Sawatch Range · Colorado 13er · No. 529 of the 13ers
Southwest Ridge from Pomeroy Mountain
UN 13,082, 13,082'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip6.3 mi
Elevation gain2,080'
TrailheadNorth Fork Reservoir
Trailhead elevation11,470'
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.
Colorado 13er · Southwest Ridge from Pomeroy Mountain
Is it right for you?
UN 13,082 sits where the North Fork, Pomeroy Gulch and Grizzly Gulch meet. It's lower than Pomeroy Mountain, so it is usually added to Pomeroy. Pairing it with Grizzly Mountain instead makes a longer day.
From Pomeroy you head northeast down the ridge on chip rock and talus, then cross several rocky ribs before the saddle. That stretch is Class 2+ and slows young kids down. Past the saddle a use trail on the north side of the crest leads to a rubble summit.
The loop is about 6.3 miles with 2,080 feet of gain. From Pomeroy it is about 0.8 mile and 330 feet one way.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 7:30 a.m.
Turnaround
Be on Pomeroy by 11 a.m.
Crux
The rocky ribs before the saddle.
Route-finding
Easy. Stay south of the crest going down, then north of it after the saddle.
Water
Small streams in the basin. Filter it.
This week on the summit
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,082'…
—Summit temp now
—Sustained wind
—Gusting to
—Freezing level
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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.
From Poncha Springs, where US 285 meets US 50, drive west about 6.6 miles on US 50 to Maysville and turn north on County Road 240 (it becomes Forest Road 240). It's easy driving on pavement as far as Angel of Shavano Campground and the Colorado Trail crossing. After that the road turns slow and rocky. Maps call the next 1.3 miles fine for cars, but don't count on it; bring a 4WD with good clearance.
It is 4.7 miles from Angel of Shavano to the old Shavano townsite, where a disused trail heads up Cyclone Creek, then 2.25 miles more to the small North Fork Reservoir Campground (about 8 sites, around 11,470 feet), which sits east of the water. This page uses the campground as the trailhead. A 4WD can go on up the road toward Billings Lake.
Both campgrounds are small and fill on weekends; there are primitive sites along the road between them.
RoadTundraTalus 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
North Fork Reservoir Campground 11,470' · 0 mi
Walk or drive back to Forest Road 240 and head north toward Billings Lake.
2
4WD track 11,600' · 0.7 mi
Short of the lake, a 4WD track goes left; take it across tundra and willows.
3
Second track 11,700' · 1 mi
At a junction with another 4WD track you are just north of a small seasonal stream coming from the bowl below the Pomeroy-Sewanee saddle. Head west through willows, staying north of the stream.
4
Drainage bend 12,100' · 1.8 mi
Where the drainage turns southwest, keep going west to stay off a big talus field. Look for a very old track that angles southwest.
5
Pomeroy-Sewanee saddle 12,700' · 2.5 mi
The old track crosses chip rock to the saddle, below the rugged north cliffs of unranked Sewanee Peak.
6
Pomeroy Mountain 13,164' · 3.1 mi
Turn north and walk the ridge crest on chip rock and rubble.
7
Rocky ribs 12,930' · 3.35 mi
Head northeast down the ridge, mostly on its south side. After some tundra, about 230 feet down, cross several rocky ribs.
Watch for: Class 2+.
8
Saddle 12,750' · 3.6 mi
Reach the low point of the ridge.
9
UN 13,082 13,082' · 3.9 mi
Follow a use trail on the north side of the crest over chip rock and rubble to the top.
Getting down
Continue southeast on the ridge to the saddle on the west side of Point 12,831. From there, a fast descent on snow or sandy scree leads into a rock field, where the remains of an old mining trail return you to the basin road.
If things go wrong
Return to the Pomeroy-Sewanee saddle, or use the descent from the Point 12,831 saddle.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Past the 4WD tracks 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.