Best Summit Hikes Denver to Vail: Hikes and Scrambles Along the I-70 Corridor

From little-known beauties like Coon Hill and Silver Plume Mountain to classic climbs like Peak 1 and Torreys Peak, Best Summit Hikes Denver to Vail provides detailed, accurate information on more than 60 summits that are within a 1.5-hour drive from the Denver/Boulder metro area. Local author James Dziezynski guides readers to rarely documented peaks and along wonderful adventures that are easy to access yet provide a true wilderness setting in a matter of minutes. This is a great resource for those who don't have the time to drive far away for other popular mountains and may want to learn more about the fantastic peaks that are closer than they think. Other Colorado guidebooks focus on specific ranges or peaks grouped by elevation, but Best Summit Hikes Denver to Vail focuses on the most heavily traveled part of Colorado and is as useful for tourists as it is for locals. The wealth of great adventures close to home is a bit of a secret, even for veteran outdoors explorers.

Table of Contents:
Trailhead Locator Map List of Trailheads Acknowledgements Introduction Loch Lomond Trailhead South Slopes of Mount Bancroft to Parry Peak James Peak–Mount Bancroft Loop Fall River Reservoir Trailhead Northeast Ridge Slopes of Mount Eva to Witter Peak Parrys Rib to Parry Peak–Mount Bancroft–Mount Eva Loop The Witter Slam: Witter, Eva, Parry, Bancroft, and James Peak Point-to-Point Ending at Loch Lomond Fall River Reservoir–Berthoud Pass Point-to-Point West Chicago Creek Trailhead Alpine Peak to Sugarloaf Peak Loop Empire–Republican Mountain Trailhead and Bard Creek Trailhead Republican Mountain and Sherman Mountain Bard Peak via Bard Creek Trail Engelmann Peak Southeast Ridge via Bard Creek Trailhead Republican Mountain to Herman Gulch Traverse Silver Plume–7:30 Mine Trailhead Silver Plume Mountain via the 7:30 Mine Trail Waldorf Mine Trailhead Mount Edwards to McClellan Mountain Loop Argentine Peak to Mount Wilcox Loop Edwards–Grays–Torreys Point-to-Point from Loveland Pass Argentine Pass to Guenella Pass McClellan–Wilcox Grand Slam Stevens Gulch Trailhead Grays Peak and Torreys Peak Kelso Ridge Kelso Mountain via “Torreys Ridge” Grays–Edwards–McClellan Mountain The Stevens Slam: Kelso to Edwards Baker Mountain via Grizzly Gulch Herman Gulch Trailhead Mount Parnassus and Bard Peak Pettingell Peak–East Ridge Woods Mountain–UN 12,805 Double Gulch Tour UN 12,671, UN 12,438, and Mount Bethel Dry Gulch Trailhead Mount Bethel and Plane Wreck Detour Tour of the Unnamed Peaks Mount Trelease–“Golden Bear Peak” Traverse The Citadel–Hagar Mountain Traverse Loveland Pass Trailhead Mount Sniktau to Grizzly Peak Continental Divide Point-to-Point Tour–Highest Point Loveland Pass–Stevens Gulch Point-to-Point “Cupid” Peak to Baker Mountain Point-to-Point Lenawee Peak (from Arapahoe Basin) Loveland Tunnel West Trailhead Coon Hill Direct Variation: East Ridge “Golden Bear Peak” Hagar Mountain via “Golden Bear Peak” Ptarmigan Peak Trailhead and Laskey Gulch Trailhead Ptarmigan Peak Loop Ptarmigan Peak via Laskey Gulch Tenderfoot Mountain Trailhead Tenderfoot Mountain Meadow Creek Trailhead and Ryan Gulch Trailhead Buffalo Mountain via Ryan Gulch Red Peak via Meadow Creek Deming Mountain and Eccles Peak via Meadow Creek Meadow Creek to Ryan Gulch Buffalo-Style Traverse Chief Mountain Extra Credit: North Tenmile Creek Trailhead Peak 1 Trailhead and Miners Creek Trailhead Peak 1 to Peak 6 Point-to-Point Miners Creek Peak 4, Peak 5, and Peak 6 Direct Far East Trailhead Peak 6 and Peak 6.5 Tour Mayflower Gulch Trailhead Atlantic–Pacific–Crystal Traverse Pacific Peak–West Ridge Drift Peak Crystal Peak Direct Copper Mountain/Spaulding Gulch Trailhead Jacque Peak via Spaulding Gulch Vail Pass Trailhead and Gore Range Copper Trailhead Uneva Peak Direct Shrine Mountain and Wingle Ridge Deluge Lake Trailhead Deluge Lake Summits Tour Gore Lake to Snow Peak Pitkin Creek Trailhead Mount Solitude and Climbers Point Tour Vista Peak Options Afterword Appendix 1: Peaks by Elevation Appendix 2: Contact Information Appendix 3: Additional Resources Appendix 4: Online Resources Index