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Mount Bross

East Slopes from Moose Creek
Difficulty Class 2 
Ski/Board: Intermediate, D4 / R2 / II  
Risk FactorsExposure: Low
Rockfall Potential: Moderate  
Route-Finding: Moderate  
Commitment: Moderate  
 
TrailheadMoose Creek
Start11,200 feet
Summit14,178 feet
Total Gain3,100 feet
RT Length5 miles
AuthorBillMiddlebrook
Last UpdatedAug 2022
DownloadsgpxGPX Track
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?PARKING ISSUE
Park County no longer allows people to park at the junction of the Zinc and Quarztville roads, so this route is inaccessible in Winter unless you have someone drop you off at the start. There's no parking. In Summer, use the small pull-off described in the trailhead directions or use the Quartzville trailhead instead.
?SUMMIT CLOSED
Currently, the summit of Mt. Bross is officially closed because the multitude of landowners have not given formal permission to allow hikers. If you don't have permission and you're set on reaching the true summit via this route, please consider waiting until it reopens.

Trailhead

NOTE: This is not an official trailhead and can only be accessed in Summer months when the pull-off is dry.

From Fairplay, take Colorado 9 to the town of Alma. From the center of Alma, continue north on Highway 9 for about 1/2 mile and turn left onto County Road 6 (dirt).

Start measuring mileage from here and drive 1.4 miles on CR 6 and turn left onto Quartzville road. Near 2.2 miles, stay left at a confusing intersection. Near 3.5 miles, pass the intersection of Zinc Road. Continue right up the Quartzville road for another 0.1 mile to find a small, unmarked pull-off on the east side of the road.

Route

1 and 2 provide an overview of the route. From the pull-off on Quartzville road, hike west into public land and continue toward Mt. Bross. Walk through trees to eventually get a better look at the route ahead - 3.

Ascend the ridge or along the right side of the Moose Creek drainage and the remaining route becomes quite obvious - 4 and 5. Follow the edge of the snow and hike up to 13,600' where you will cross the road from Mineral Park. Above the road, continue west and southwest along the right side of the snow or on the edge of the ridge ( 7 and 8) to bypass the steepest snow in the bowl near the top - 9. Above 14,000', reach the broad summit area - 10.

Since 2007, the summit of Bross has officially been closed because the multitude of landowners have not given formal permission to allow hikers. 14ers.com doesn't condone trespassing but if you have permission or intend to gain the summit regardless, please be respectful. The true summit pile isn't much higher than the center of the large summit area and the center is on public land so, in the grand scheme of things, hiking just to the center is good enough.

Skiing?

It's usually difficult to get a continuous ski from the true summit, but it can happen. The best skiing is often directly down the snow bowl east of the summit - 11, 12 and 13. As the pitch eases near 13,600' ( 14), you may be able to ski continuous snow all the way down to 12,000' where the terrain levels out in Moose Creek - 15 and 16. Work your way northeast and east to reach your starting point on the main road.

Notes

None
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16

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Caution: The information contained in this route description may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this route description provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the route description author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.

Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.
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