Continue on the road for 1.5 miles to a signed junction, turn right and continue 4.5 miles to the trailhead. At 1.6 miles up, the trail comes to the Fourth of July mining ruins. You can bypass this sucker if you dropped down about 150 ft and traverse around it but it is not worth it. for 0.75 miles and you’ll reach the formidable summit of North Arapaho. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. The first crux is easy climbing on solid rock up to attain the ridge crest. Out-and-Back. Some peaks may also have ascents by famous climbers listed, often the first ascent. The trail heads NE and E as if climbs steadily on switchbacks through mostly tundra terrain that gives way to more rock higher up. (2), Images Expect the campground to be full any time around a weekend. Camping is limited to two weeks in any four-week period; the two weeks can be in any travel zone. All Rights Reserved. Brian and Jeff finishing the climb. The painted arrows are there and some report finding them easily while others miss many as we did. Looking west towards South (left) and North Arapaho Peaks above the Arapaho Glacier from Old Baldy. John approaching the Princess Lea finish high above. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' Overall, the route across is too complex to describe, but experienced peakbaggers should not need a "hold-your-hand" description to figure this out. For example, the Once atop North Arapaho, the most reasonable return is back as you came. Storm farther west towards Mt. There are about 10 tent spots for use and no water supplied, but there is a vault toilet. Depending on how you negotiate this ridge, you can even encounter some Class 4 moves. Most of the new U.S Forest Service quads will show the boundary in detail. North Arapaho Peak is for the thrill seekers. North Arapaho Peak weather forecast issued today at 5:11 am. Fun Fact: North Arapaho Peak is the highest peak of the Indian Peaks.. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. Venture near the edge at your own risk. In early June, this gully is full of soft snow. Arapahoe Traverse is a popular hiking/scrambling destination in the Indian Peak Wilderness. On this trip I realized that there's a second, much less exposed, trail about 50-100 feet west of the one that follows the arete. North Arapaho Peak sits in Indian Peaks Wilderness, west of Ward, Colorado. It's my opinion that only experienced climbers take on the traverse, for the exposure is considerable throughout the route. © 2021 The Climbing Cooneys. Mountain Range: Indian Peaks, Front Range, Rocky Mountains. Once back on the ridge, we worked the east side of the crest a little before finishing the ascent to the summit amid large boulders. 32135 Castle Court, Suite 101 Evergreen, CO 80439. On the Trails Illustrated map, after the historical site of Hessie, this upper section of road is labelled CR111/The Fourth of July Road and ends at what the map calls the "Buckingham Trailhead.". Vergleichen Sie Hotels in North Arapaho Peak und buchen Sie ein günstiges Hotel in North Arapaho Peak bei FareCompare.com All 73,391 acres of The Indian Peak Wilderness rests just south of Rocky Mountain National Park; it's basically an extension of its neighboring national park. Roach notes in his IPW book that this ridge contains 4 short class 3 cruxes, he is right on. Winds increasing (moderate winds from the W on Thu morning, near gales from the WSW by Sat afternoon). CalTopo map shows routes for both Arapaho summits and UN13,038 (Old Baldy). From the top of the gendarme you have to descend a narrow, flat, catwalk ramp with more exposure on both sides. Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. Getting caught hiking illegally through this private property will only result in a substantial fine. North Arapaho Peak is the highest mountain in the IPW and highest mountain on the Continental Divide north of Denver. This is a 11.3 mile out-and-back hike with 4200 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 5-7 hours to complete. Only a certain number of groups are allowed in each travel zone for overnight camping. All 4 cruxes are clearly defined on the traverse. Most likely, the Forest Service discourages their use. The intial 100 yrds of the ridge is easy hiking over a talus. 6:11 am. You have to climb into a notch and from there ascend a smooth, angled slab of rock to the top of the gendarme. If coming from the south by way of SH119, this turnoff will be just south of town just after a couple of switchback curves in the highway drop you down to town level. The traverse is tough class 3 and some would say it has a few class 4 moves as well. This first part goes fairly quickly with no real difficulties. Fires are prohibited east of the Continental Divide. Beginning at the 4th of July Trailhead, which can be fairly tricky to reach in a low-clearance vehicle, follow signs to the Arapaho Pass Trail and immediately dive into the trees. 