Shrine Mountain East

Distance: 5 miles round trip
Elevation: 11,100 ft - 11,888 ft
Elevation Gain: 788 ft (net), 1,135 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 16 June 2012
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #vail, #travel, #hiking, #tundra, #wildflowers
Nearby Trails: Shrine Mountain, Wilder Gulch, Ptarmigan Pass

A hiker lounges on Shrine Ridge.  Just another ghastly day in paradise!

Shrine Mountain near Vail, Colorado is perhaps one of the most scenic hikes in the whole state. This area has eye-popping views of two mountain ranges plus carpets of wildflowers in late summer. Shrine Mountain exist on a long east/west ridge. To the west is Shrine Mountain proper. This post covers a hike to the east.

Mt. Holy Cross from the saddle

Looking at our destination,  the green hill in the distance,  from the saddle.  You can't quite tell from this picture, but there are two approaches.  This trail will lead you along the right hand side of the ridge.  On the return, we came back over the middle.  Both are nice. 

Part of the route passes by crumbling rocks 

Green meadows and blue skies...how miserable! 

Alpine Sunflowers

I won't repeat my earlier discussion on how to get to the trailhead or how to get the ridge.  Please review my previous post on Shrine Mountain for those details and return here.

Destination in sight

Looking east from a perch on the ridge

Large cairn on the summit ridge

Looking at the trail as it continues on to Wilder Gulch

Once you cross the snowfield and reach the ridge, you can go right to Shrine Mountain and "Aircraft Carrier Rock" or go left and up along the ridge itself.  This latter route is all in the tundra and the views just keep getting better.  If you are a flatlander,  you should be able to do this hike unless your idea of fitness is a vigorous game of bingo.  Just remember that breathing is not optional.  Stop and suck wind  as required.  

Chipmunk

Heading back along an upper route which will take us to that small promitory

Interesting rock formations and stunted Sub-alpine Firs 

Heading back to the saddle

So what do you do when you reach the apex of the ridge?  Well, you can continue on until the intersection with Wilder Gulch and make day of it or like me you can lounge about thinking of all the poor slobs in the world who have had to pay big bucks to travel to Colorado.

Looking at Shrine Mountain.  If the weather is nice, don't hesitate to head in that direction.  It will only add a mile to your trip. 

Ptarmigan Pass (Sawatch Range)

Distance: 7.8 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,662 ft - 11,765 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,142 ft (net) 1,408 ft (cum)
Date Hiked: 2 July 2015
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: Off leash
Tags: #coloradooutdoors #mountainpass #tundra #nature #hiking, #gearguide
Nearby Trails: Shrine Mountain, Shrine Mountain East

Looking southwest from Ptarmigan Pass near Vail

 A hike to scenic Ptarmigan Pass (the one near Vail) is an easy add on to the Wilder Gulch Trail (view post for all the details). Wilder Gulch travels three miles up a lush, open valley, and dead ends into Forest Service Road 747. From this point it is a short 0.9 miles (~500 ft gain) up (to the left) the road to the top of the pass. The only downside is the volume of 4x4 vehicles that can sometimes mare the otherwise serene experience.

Heading up the road to the false summit

Looking up at Ptarmigan Hill from the road

Looking down on the pass from off to the right. Several 4x4's are visible

The road itself curves sharply in several places, is unsurprising very rocky and wet, and has at least one false summit. But don't let that deter you. The views are worth it.

The right side of the pass is strewn with rocks that make for a great lunch spot.

Looking back down the road towards Wilder Gulch

Once on the pass, travel to the right and lounge amongst the rocks for a vehicle free view of the Holy Cross Wilderness. You can also "pop" (0.5 miles) up to the top of Ptarmigan Hill at 12,143 ft. Unfortunately, on this trip a large, ominous cloud was building over the peak, so we did not ascend further and did not linger on the pass for too long.