West Ridge from Eagle Lake

Is it right for you?

Eagle Peak is a named but unranked summit on the north side of UN 13,071, looking down on Mystic Island Lake. The easiest access is the Eagle Lake trail up Lime Creek, and it pairs easily with UN 13,071.

From the north shore of Eagle Lake you push north through low aspens and cliff bands, up the side of the drainage below Fools Peak, to treeline near 11,500 feet. Then you climb northeast onto the ridge between Fools Peak and Eagle Peak and follow it east over rock to the top. It's a rough Class 2+, harder if snow fills the notch.

The round trip is about 9 miles with 3,665 feet of gain, and adding UN 13,071 changes that very little. For an easier way, climb UN 13,071 from the basin to the south and scramble north to Eagle Peak in about 15 minutes.

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

   Treeline 11,500' · 3.7 mi

   From the campsites at the peninsula on Eagle Lake's north shore, climb north through steep, tangled young aspens and small cliffs. You will likely end up beside the drainage that runs down from Fools Peak's south side. Follow it up until the trees end near 11,500 feet.

   Watch for: Tough bushwhack.

5. 5

   West ridge 12,700' · 4.1 mi

   Turn northeast over tundra and rock toward the east end of the unnamed double summit on the ridge. Cliffs block the basin to the east, so go up to the ridge just east of that summit.

6. 6

   Notches 12,900' · 4.4 mi

   Walk east along the ridge over rock set in tundra, past two small high points. The first gap is easy. If the second is snow-capped, drop to the south into a steep, loose gully and climb back out; this costs about 100 feet.

   Watch for: Class 3 and loose if you have to go around.

7. 7

   Eagle Peak 13,034' · 4.5 mi

   Rejoin the crest or cut across rubble to the ridge between Eagle Peak and UN 13,071, then scramble north over boulders to the top.

Getting down

Walk south along the blocky ridge to UN 13,071, then head west down the boulders and steep tundra into the basin and follow the drainage to the trail east of Eagle Lake.

If things go wrong

From the ridge, the basin to the south leads back to the Eagle Lake trail.

Last step: check in before you go →

3D flyover

See the trail on video

Other routes

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

• Eagle Peak West Ridge this routeClass 2+ 9 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.