214 total saves. Arikaree Peak. This notch is just barely too deep for safe passage. The Arapaho Peaks are South (13,400') and North Arapaho Peak (13,500'); each mountain deserving of its mountaineering accolades. This road is passable for most passenger cars but I wouldnÂ’t try it in my Toyota Camry. (131), Comments Graph Plots Open in Graphs. Please explore responsibly! North Arapaho Peak is a mountain on the Continental Divide in Colorado, one of the 637 peaks above 13,000 feet (3,962 m) in elevation in the state (see thirteeners). If you live either north or south of Eldora, use the following directions.Go north or south on Colorado 119 to the neat little town of Nederland. The Arapaho's provide 4 excellent snow routes, a classic class 3 traverse, a class 4 climb up the obscure Northeast Ridge, and an easy class 2 walk-up.The traverse from South Arapaho to North Arapaho is a serious undertaking and should be respected. Next forecast at approx. Once you've had your fill of views, simply turn back around and head back the way you came. North Arapaho Peak ; North Arapaho Peak; View More Photos Summit: 13,502 feet : 40.0265°N,-105.65062°W Rank in CO: 253 of 637 13er Rank in CO: 200 of 584 13er Rank in Range: 16 of 59 Weather Information Peak Conditions (Last Report: 2020-09-13) 762 Member Ascents: 13ERS WITHIN 2 miles South Arapaho Peak. As Gerry Roach notes in his popular book "It's smaller than Rocky Mountain National Park but no less spectacular." 5.0. The third crux involves a down climb of a steep face of rock to avoid an annoying notch in the ridge crest. The first table below ranks the 55 highest major summits of Colorado by elevation. John, Brian, and Jeff Group Summit Photo North Arapaho Peak Jeff and John starting the traverse. Elevation Gain. Took the ostrich legs up South Arapaho Peak them scampered a ridge line for about 3/4 of a mile over to the summit of North Arapaho Peak. away. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. South Arapaho Peak (left) and North Arapaho Peak (right) above the Arapaho Glacier. Height: 13,508 feet / 4,117 meters. If you're still in the mood for something a little more hardcore, you can traverse from South Arapaho to North Arapaho. Happy adventures! The Colorado Indian Peaks Wilderness is home to many of the best hiking and climbing routes in the state. If you choose the correct route across, rope should not be necessary (but a short back-up piece in your pack is never a bad idea when getting onto this kind of terrain). There is considerable exposure on both sides. For information or to apply for a use permit, contact the U.S. Forest Service, Boulder Ranger District, 2140 Yarmouth Ave., 303-541-2500, or the Sulphur Ranger District, 9 Ten Mile Drive, P.O. For recorded information, call the Indian Peaks Wilderness Information Line at 303-541-2519. This page shows all the ascents and attempts of North Arapaho Peak that have been entered by registered climbers on this site. From the summit, you can see the forbidden fruits of Arikaree and Kiowa Peaks to the north, in the Boulder Watershed. There's a huge cairn. North Arapaho Peak is the highest mountain in the IPW and highest mountain on the Continental Divide north of Denver. Coming from the north, turn right at the Eldora turn-off. Phone: (303) 679-8500 Fax: 303-679-8505 Get Directions to Arapahoe Peak Health Center National Satellite; National Synoptic; North Arapaho Peak Temperature Statistics . Follow it (carefully!) The final crux is climbing a steep narrow gully up to the summit plateau. The trail finishes amid boulders & rocks at the summit. Leave No Trace. North Arapaho Peak Weather (Days 0-3): Mostly dry. The hike is a popular, Front range destination for peakbaggers/climbers and the trailhead is passenger car accessible if you don't mind a somewhat rocky & bumpy road. Photos 360° panorama photo from USA by William l. View from the summit of North Arapaho Peak (elev. North Arapaho Peak (13,500 feet) also holds claim to being the highest summit on the Continental Divide north of Denver. Permits are $5.00 at the following offices. There are spectacular views looking down to the right into the Arapaho Glacier cirque. This impressive collection of jagged peaks includes 35 named peaks, 23 of which are over 12,000 ft, while seven are over 13,000 ft. From