About a month after summiting three 13ers in one day, I found myself back in the very same area as I made my way toward the summit of the adjacent 13,294 foot (4052 m) mountain: James Peak. It’s one that I’d wanted to climb for a couple years now, although I don’t know why, out of the hundreds of 13ers in the state, this one stood out to me. But it did.
So off I went on a Saturday morning with Pat and our friends Blake and Savannah for a chilly summit hike. It was late October now, though you wouldn’t guess it by looking at the mountains. Winter got off to a very slow and non-wintery start this season.
The main route up James Peak begins at the trailhead for St. Mary’s Glacier, which we’ve hiked to before so I won’t say much about it now (but you can click the link above to read about that hike). It’s not a true glacier, though. It’s a semi-permanent snowfield. Barely. There wasn’t much snow left. We didn’t have to walk across it, the trail skirted around it.
Upon reaching the top of the snowfield, the terrain opened up and we found ourselves in the middle of a vast, relatively flat expanse of tundra. The next mile of the hike was more of a leisurely stroll.
Much elevation gain awaited, though, as we were still about 1600 feet (490 m) below the summit. A few 4WD roads traverse the terrain here; we crossed one and then connected up with the Continental Divide Trail which took us the rest of the way to the summit. From the trail, the views down to Loch Lomond and the lakes above it were beautiful, and I also enjoyed looking along the ridge at the three adjacent 13ers I’d climbed about a month earlier.
The closer we got to the James Peak summit, the steeper the trail became. It was a steady grind, and slow going at times, but we made it to the top!
There may not have been much snow, but there was certainly plenty of icy winter wind up here. Despite working hard to reach the summit, we didn’t stay long. It was far too cold. We took in the views, quickly ate a snack, snapped some photos (in which my face was so cold I couldn’t even smile properly… I won’t be sharing those photos here, as I look like someone put a skunk under my nose), and hurriedly began our descent.
The weather warmed and the wind calmed as we descended, and by the time we were back to St. Mary’s Lake we had taken off most of our layers. When we got back to Denver, it was about 70°F (21°C). If you ever want to experience summer, fall, and winter in one day, come to Colorado in October and climb James Peak. But be sure to bring microspikes, a hat, gloves, many layers… and probably some shorts and sandals for when you get back to town.
I’m not actually complaining, though. It’s pretty neat to live in a place where you can summit mountains most of the year. For me, James Peak was my tenth and final 12,000+ foot mountain of the year. This hike also wraps up my 2021 Colorado posts here on WordPress. Up next: our Thanksgiving break trip to the Utah desert. Stay tuned!
The Important Stuff
- Getting there: the parking area is off Fall River Road, 9 miles (14.5 km) north of the Fall River exit on I-70; it’s marked with a blue sign and will be obvious due to all the cars. The road is paved and accessible with any car
- Fees and passes: there is a $5/car (cash only) parking fee at the trailhead; put the fee into an envelope, deposit it in the slot, and place the tear-off tab on your dashboard
- Hiking: round trip distance to the summit was 8.4 miles (13.5 km) with 3000 feet (915 m) of elevation gain
- Where to stay: this is probably best done as a day hike from Denver, it’s less than a 1 hour drive to the trailhead
- Other: St. Mary’s Lake and James Peak are extremely popular so don’t expect solitude on this hike. The trail to the lake is almost always busy, the section above the snowfield is commonly used for outdoors safety training classes, and James Peak is popular amongst backcountry skiers. For the best experience and to secure parking, arrive early
Handstands Around the World 
HI
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Nice post! I love Front Range exploration but man, that wind, a couple of days in hurricane-force and you have not choice but to respect the mountains. Keep exploring, cheers!
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Yes, the wind is a constant force, and one that I never quite get used to. As you said, it makes you respect the mountains. Thanks for stopping by!
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That whole area is gorgeous. I might hit up that peak on a return trip to Colorado — those views looked awesome.
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It’s a good one, and pretty accessible too.
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It’s as if you can see the cold in the photos, but I understand the desire to escape the cities with such landscapes, for a while.
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It was definitely cold on the summit, but down lower it wasn’t so bad.
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Good choice and great photos! It’s been many years since I’ve been up there, but I recall the huge expanse of tundra and wide views. Unfortunately, St Mary’s isn’t much of glacier anymore.
