where to send help.