easy walk-ups to technical 5.5 climbing this mountaineering playground has something for everybody. There is one switchback right at the beginning and then another more pronounced switchback about 1/2 mile up. South Arapaho Peak is a relatively easy Class 1 to Class 2 ascent on trail almost all the way. Photo: Junius Henderson, Public domain. (162), Climber's Log Entries Hiking info for North Arapaho Peak and Old Baldy, located in Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest, Colorado. This route description is to be combined with North Arapaho Peak. Estimated Time to Complete: 6-7 Hours RT without Skywalker, 8-10 Hours RT with. Near the middle of the couloir. Though some of the snow/ice routes up the glacier look tempting, they are illegal, and reprtedly. Approach South Arapaho Peak Skywalker Couloir Skywalker Couloir Gearing Up Starting up the apron of the climb. Arapaho Glacier is situated 1400 feet northeast of South Arapaho Peak. If you make the decision to hike anywhere around this watershed, please educate yourself concerning the boundaries. Much of the information on this page was submitted by. (Days 3-6): A light covering of new snow mostly falling on Mon night. I adopted this site since it had no owner. 2533 ft. Route Type. If you’re an experienced hiker who’s comfortable with exposure, you can tackle the precipitous Class 3 ridge that extends northwest from South Arapaho Peak. Find More Hikes in Front Range If coming from the northern Front Range areas or up from Boulder, drive to Nederland and from the traffic circle where the three main roads intersect, drive south on SH119 .7 mile and turn right (west) onto CR130 to Eldora. All rights reserved. Highest Point: South Arapaho Peak: 13,397 ft North Arapaho Peak: 13,502 ft. Total Elevation Gain: 4,600 ft. Organized groups (maximum size of 12) must have permit for camping or hiking at all times. The topographic elevation of a summit measures the height of the summit above a geodetic sea level. I have seen photos of this crux (10-ft. smooth, angled slab) and it seems that it looks a little more difficult than it really is. South-North Arapaho Peaks, Colorado, 2016 . 1.53 mi. View South & North Arapaho Peak Image Gallery - 162 Images. Bonus points for doing the traverse over to North Arapaho Peak. Campsites must be at least 100 yards from lakes and streams. There are multiple "use" trails and cairns, and probably more now than when we did it. Much of the hike to Arapaho Glacier runs above treeline. This list only shows climbs by Peakbagger.com users, and is not a comprehensive list of everyone who has summited this peak. But the west side of the ridge is where you can see your route. It is a lovely traverse, and not very friendly for an aging dog, but Duchess did great. Showing backup Pueblo. away "Old Baldy" 0.94 mi. There is a small campground and a trailhead parking area above. Ascents of North Arapaho Peak. Continue through the town of Eldora where the paved road ends and continue in a NW direction on CR130 to the Fourth of July Trailhead and campground which is about 7.6 more miles. No fee is collected for the campground, but that can always change. There's a vault toilet available. Therefore, there is also an album about this adventure, which I created a long before adopting the route. The easier of the two climbs is certainly South Arapaho Peak, which has the added bonus of getting better views of the glacier and North Arapaho Peak. Click here to go the … I spotted somebody in the middle of the South Arapaho to North Arapaho Traverse (on the ridge in the center of the above photo). If Longs Peak, Mount Elbert, and Mount Sneffles are monarch's of their respective mountain ranges, then undoubtedly the Arapaho Peaks deserves this title for the Indian Peak Wilderness. CalTopo map shows approximate routes for North & South Arapaho Peaks and UN13,038 (Old Baldy). The highest point in the area is North Arapaho Peak, which tops out at an elevation of 4115m – as you may imagine, the views here will take your breath away. Now it's time to take a good look at the weather and decide if you have the additional two hours minimum to make the traverse on over to North Arapaho and back without putting yourself at too much risk. 5.0/5 Details. The road is grated in early June of every year. I thought down climbing the rock face was the toughest crux on this route. Traveling north on 119, turn left at the Eldora turnoff. Navajo Peak … North Arapaho Peak Mountain Photos. Extremely cold (max -11°C on Thu afternoon, min -19°C on Sat night). The trail starts in the upper parking lot right after the Buckingham