Tenmile Range · Colorado 13er · No. 133 of the 13ers
Southeast Shoulder
North Star Mountain, 13,614'
DifficultyClass 2
Round trip8 mi
Elevation gain2,400'
TrailheadHoosier Pass
Trailhead elevation11,545'
Conditions on the summit
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—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 · Southeast Shoulder
Overview
North Star Mountain is the long, rocky ridge that runs west from Hoosier Pass above Blue River. This route starts right at the pass, follows old roads to a big open saddle, then climbs the southeast shoulder to the summit ridge.
It is Class 2. The roads and shoulder are easy; the summit ridge is narrow and rough in a few spots, and you walk it for a long way to reach the true summit at its west end.
The round trip is about 8 miles with 2,400 feet of gain, usually 5 to 7 hours. Starting from a paved pass makes it easy to reach from Breckenridge or Alma.
Plan of the day
Start by
By 6 a.m. The summit ridge is long and exposed.
Turnaround
If you are not on the summit ridge by 10:30 a.m., turn back.
Crux
The narrow, rugged sections of the summit ridge.
Route-finding
Follow roads to the saddle, then the shoulder. On the ridge, stay on the crest and keep heading west.
RoadRidgeTundraExposed 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
Hoosier Pass 11,545' · 0 mi
From the west side of the lot, walk up the dirt road heading northwest.
2
Road junction 11,600' · 0.2 mi
Stay left and keep climbing the good road.
3
Open saddle 12,100' · 1.3 mi
The road crosses a wide, open saddle and curves west to a gate.
4
Mining roads 12,300' · 1.6 mi
At the gate, turn right and hike up to old mining roads. Turn right again and zigzag northwest up the southeast shoulder.
5
Upper shoulder 13,200' · 2.4 mi
Look for a faint trail. Near 13,200 feet, bear left under the 13,400-foot bump that caps the ridge's east end, and take the faint path to a little notch on the crest.
6
Summit ridge 13,400' · 2.8 mi
Walk west along the narrow ridge to a high point near its middle. From here you can pick out the summit.
Watch for: A few narrow, rough spots. Watch your footing in wind.
7
Summit 13,614' · 4 mi
Keep following the ridge over a few more rugged sections to the top.
Getting down
Retrace the ridge and shoulder to the mining roads, then follow the road back over the saddle to Hoosier Pass.
If things go wrong
Head back east along the ridge and drop down the southeast shoulder to the roads. The steep sides of the ridge are not a safe shortcut.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above the mining roads the route has only a faint trail on an open shoulder and ridge. 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 North Star Mountain 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.