Square Top Mountain

Distance: 7.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 11,670 ft - 13,794 ft
Elevation Gain: 2,124 ft (net) ~2,900 ft (cumulative)
Date Hiked: 10 September, 2012
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #peakbagging, #gearguide

View from the summit of Square Top Mountain

Square Top Mountain (13,794 ft) is a high 13er directly across from Mt. Beirstadt off of Guanella Pass Colorado. The only trail on this journey is the approach to its base, via Square Top Lakes. From the lakes on, climbing Square Top Mountain it is a tundra and talus bushwhack. This is great fun for those who like to have the mountains to themselves but less fun to those who consider going off trail an invitation to a thousand painful deaths.

A rough schematic of the route

The trailhead.  Square Top Mountain can be seen in the distance.

The other challenging feature of Square Top Mountain, besides the terrain, is the weather. Guanella Pass is a thunderstorm magnet and I have come close to experiencing painful death number 46: the gods are pissed at YOU... at both Silver Dollar Lake as well as Square Top Lakes. It is amazing how motivated you can be to get the hell out of dodge when the heavens open up above treeline. So, rather than just the perennial early start, I would recommend saving Square Top Mountain for one of those rare, cloudless days when you can spend all day on the mountain without fear of divine retribution. Bushwhacking is time consuming and the mountain scenery alluring so give yourself time to enjoy the experience.

Heading across the first valley

Guardian Marmot

The trailhead for Square Top Mountain is located on Guanella Pass itself. Park in the west side lot, which is the overflow for Mt. Beirstadt. You can see the east face of Square Top Mountain from the parking area. As you follow the trail for two miles to lower Square Top Lake, the route will descend 100 ft into a valley before ascending and descending again over a several small ridges that block the view of the lake from the trail. The only vegetation in this tundra environment is Willows and the occasional stunted Sub-alpine Fir.

Approaching the lake

Lower Square Top Lake

Once you see the lake, continue past it on the left for another two tenths of a mile to a trail junction up a short slope. This junction serves upper Square Top Lake (to the right), the South Park 600 Trail (to the left), and Square Top Mountain (straight up). There is an actual sign pointing up the mountain. From this point on, however, you are on your own. How you reach the summit is up to you.

Trail sign pointing up the mountain

Looking up to the first shelf

The funny thing about bushwhacking is what looks good on the topo map and what looks good on the ground can be two different things. It seemed straight forward to head up the mountain in the direction pointed to by the trail sign, but after the first shelf, which was covered in quartz rocks, I realized I would be better off heading southwards and upwards at an angle. I actually ran into two hikers coming down that way and they gave me the best piece of advice. "Go around the mountain to the south and stay well below the summit ridge until you have to pop up", they said. This turned out to be the way to go.

Approaching the first shelf

Looking down from the first shelf

While taking an angled traverse is hard on the ankles, I found there were plenty of flat spots that one could traverse between to give them a bit of a break. Once I got around the mountain I could see the summit ridge stretching off into the distance. The summit of Square Top Mountain might be square, but it is far from flat. Much like fins on the back of a dragon, there are larges piles of boulders placed periodically along the spine of the ridge. These would be a tedious, mind numbing experience if taken all at once.  Don't walk that summit ridge.

Looking up at the initial  angled traverse

A close up of the tundra

As it was, a large river of talus on the southern slope made me pop up sooner than expected.  I was not worried, however, because I thought the large pile of boulders just above was the summit. Oh foolish mortal! There were at least three more false summits (e.g. dragon fins) between me and the summit. Unless you are a member of Cirque du Soliel, and can bounce effortlessly from jagged rock to jagged rock, you will find this last bit of the route time consuming.  Another good reason to wait until a sunny day!

Looking back down from the southern side of the mountain

Just below the summit ridge

Because the summit of Square Top Mountain is so long, the views are not as dramatic as you find on other peaks. You have to walk around to look over the sides. Since I never trust the weather on Guanella Pass, I decided not wander but headed down after a quick snack. This was a prudent choice...by the time I reached the car, the Gods had awoken. Woe to the few hikers I passed heading upwards towards Square Top Lakes. At least today they would be pissed at someone else.

I thought that bump on the horizon was the summit.  The summit is actually multiple bumps  ahead. 

That bump on the horizon is still not the summit.

My decent of the mountain was totally different than the ascent. Things look different coming down as well! I ended up finding some cairns and followed them but they came very close to the sheer cliff of the cirque that contains Upper Square Top Lake. Once again, the fun of bushwhacking is finding your own way. To be safe, however, I would bring along a GPS, a topo map, and a cell phone. At one point I phoned home with my GPS coordinates since no one would have a clue where to starting looking for me on the broad slopes well away from the "obvious route". 

Finally, the summit comes in view

Looking at Grays (14,270 ft) and Torreys (14,267 ft) from the summit

I saw a couple of Mountain Goats below me on the ascent and a large gorilla-sized Marmot below the lakes. I think being cuddled by an overly large marmot is painful death #238 but I will have to check the list and get back to you. 

Looking down on Murray Lake from the summit

The author on the summit

Square Top Mountain is not the first mountain I would recommend in Colorado. There are certainly many nicer ones. Mt. Flora across I-70 on Berthoud Pass is a must do. Still, if you are like me and hate the fact that there are peaks nearby that you have not visited, you will find Square Top Mountain beckoning at some point.

Heading back down

Clear Creek Falls

Clear Creek Falls is located off of Highway 149 (Silverthread Scenic Byway) between Lake City and Creede. A short trail leads to an observation point but other social trails follow along the gulch to other overlooks. This is a must do if you take this route.