Campground. The summit of a mountain or hill may be measured in three principal ways: . The trail for the Arapaho Peaks turns of in this vicinity and was signed when we passed by in 2012. Arapahoe Peak Health Center. away. Some … At the saddle, turn and head NW, basically following along the ridge to the summit. The trail is well-used, easy to follow and ascends at a fairly gentle gradient. North Arapaho Peak at ListsOfJohn.com Weather for North Arapaho Peak at Mountain-Forecast.com North Arapaho Peak at Summits on the Air (Amateur Radio) Weather and Snow National Weather Service Forecast NOAA Snow Depth Map Lists that contain North Arapaho Peak: Colorado Wilderness High Points (Rank #17) Colorado 13,500 foot Peaks (Rank #253) The rock is basically stable, but there are always rotten sections and you should never make any assumptions. The plan was to head west towards Arapaho Pass and then head back up on the ridge the way I came back towards the car. 8 miles. Bukid ang North Arapaho Peak sa Tinipong Bansa. There's a good climbers trail up S. Arapaho Peak from the saddle. Neva. You'll enjoy some fine views down into the Arapaho Glacier cirque. Getting caught in a fast building thunderstorm on this traverse would be a bad experience. From the saddle leave the Arapaho Glacier Trail and scramble the remaining 700' over class 2 boulders up the southeast slopes of South Arapaho Peak. Because of the popularity of this trailhead, expect the parking area to fill up early on weekends. Permits are issued for 19 travel zones within the Indian Peak boundaries. Other than the small campground at the trailhead, because there's so much private property on the drive in, finding any legal, at-large camp spots is difficult. "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." Distance. Arapaho Glacier is an alpine glacier in a cirque immediately southeast of North Arapaho Peak, in Roosevelt National Forest in the U.S. state of Colorado. Country: United States. If electing to stay more on the ridge crest, there will be a semi-gendarme to scramble over that some rate as 4th Class in the middle section. The Elevation Start: 9,900 ft. Once the ridge narrows the exposure on the east of the ridge increases, a drop from here would introduce you with the Arapaho Glacier some 5-700 ft below. The overall view is quite spectacular and has a very "alpine" feel to it. 0.48 mi. Staying on the trail will keep you safe. Every time I've been up here I've been surprised that it's been so close to the edge. From the summit of South Arapaho, proceed NW along the ridge crest for about the first third of the distance over to N. Arapaho. Even trying to stay on the ridge, you may find yourself forced down. To get to the ranked summit by the "standard" route, you will need to go over the unranked, south summit. From the Fourth of July TH, hike up the trail that eventually leads to Arapaho Pass. You may see other trails earlier that serve as a shortcut. With that, you have a wonderful comparison of views with towering peaks rising above South Arapaho peak to the north, and to the south a sea of peaks that seem to be dwarfed by where you’re standing. The city of Boulder owns this watershed and much of the land surrounding it. The following images cover the traverse over to North Arapaho Peak… An overview of the terrain ahead…the first section is fairly easy walking, with yellow alpine bouquets spilling out among the rocks to touch and calm the pounding heart: Traverse Yellow. Using the half mile long ridge traverse from South Arapaho, North Arapaho offers a fun 3rd Class scramble along a rocky ridge with some exposure. 1-Day 3-Day 5-Day. Go 1 mile west past the Eldora ski resort and continue 2 miles to the town of Eldora. Using the half mile long ridge traverse from South Arapaho, North Arapaho offers a fun 3rd Class scramble along a rocky ridge with some exposure. A pair of hikers was kind enough to ration me some sunscreen. Plan on an hour to make this traverse. The road becomes progressively rougher but does not necessarily require high clearance or 4WD, but you might be more comfortable with a higher clearance vehicle at least. From the trail intersection, head up past low trees and onto open tundra slopes. North Arapaho Peak & South Arapaho Peak Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars) Distance: 10.5 MIles RT – Ascending Skywalker Couloir or Standard Route 10 Miles RT. Not knowing about the orange, painted arrows that guide you more along the ridge crest, we began to make a descending contour on the west side of the ridge, passing through several couloirs and losing about 120 ft. Then