Elevation: 11,709 feet, 3569 meters. Trail Research. Few hikes pack this much variety and beauty into a relatively small package. Chief Mountain is an easy class 2 mountain located above the Squaw Pass road in the foothills of Colorado's Front Range. The surrounding portion of the thrust sheet has been removed by erosion leaving behind this and a few other isolated blocks of Proterozoic rock. Chief Mountain is a very prominent mountain and leaps up from the surrounding valleys. There will be a light with a sign for 103, and turn left right there. While the higher peaks might still be post-hole hell, Chief Mountain tops out at 11,709 feet and the snow clears earlier thanks to its relatively lower elevation. The trail continues upward and soon reaches treeline … (63), Comments View 7 Day Forecast on weather.gov. Chief Mountain Featured Route 2.8mi Arapaho NF. The trailhead is located at a large pullout on the north side of the Squaw pass road. Sitting at 11,709’, Chief Mountain is not one of Colorado’s highest peaks, but the views from this mountain are spectacular nonetheless and rival the views of any 14er I’ve climbed. It consists of a Precambrian block which rests directly above much younger Cretaceous gray shales. 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. Also chances are you'll find the trail switchbacking up Chief's slopes. Elev. Like many other foothill peaks, it consists of a rocky summit, with it slopes completely covered by dense forests of lodgepole pines. Don't be fooled, you are still exposed to lightning on the barren summit. This map shows the wilderness boundaries and Chief Mountain. It's national forest land and you can pretty much camp where you like. For nearby Alberta community, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Mountains and mountain ranges of Glacier National Park (U.S.), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chief_Mountain&oldid=989829139, Mountains of Glacier National Park (U.S.), Religious places of the indigenous peoples of North America, Articles needing additional references from June 2018, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 21 November 2020, at 07:55. The views were breathtaking ! The trail starts steeply and immediately switches back from heading sourheast to west. Views at the top are beautiful. To see the weather forecasts for the other elevations, use the tab navigation above the table. This mountain sits along Squaw Pass Road so you get the luxury of a high trailhead for this peak. The Chief Mountain Trail is approximately 1.5 miles each way, with less than 1,000-foot elevation gain. Trees, rocks, peace, mountain fragrances, and enough of an elevation gain to elevate it from “nature walk” to “actual hike” status. [5], Having an older layer of rock juxtaposed atop younger basement rocks is found on occasion in thrust faults and is commonplace along the Lewis Overthrust which extends from central Montana to far southern Alberta. © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. This page shows the elevation/altitude information of Chief Mountain, Colorado, USA, including elevation map, topographic map, narometric pressure, longitude and latitude. Chief Mountain Trail is a 2.8 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Idaho Springs, CO that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. Despite its elevation, Chief Mountain is a foothill in comparison to the other surrounding mountains of the Continental Divide. Also the trail is almost impossible to find in winter, and your best bet is to just bushwack up the mountain instead of wasting time looking for it and trying to follow it. All Rights Reserved. Hiking at 11,000 Feet This was a perfect Colorado mountain hike. Looking down on the north side fo the road you should also be able to see the remnants of the old Squaw Pass ski area. Once you do this trail, you’ll be excited to do more high altitude hikes in the substantial peaks! Please submit any useful information about climbing Chief Mountain that may be useful to other climbers. It’s a decent climb, right from the start for 1.5 miles while gaining 1000 ft in elevation. Chief Mountain is a long, east-to-west trending peak with four points above 11,000 feet, the highest of which rises at the far west-northwestern end of the ridge. Henry Stimson and two other explorers, including a Blackfeet Indian, climbed the difficult eastern face on September 8, 1892, and this is the first known ascent of the peak by white explorers. (51), Climber's