Clear Creek falls 

Close up

Bachelor Loop Scenic Drive

The Bachelor Loop near Creede Colorado is a 17-mile scenic drive through mining ruins and forested plateaus.  The most interesting part of the loop is at the north end of Creede and is filled with mining ruins clinging precipitously to the hillside.  Other than some great views of the Rio Grande Valley as you descend on the downward side there is not much happening in between.  The ruins are neat however but if you don't want to do the entire drive,  you could turn around after the steep drive up past them.

Commodore Mine

Trestle used to take ore cars out of the mine

Creede was established in the late 1800s because of the Amethyst Vein (running along West Willow Creek canyon), a 4-10 ft wide vein of silver ore that occasionally reached 100 feet in width. As with all such places in Colorado, such riches resulted in mines, towns, tent cities, and colorful characters such as the card shark Poker Alice and Calamity Jane.

Amethyst Mine

These ruins of the Last Chance Mine look like they could fall down the hillside at any time.

Lots of cars were stopped here at this open meadow, which is all that remains of Bachelor City

The Commodore mine doesn't look like might now, but it has 5 different levels spread out over 200 underground miles. Located at the southernmost extent of the Amethyst Vein, it was in production from 1891 all the way to 1976!

Looking east down into the Rio Grand Valley, with Creed far below 

Looking southwest 

Further down now.  Creed is more visible. 

Fall Color on the Ptarmigan Trail

I knew when I hiked the Ptarmigan Trail in Silverthorne last spring that it would be spectacular in the fall. It did not disappoint! There is nothing like cooler temperatures, deep blue skies, and yellow Aspen leaves blowing in the wind like confetti.

Sun glints through tall Aspens

Curved Aspens frame Buffalo Mountain

Rolling hillsides covered with Aspens with Lake Dillon in the distance

A parting shot

Ptarmigan Lake

Distance: 6.8 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,678 ft -12,154 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,820 ft (cumulative)
Date Hiked: 2 September, 2012
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Tags: #hiking, #coloradooutdoors, #mountainlake, #buenavista, #gearguide
Nearby Hikes: Lake Ann

Ptarmigan Lake near Buena Vista. That is Jones Mountain (12,995 ft) behind the lake.

Ptarmigan Lake near Buena Vista is an incredible journey to a high mountain lake surrounded by towering peaks. I expected to have this trail to myself but found the parking lot overflowing and the trail packed with people. I know they support the economy and all but I have to ask: who let these people in!?

The amazingly nice bathroom at the trailhead. Note the trail starts off to the left not behind or near this structure. 

Crossing the first talus (e.g. rocks larger than a human head) slope

Walking through the mossy, dank Spruce/Fir Forest...yeah!

At least the hordes have taste. Ptarmigan Lake Trail gorgeous from start to finish.  It first travels through a moist Spruce/Fir forest, an absolute blessing after the blazing heat of Colorado's 2012 summer, then wanders past ponds, and willows, and finally climbs to a broad shelf with incredible views and fishing options. We did this during the first blush of fall and the willows and tundra were a rusty brown and the air had a hint of crispness. I was almost giddy with the realization that the earth was in fact still traveling around the sun and our summer from hell would eventually end.

Crossing the Forest Service Road.  This nice arrow points the way across.

Coming out of the trees and into the meadow

Looking down on the lower lake

The trailhead to Ptarmigan Lake is located 14.5 miles up CR 306 (Cottonwood Pass) out of Buena Vista. There is a short 0.1 mile drive to the parking lot from the main road. This lot can hold around 13 cars with overflow occurring on the wide shoulder of CR 306 itself.  A 4-star Forest Service Pit Toilet is available at the trailhead so feel free gals to down those Starbucks on the way up...you won't have to bare you nether parts to the cold morning breeze on this trail!

Heading up past the lower lake

Further up now...looking down on the lower lake with Mt. Yale  (14,196 ft) in the distance

Approaching the shelf

Spoiler Alert:  The actual trail starts on the left side of the parking lot (while gazing at the 4-star accommodations)...BEHIND the cars.  You won't see it unless you wander in that direction.  There is no kiosk, just a dirt track that heads down towards the creek.  Miss this and you will be wander around the parking lot until the end of days.  Once on the trail though you are golden!

Looking back down on the small pond at the base of the shelf

Ptarmigan Lake

I found this elongated shelf lake prettier than the main lake.

Here are some milestones on the route:

• 0.23 miles to the first talus slope
• 0.7 miles to the second talus slope
• 1.45 miles to the Forest Service Road crossing
• 2.7 miles to the meadow
• 2.8 miles to the lower lake (the big one)
• 3.1 miles to the pond below the shelf
• 3.4 miles to Ptarmigan Lake

So now you are at the lake and are in a total quandary about what to do next right?  Here are some of the options we saw others do (note we did 6 and 7):

1. Lounge on the shore like a bunch of drunken Marmots (the most popular option)
2. Stroll around the lake
3. Fish on the far side of the lake
4. Hike up to high saddle on the far side of the lake
5. Continue from the pass to Jones Mountain (12,995 ft) (the second most popular option)
6. Wander off to the left to discover another shelf lake scenically placed with views of Mt. Yale far below. 
7. Sit on the broad tundra shelf looking down on Mt. Yale while eating gourmet cheese smothered in fig compote, crusty french bread, salami, and peaches from the Western Slope so juicy they exploded when you looked at them.

View from our lunch spot...how awful

Heading down now, some spindly Sub-alpine Firs against the blue sky

A storm was building as we reached the small pond near the lower lake.  It did rain on us most of the way down. I dug out my rain coat while my hiking companions enjoyed the cooling drench. 

So would a hike to Ptarmigan Lake be worth a drive from Denver to Buena Vista?  Totally!  Go on an off day and you can lounge in Mt. Princeton Hot Springs after the fact.  Note this hike is very similar to Lake Ann north of Buena Vista but much easier to get to.