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 · North Couloir from Upper Slate Lake
Overview
Peak R sits at the head of Slate Creek in the Gore Range, just making the 13er list at 13,000 feet. Most people backpack about 10.8 miles from the Brush Creek trailhead to Upper Slate Lake. From camp you work up past the lake to a higher unnamed lake, then head south up the long drainage between Peaks R and Q, cross to a tundra bench on the west side of R's north ridge, and climb a narrow couloir almost to the summit.
It is Class 2+ with low Class 3 in the couloir. The hardest part is getting from Upper Slate Lake to the upper lake: willows, marsh, trees and talus with no real trail.
From the trailhead the round trip is about 26.2 miles with 4,815 feet of gain. From camp it is about 4.6 miles and 2,120 feet. Many people climb Peak L the same trip, or both on one long day from camp.
Plan of the day
Start by
From a camp at Upper Slate Lake, by 6 a.m.
Turnaround
Be at the foot of the couloir by 11 a.m.
Crux
Getting around the big willow marsh above Upper Slate Lake, and the steep, loose couloir near the top.
Route-finding
Moderate to hard. Study a satellite image before you go. Stay on the south side of the creek, reach the upper lake, then find the tundra bench and the couloir on the west side of the north ridge.
Water
Brush Creek and Slate Creek, then Upper Slate Lake and its streams. Filter it.
From I-70, take exit 205 for Silverthorne and drive north on Highway 9 for about 16.8 miles. County Road 30 to Heeney goes left just past mile marker 118. Half a mile along it, the old Grandview Cemetery lot is on your right. Without a high-clearance 4WD, park here and walk the road (2.4 miles each way).
Brush Creek Road (FR 1695) starts across from the cemetery. The first climb is the worst part: big potholes that can hold mud after rain. Then the road switchbacks up an open hillside, steep and a bit rocky, and winds up a dry gully through dead forest to a small lot in the aspens. At a fork about 1.75 miles up, stay left. Early in the season, fallen trees can block the road.
Camping is no longer allowed in the field by the cemetery. There are a few spots in the last quarter mile before the trailhead, plus fee campgrounds at Green Mountain Reservoir (Prairie Point, McDonald Flats) and Blue River.
Trail in the treesTundraScramblingExposed 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
Brush Creek trailhead 9,035' · 0 mi
The trail follows an old, dry ditch west to the Gore Range Trail.
2
Gore Range Trail 9,000' · 0.7 mi
Turn left (south). Right away you drop down and wade Brush Creek. There is no bridge.
Watch for: Can be high in early summer.
3
Lost Lake junction 9,100' · 1.65 mi
Pass the signed trail to Lost Lake and keep going southeast on the Gore Range Trail.
4
Squaw and Hay Camp creeks 9,000' · 3.5 mi
Cross another branch of Brush Creek, then contour for about a mile and drop about 200 feet to Squaw Creek. Climb back out over a ridge and drop to Hay Camp Creek.
Watch for: Grass hides the trail for a short stretch near Hay Camp Creek. Make sure you stay on the Gore Range Trail.
5
Slate Creek junction 9,075' · 5.3 mi
Climb over one more ridge and come down to the creek. A signpost there points up the Slate Creek Trail, close to an old ruined cabin. A good campsite sits just south of the junction in the trees.
Watch for: Miles of dead, beetle-killed forest on the way here.
6
Beaver ponds 9,200' · 7.2 mi
The Slate Creek Trail wanders through meadows and small aspen stands, barely gaining height, for about two miles to some beaver ponds. The real climbing starts here.
7
Slate Lake turnoff 9,890' · 8.8 mi
Pass the turnoff for the lower Slate Lake. The trail now stays on the north side of the creek, even though older maps show it crossing.
8
Upper Slate Lake 10,860' · 10.8 mi
Climb steeply up several switchbacks, then level off and dip slightly to the lake. The trail comes out on a small, tree-covered rocky point on the southeast shore with lots of campsites.
Watch for: Last good camping before the lake is in the forest just before the steep climb.
9
Past the lake 10,900' · 11.3 mi
Follow the Peak L route to the southwest end of the lake, but don't cross the main creek. Stay on the south side and keep going upstream.
10
Willow marsh 11,120' · 11.7 mi
A large, flat willow marsh is the hardest part to get around. You may be pushed onto talus on its south side. Some people contour well above it on the mountainside instead.
Watch for: Slow, wet going.
11
Upper lake 11,540' · 12.2 mi
Turn west and climb a steeper tundra and willow slope over the low end of Peak R's north ridge to the unnamed upper lake, sometimes called South America Lake. Walk along or just above its south shore.
12
R-Q drainage 11,800' · 12.5 mi
Start south up the big drainage between Peaks R and Q on tundra and willows. Where cliffs block the way, go around them on the left (east), then back toward the middle of the basin.
13
Snowfield and talus island 12,000' · 12.8 mi
The basin narrows and turns to talus. Much of the summer a snowfield fills the middle, with an island of talus in it. Head up to about the island.
Watch for: An ice axe and traction help on the snow.
14
Tundra bench 12,300' · 12.9 mi
Look east for a sloping tundra bench cutting across the west face of the north ridge. Cross talus to it, then follow it north, climbing, until it ends at a narrow couloir.
15
Couloir 12,850' · 13 mi
Climb the couloir: loose rock, grass and rock set in the tundra, with a little easy scrambling. It is steep and narrow but mostly stable, and it opens up near the top.
Watch for: Low Class 3. Watch for loose rock from people above.
16
Summit 13,000' · 13.1 mi
Reach the north-northwest ridge about 100 yards from the rocky, grassy summit.
Getting down
Go back the way you came, at least to the upper lake. You can also cross the low end of the north ridge before dropping back to Slate Creek. Either way is slow.
From Peak L: return to the flower bench below 12,000 feet, walk to its southwest edge, and pick your way about 400 feet down through outcrops, small cliffs and short trees to the outlet of the upper lake. Cross it and head for the R-Q drainage.
If things go wrong
Anywhere below the couloir, reverse the drainage to the upper lake.
3D flyover
No 3D flyover for this peak
Above Upper Slate Lake the route is trailless willows, talus and a couloir. 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.
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.