Log Entries Chief Mountain, Highway 103, outside Idaho Springs; Chief Mountain is a quick, but effective Colorado spring hike. Chief Mountain, Summit County, Colorado, United States - Free topographic maps visualization and sharing. Chief Mountain is a mountain in Colorado and has an elevation of 12,966 feet. (15), Additions & Corrections To the south you can glimpse at the Mosquito Range, South Park, the Lost Creek Wilderness, and the enormity of Pikes Peak. An alternative is to keep driving on the Squaw Pass road until the second time you meet the road coming down from Squaw Peak. Chief Mountain from Mapcarta, the free map. Nearby Peak Searches: Radius Search - Nearest Peaks to Chief Mountain Elevation Ladder from Chief Mountain Prominence Ladder from Chief Mountain Chief Mountain from the west (2019-03-30). You can also follow the divide up through the James Peak Area, the Indian Peaks, and ultimately Longs Peak and RMNP. 360-degree views at the summit rival those of Colorado’s 14ers. Trail Information Trail Name: Chief Mountain Trail Location: Near Idaho Springs, Colorado Date: November 24, 2019 Time at the Trail Head: 7:30 am Trail Length: 3.1 miles Elevation Gain: 984 feet Elev. "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. This tool allows you to look up elevation data by searching address or clicking on a live google map. Weather. Mosquitoes: 0. The hike itself is moderately easy, but hiking it can give you an idea of what higher elevation peak trails are like. The eastern face of the peak was not successfully climbed again until 1951. Evans. The trail has an easy grade that allows some of the most out of shape hikers (such as myself) an opportunity to climb a 11,000 foot+ peak without complete exhaustion. Robin our tour guide took us hiking to the peak of Chief Mountain with an elevation above 11k feet. --Albert Einstein, Routes Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' This article is about the mountain in Montana. Behind Evans you can gaze back among the high massifs of the Front Range up the Clear Creek drainage to the Continental Divide. Chief Mountain Arapaho National Forest. [5], Chief Mountain remains sacred to many First Nations peoples from both the U.S. and Canada. General Mountain Information: Chief Mountain. Chief Mountain stands 11,710 ft tall, just a few hundred feet below tree line. There are no real forest service campsites real close to the mountain. Chief Mountain Climbing Notes. Because of its easy access and short easy (but steep) climb, this summit is quite popular on summer weekends. Colorado 103 can be accessed from Evergreen parkway, exit 252 on I-70. It is a great snowshoe hike in winter, providing a spectacular reward for an easy climb. [5] National Park Service visitor centers at St. Mary, Montana and at Many Glacier have additional information available. Over the 1.5 miles to the summit of Chief Mountain, you gain just under 1000 feet taking you to 11,709 feet at the top. Consider things such as access and accommodation at the base of Chief Mountain, as well as the logistics of climbing to the summit. The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking and is accessible from June until November. This is the start of the Chief Mountain trail. It sits just west of the town of Frisco, Colorado, near the Dillon Reservoir. Views of Denver to the East are somewhat obstructed by nearby Squaw Peak, but still very climbworthy. Chief Mountain is an easy class 2 mountain located above the Squaw Pass road in the foothills of Colorado's Front Range. Millions glimpse at it each year as they drive on I-70 through Idaho Springs. The mountain is usually climbed in summer because of the better weather. ... Click on the map to display elevation… The sign posted where the trail crosses Old Squaw Pass road says it's 2 miles to the summit (most sources say it's 1 or 1.5 miles). Chief Mountain is a moderate 3 mile roundtrip hike with a short but steady climb to the summit - around 900 feet of elevation gain. This is the start of the trail. Its barren rocky summit seems to tower over the surrounding scenery. The elevation of Cortez is 6,200 feet (1,890 m) and can be considered the base elevation of the Ute Mountains. Evans Massif, and with an extra 2500 ft. of elevation, it makes Chiefs summit seem very insignificant. The Chief Mountain trail starts in spruce/pine forest and crosses Old Squaw Pass Road after approximately 0.2 miles. Natives from all over North America travel to the base of the mountain for sweet grass ceremonies, placing of prayer flags and other religious rites. The trail will switchback steeply up into the trees. At the top is a small pile of talus (large rocks) that … No issues with the trail, … There are no fee, permits, passes... that I am aware of. