James Peak

[Indigomountain]

Greetings,

I am looking for a bit of summer info. on James Peak. I have searched on this site but have only come across winter information. I understand this peak is about 10-15 minutes west of Rollinsville. My questions are as follows;
Is there an actual trailhead and marked/worn trail to use?
If so, what road do I need to take to get there?
For those that have hiked it could you give me a possible Class rating?

I could possibly find this info. once I am in Rollinsville (that is where I be staying) but I am trying to be prepared. Thanks in advance for your help.

[yorksman]

Question is where do you want to start from? By the Moffat Tunnel (east side) or St. Marys Glacier? Most people tend to go from St. Marys Gaclier side. Both can be accessed by car, Moffat Tunnel is a graded dirt road, St. Marys is paved. Class rating 1-2 unless you decided to climb the east face then it goes way up.

[Indigomountain]

Question is where do you want to start from? By the Moffat Tunnel (east side) or St. Marys Glacier? Most people tend to go from St. Marys Gaclier side. Both can be accessed by car, Moffat Tunnel is a graded dirt road, St. Marys is paved. Class rating 1-2 unless you decided to climb the east face then it goes way up.

I am not all that familiar with the area but I can tell you I would want to start on the side closest to Rollinsville but NOT the east face.

Thanks

[harrise]

If you're insistent on a Rollinsville area start you have two options.

1. Mammoth Gulch.
Just after the "town" of Tolland before the road crosses over the tracks, the 4WD road is on the left and heads southwest up to Elk Park and Pile Hill. Well over 10,000'. Did it in a Grand Caravan many many moons ago, so I can't say how rough the road is currently. I would suspect it's not passable in that thing anymore. From that area you can easily follow the 4WD trail as it move up the north side of James before gaining the ridge just west of Kingston Peak. From there, the route is obvious. This way is easy class II at most.

2. South Boulder Creek Trail.
This one is longer. I'm wanting to say about 12 round trip, maybe slightly more??? You start at the big parking area at the East Portal of the tunnel. The trail goes up and over the tunnel then southwest through a dazzling valley filled with all sorts of plants. At Heart Lake the trail goes steep and up to Rogers Pass. From the pass you can see the trail heading south and staying on the west side of the Divide. It goes around some ruggedness and pops out on the north face of James. Then it zigzags up to the summit. If you're up for some less-than-Scott Gomer-style-willows, you can head due south at Rogers Pass Lake bushwhacking around Haystack Mountain's east side and then straight up the north face of James. From 11,200 to 12,400 there would be no trail. This would all max out at class II as well. But I think you would have to be trying to make it that hard.

Hope it gives you some ideas at least.

[Indigomountain]

Awesome, thanks for the input.