we made an ascending contour back up to the ridge coming out about 2/3rds of the way across. At the summit, grab some water, take in the views, check out traverse you're about to do (to the west), and snap a few frames. --Mahatma Gandhi, Routes Box 10, Granby, CO 80446, 1-970-887-4100. The gradient increases in steepness. The traverse is a half mile from South to North (a mile RT) and it takes anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to complete. That summit is the only ranked summit of the two Arapaho Peaks. North Arapaho Peak (13,502') is the highest mountain in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. This article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaks of the U.S. State of Colorado.. By "experienced," we mean they need to have had some previous experience with 3rd Class rock scrambling and fairly severe exposure. (See coordinates provided.) There is plenty of free parking. The hike to the South Arapahoe Peak from t… © 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. My goal was to ascend South Arapaho Peak, then traverse the long connecting ridge and ascend North Arapaho Peak. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. To descend from S. Arapaho, simply retrace your ascent route back to the TH, but don't forget to include "Old Baldy," which is no more than a 15 minutes jaunt up from the east saddle over mixed tundra & rock. I will try to update this page as best as I can. North and South Arapaho Peak is home to the Arapaho Glacier, the largest glacier in the Front Range. Fires are allowed in certain areas west of the divide. Only experienced and prepared climbers should attempt this summit. "No Camping" is signed at the trailhead parking. The weather was cool, and the altitude immediately apparent, since the trailhead is at 10,150'. There is an overnight parking fee. Accessible from approximately Memorial Day through Labor Day. Near the saddle between South Arapaho and "Old Baldy," (UN13,038) the trail joins the "Glacier Trail" coming in from the east. If you're unsure of what peak you're looking at, there is a sighting disk with most major peaks listed on it - a very useful tool! Only 2 hours from Denver, the IPW can be a popular place for the day hiker, but solitude can be had by those willing to look for it. This traverse is recommend only for experienced teens and older. Be sure and tag UN13,038 on you way back. (25), Skywalker Couloir w/traverse of the Arapahos, Holy Toledo That's Steep: Arapaho Peaks Skywalker Couloir & Traverse, The entire drainage below Arapaho Glacier is closed to hikers/campers, since it is owned by the City of Boulder and supplies the city's drinking water. Motorized vehicles are not permitted, including bicycles. The road turns to dirt after the town of Eldora. Depending on how you negotiate this ridge, you can even encounter some Class 4 moves. The second crux is overcoming a soaring gendarme head on. From SH119, it's 1.5 miles to the ski area turnoff. Climbing photos at North Arapaho Peak uploaded by users of mountain-forecast.com A permit is required for camping in the wilderness area between June 1 and Sept. 15. The summit itself is relatively flat. Nahimutang ni sa kondado sa Boulder County ug estado sa Colorado, sa sentro nga bahin sa nasod, 2,400 km sa kasadpan sa Washington, D.C. 4,100 metros ibabaw sa dagat kahaboga ang nahimutangan sa North Arapaho Peak, o 603 ka metros sa ibabaw sa naglibot nga tereyn.Mga 36 ka kilometro ang gilapdon sa tiilan niini. The traverse keeps you at 13,500 ft. for three hours so be prepared for some altitude issues like headaches, slight nausea, and bright sun. This remarkable region is known for its unusual flora and fauna, including many stunted trees and alpine plants that have learned how to survive in the stark conditions of the alpine tundra. It's only a 15 minute easy walk from the saddle east of South Arapaho. Turn left (west) and drive to Eldora on paved road, passing the high school and the turnoff for the Eldora Ski area. Reaching it from South Arapaho Peak requires a precarious and laborious scramble down and up a.5 mile saddle between the two peaks. Overall, the exposure on the traverse is moderate. Beyond it, there are two more that can be skirted below. The Arapaho's provide 4 excellent snow routes, a classic class 3 traverse, a class 4 climb up the obscure Northeast Ridge, and an easy class 2 walk-up. Temperature Forecast NOAA; Temperature Real-Time ; Denver is currently offline. It is the main water source for the Boulder Watershed program and is off limits to the public. The toughest part is the middle third section.