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park adjoins Mesa Verde National Park to the east of the mountains. at Trail Head: 10,729 feet # of Hikers Passed: 27 # of Mnt. (4 ), Enjoying Some Low Hanging Fruit on New Years, Chief Mountain Snowshoe w/ kids (1/3/2006). Mount Big Chief is situated west of … Hiking info, trail maps, and 43 trip reports from Chief Mountain (11,709 ft) in the Front Range of Colorado. She was an awesome guide making sure we were all safe and shared her knowledge of Colorado with us along the way. That being said, the trailhead is located near old Squaw Pass Ski Area property, and to avoid any problems with the landowners or operators of this area it might be advisable to hike up the sides of the mountain a ways. There's no gaurantee that Chief's weather will match up, but its the closest you can get. The eastern face of the mountain rises over 1,500 ft (460 m) vertically and the easiest route on this section is rated class 4 by mountaineers. From the large pullout parking area on the north side of Hwy. Another option is to continue west on Hwy 103 for another mile to where another branch of the Squaw Peak road intersects the highway. It is indeed a foothill despite it's elevated height, because of it's distance and prominence from the high massifs of the front range. Date Hiked: June 17, 2017 Distance: 3 mi (RT) Elevation Gain: 1,000ft Elevation Min/Max: 10,723 to 11,709 ft Trailhead Lat/Long:39.682439º N; 105.521141º W Managing Agency: U.S. Forest Service Fee: None View Chief Mountain Image Gallery - 51 Images. Chief Mountain hike in Idaho Springs Colorado. On the western side of the summit plateau, below the summit cliffs, there's a nice flat spot with what looks like it might be great camping with a view. Featured Routes. 103, look across the road and search for a three-foot high cement marker with the number 290 on it. Chief Mountain Trail, Idaho Springs: See 9 reviews, articles, and 9 photos of Chief Mountain Trail, ranked No.8 on Tripadvisor among 16 attractions in Idaho Springs. You’ll be able to look across the entire Bear Creek Basin … True Isolation: 4.39 mi, 7.06 km. So if someone were to do a 360 degree shot circling the summit, or were to fly towards Mt Evans, they'd be doing so illegally. The rock is also primarily sedimentary and provides poor anchor points, which in turn is a contributing factor to the difficulty rating. I feel like its probably closer to one than two but might feel longer because it's steep. Hiking info, trail maps, and trip reports from Chief Mountain (11,371 ft) in Colorado The elevation is 11,777 feet above sea level, but you drive part of the way. Look across the road for a three foot high cement marker with the number 290 on it. After walking it, I would say it's closer to 2 miles. Everything Southwest of the Chief Mountain summit (South of the West ridge and West of the South Ridge) is Mount Evans Wilderness, where drones aren't allowed. Check the weather for Idaho Springs if you're headed for the summit. TOPO and other maps say that its a mile. What draws them, is the spectacular views that are to be seen from the summit. The In the early 1900s as white settlers came to the area, they observed native burial sites scattered along the base of the mountain. That such panoramic views are available from such a low summit is truly spectacular. Basically drive up squaw pass road from Evergreen for twelve miles. Elevation Range. The pullout will be shortly after this. From the road its approximately 1 mile and a thousand feet of climbing to gain the rocky summit. Elevation Gain: 984 feet. Needed to get some elevation before attempting a 14'er. From there hike up to the road until you encounter the trail. Starting Elevation: 10800′ Elevation Gain: Approx +1000′ Seasons: Year Round (weather permitting) Dogs: Allowed On Leash: Hike Trail Map – Winter: Click for a Map of Chief Mountain Trail: Hike Trail Map – Summer: Click for a Map of Chief Mountain Trail: Denver Drive Time: 1 hr: Driving Directions to Chief Mountain … (1), Images Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. Hike or ski east up this gentle road for one mile to intersect the Chief Mountain trail and turn right to continue to the summit. This page shows the elevation/altitude information of Chief Mountain, Montana, USA, including elevation map, topographic map, narometric pressure, longitude and latitude. [5], Chief Mountain has been a sacred mountain to Native American tribes for hundreds of years. 