Tenmile Range · Colorado 13er · No. 122 of the 13ers
East Ridge from the Ski Area
Peak 10, 13,641'
DifficultyClass 2 Semi-Advanced, D5 / R2 / II
Round trip6.5 mi
Elevation gain2,300'
TrailheadBreckenridge Ski Area (Peak 9)
Trailhead elevation11,200'
Conditions on the summit
LoadingFetching the forecast for 13,641'…
—Summit temp now
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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 · East Ridge from the Ski Area
Overview
Peak 10 is the southernmost of Breckenridge's numbered peaks. This route starts at the top of the Peak 9 part of the ski area and follows a service road almost to the summit, past the Briar Rose mine to a cluster of radio towers. A short ridge walk from the towers leads to the top.
It is Class 2 and mostly on road, which makes it one of the easiest 13ers in the Tenmile Range. The only real concern is the east ridge in early summer, when snow and a cornice can linger.
The round trip from the upper ski-area parking is about 6.5 miles with 2,300 feet of gain, usually 4 to 5 hours.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6:30 a.m. It is a short day, but the ridge is open and exposed to afternoon storms.
Turnaround
Be at the radio towers by 11 a.m. or head down.
Crux
The last 350 feet of the east ridge above the radio towers, especially if snow or a cornice is still there.
Route-finding
Follow the road almost the whole way. Past the towers, stay on the ridge crest to the top.
Water
A stream crosses the road in the basin between Peak 9 and Peak 10. Nothing higher. Filter it.
From South Park Avenue in south Breckenridge, turn west, then left on Village Road and left again into the big lot by Beaver Run. Cross the lot and turn right onto dirt County Road 751, which climbs into the Peak 9 ski area.
Keep left at 0.5 miles, stay right at the junction near 0.8 miles, and right again near 1.5 miles. Pass under a lift near 3 miles and past the Overlook restaurant to the highest lifts at about 3.6 miles. Park here. The road above is rough 4WD. In summer, the ski area may also run a chairlift toward the route; check with the ski area first.
TundraRoadRidgeTalus 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
Top of the ski area 11,200' · 0 mi
Leave the ski area and walk up the service road. It goes all the way to the towers near the top of Peak 10.
2
Treeline 11,800' · 0.8 mi
Leave the forest. The road switchbacks up a shoulder.
3
Wheeler Trail junction 12,100' · 1.4 mi
The road bends west across the shoulder's north side, then swings left where it crosses the Wheeler Trail.
4
Basin below Peak 10 12,300' · 2 mi
Follow the road into the big basin between Peak 9 and Peak 10. Cross the stream and walk to the base of the slope below the towers. The Briar Rose mine sits partway up.
5
Road to the towers 13,000' · 2.6 mi
Follow the solid road up about 700 feet to the ridge. It curves around the south side of the ridge before the towers.
6
Radio towers 13,300' · 2.9 mi
Pass the towers. The summit is in sight, about 350 feet above you along the east ridge.
7
Summit 13,641' · 3.25 mi
Walk the ridge on talus or snow to the easy summit.
Watch for: A cornice can hang over the ridge into June. Stay back from the edge.
Getting down
Return the way you came, following the road back through the basin and down to the ski area. It is easy to follow even in cloud.
If things go wrong
The road is always close by and easy to follow. Turn around and walk it down if the weather changes.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
The route follows ski-area roads with side trips off road, so we haven’t traced it. 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 Peak 10 we list, with its class.
East Ridge from Ski Areathis routeClass 2 Semi-Advanced, D5 / R2 / II 6.5 mi
East Ridge from Crystal CreekClass 2 Semi-Advanced, D5 / R2 / II 7 mi
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.