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Yeah, it was kind of disappointing to just see that tiny field of snow. It’s too bad it’s not still a glacier.
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Hi. Do any of the tall peaks require ropes and other equipment in order to reach the summits?
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Some do… there’s the whole range in Colorado. Many can just be walked up but some require scrambling or bouldering and some do have technical routes that require climbing gear. There are also multiple routes up many of them with varying levels of difficulty, so you can choose the route you want.
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Loving the snow capped peaks – another beautiful hike 🙂
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Show capped peaks are the prettiest!
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The summit views and your captures are amazing!
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That’s a fantastic trail up through the scree Diana. Not always the case. I can see why it was calling to you. So happy that you nabbed yet another 13,000 footer!!!
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Well done for reaching the summit, Diana 🙂 James Peak in Colorado looks like a fantastic hike, especially to take in the views over the scenic lakes from the top. I’ve never hiked in snow as we rarely get in Ireland, but wouldn’t mind signing up for such a challenge! Thanks for sharing and inspiring 🙂 Aiva xx
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It’s definitely harder to hike in the snow, first of all because you’re wearing/carrying heavier clothing, and secondly because you slip a little with each step…. Similar to walking on sand. But it’s also so beautiful, I find it worth the effort.
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To hike inclines and rough terrains are one thing, but to do it in icy conditions is another! I’ve always had a fear of hiking in snow/ice, especially since I don’t own micro-spikes or even traction shoes…kudos to you for braving the rugged paths, and you could definitely relax with warmer, easier weather upon returning! As I had visited Utah this past October (and loved it), I look forward to your adventures in that state soon!
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Microspikes are amazing and make all the difference. You can walk on ice and feel safe. I wouldn’t hike in the winter without them, it would be too dangerous.
Where in Utah did you visit?
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I visited Zion and Bryce Canyon. Wished I stayed longer to visit Arches and Cedar Breaks, though!
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Oooh nice, we did Bryce too! Arches and Cedar Breaks are both worth a visit, so it sounds like you’ll just have to go back to Utah sometime (oh darn, what a hardship 😆)
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I love the light dusting of snow on the mountains. It looks beautiful. I can believe that the summit was cold. Looking forward to reading about your trip to Utah.
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Agreed, sometimes I think mountains are more beautiful in the winter.
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Love that picture looking down toward Loch Lomond and the other 3 lakes. It has has so much texture with snow, brown earth, frozen lake, open water and trees far in the background. Maggie
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Your determination and tenacity, as well as your hiking skills are impressive, Diana. It’s interesting to see the tundra and ice fields, great views from the top, too. Thanks for sharing this climb with us, Diana.
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Thank you! I really like the tundra, it’s desolate but so pretty.
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I can feel the cold just looking at your pictures, but what a beautiful hike! I wish I had access to such beautiful hikes 🙂
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It was very cold. You guys will have to come visit Colorado sometime, there is no shortage of beautiful hikes here.
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A desolate cold landscape to be sure. Thanks for sharing Diana. Allan
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Very cold. I think the desolation is so beautiful, though!
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I like how this is south of the Grand Lake entrance to the Rocky Mountains, which is my favorite part of the park. I marked this on Google Maps to do the next time I’m that way. Thanks for the great content!
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This would definitely be a good hike to do along the way!
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Looks cold. You have a lot of lakes and water in Colorado. In Texas there are very few natural lakes and all but the major rivers are usually dry. Nice photos although I would have liked seeing the skunk under the nose one of you. Ha Ha
Uncle Rick
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There are a lot of lakes here! Pretty much every low spot in the mountains has some water in it. I’ll have to show you the photos next time I see you… I’m thinking you’re due for a visit to CO!
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Awesome shots, thanks for sharing.
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Maybe there wasn’t much snow, but it certainly looks really cold! Lovely view of all the lakes in one picture. Changing from mountains to deserts … I am looking forward to your next post!
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The view from the top is really nice and of course, Mount Bancroft above the Ice Lake looks very appealing too!
Keep on posting Diana!
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I enjoyed that view as well! We may try to hike to Ice Lake next summer.
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You have so many beautiful locations to hike and to enjoy over there. Thanks for your effort and taking the time to report on your blog!
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I feel like I say the same thing to you about Greece 🙂
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