10,706–11,708ft Δ 1,002ft. Close by and directly to the west looms the huge Mt. Bikers Passed: 0 # of Horses Passed: 0. Chief Mountain, Summit County, Colorado, United States - Free topographic maps visualization and sharing. Be careful, though this peak isn't very high, altitude sickness can come in at any time especially if you're from out of state. [4][5] The mountain is one of the most prominent peaks and rock formations along the Rocky Mountain Front, a 200 mi (320 km) long overthrust fault, known as the Lewis Overthrust, which extends from central Montana into southern Alberta, Canada. I was talking to one of my colleagues in the office and he told me about one of his favorite trails to hike in the Rockies near Denver, called Chief Mountain. This tool allows you to look up elevation data by searching address or clicking on a live google map. After about this time you will pass a road to the south that leads up to the Squaw peak radio tower. at Trail Head: 10,729 feet # … 1.4mi. Photo by Craig Barlow . It is indeed a foothill despite it's elevated height, because of it's distance and prominence from the high massifs of the front range. Elders from Southern Alberta's Siksika Band (where the Great Chief Crowfoot hailed from) and other First Nation groups have an oral tradition that near the end of days, a Great White God would appear from the top of Chief Mountain and upon his departure, the mountain would crumble and be destroyed.[5]. … The sign does say that it's 2 miles. It is somewhat hard to locate unless you're climbing on a summer or fall weekend in which case there will be plenty of cars but it should be the biggest one around. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. Completely July 1, 2020 3.1 miles, 960’ elevation gain A small 11er on Squaw Pass Rd near Evergreen, Chief Mountain is short and delightful (e.g. If it weren't for the Squaw Pass road it would take a minimum of 3500 ft to climb to the summit. This, the ease of the climb, and the proximity to Denver, make Chief an excellent choice for people from out of state who want catch a glimpse at what Colorado has to offer. There is very low avalanche danger because the slopes aren't steep enough, but the snow is very deep down in the trees and snowshoes are ver highly recommended. Chief Mountain Trail is a great beginner summit hike. 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Information about climbing Chief Mountain that may be useful to other climbers younger Cretaceous gray shales like its closer... Well as the altitude does n't affect you peaks chief mountain colorado elevation and with an extra 2500 ft. elevation... Class 2 Mountain located above the Squaw Pass road until you encounter trail... Which was `` great Chief '' its elevation, it makes Chiefs summit very... Altitude hikes in the foothills of Colorado ’ s 14ers short and delightful ( e.g maps. For an easy climb a contributing factor to the Squaw Pass road after approximately 0.2 miles isolated! Is truly spectacular at a large pullout on the map to display elevation… elevation: 11,709 feet, 3569.... It makes Chiefs summit seem very insignificant level, but effective Colorado spring hike and RMNP to see weather... Its barren rocky summit 1,000-foot elevation gain elevation data by searching address or clicking a... ] National Park to the east of the Continental Divide also primarily sedimentary and provides poor points... Low summit is truly spectacular few other isolated blocks of Proterozoic rock hiking and and..., Chief Mountain is a contributing factor to the summit but steep ) climb, right from the road approximately! Glimpse at it each year as they drive on I-70 than two but feel. The mountains that Chief 's slopes settlers came to the set of objects that logically fall under a given.! It ’ s a decent climb, right from the surrounding portion of the mountains the elevation 11,777! Chief are said to be spectacular for those willing to brave the cold and has an elevation of Cortez 6,200... Springs Colorado like many other foothill peaks, it makes Chiefs summit seem very insignificant the altitude does n't you! Back among the high massifs of the thrust sheet has been removed by erosion behind...
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