6/26/2025 Route: Ptarmigan Lakes Posted On: 6/27/2025, By: JasonKline Info: Summer conditions. The small amount of remaining snow is easily avoidable. |
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7/15/2024 Route: Ptarmigan Lakes Posted On: 7/15/2024, By: ibhaleybug Info: Ascended 7/15/24. I only planned to do the lakes but I felt good & looked up to realize I was sitting below Jones Mtn. Id remember reading about it last year & it didnt look too far from the overlook I was on where you can see both Cottonwood lakes & Ptarmigan. It was under a mile to the top, but 800-900 feet gain.. I took a pretty direct approach initially but then cut over south a bit as I went up so I could avoid the snowfield that was still clinging to the east facing rock. It was steep, but I made it from the saddle to the top in about 37 min. Then I took the more gentle sloping ridge down so I could outrun some weather & then cut across a line back to my previous track that was lesser in grade. Since I hadnt planned to do it & therefore had no poles. Pretty easy & very pretty! Wish I could have stayed longer but the weather was turning quickly. |
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10/5/2023 Route: South Ridge via FS 349 Posted On: 10/5/2023, By: Grover Info: FS Rd. 349 is clear to the ridge, where the road ends. I used 4L and lowered tire pressures once I turned onto 349 from 344; the road is not bad, but there are some spots that are rough. As for hiking, no need for traction to make the summit. Minor snow patches are easy to walk around. Fall colors more vibrant down low, around Cottonwood Lake, but past prime color pop up high. Slam dunk of a route if you are looking for a nice outing this weekend. Plenty of nice dispersed camping spots along 344. |
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9/10/2023 Route: Ptarmigan Lakes TH Posted On: 9/10/2023, By: rleclair Info: Dodged a perfect weather window today on Jones Mountain B. Trail from the trailhead to Ptarmigan Lakes is in great shape. No downed trees on the trail and wild raspberries are on their last week or two about 1 mile in. From the Gladstone Ridge/Jones Mountain B saddle, there is a faint hiker trail to the summit. Late summer conditions with no snow/ice present. Likely to change this week based upon the stormy forecast starting later tonight. |
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7/31/2023 Route: Ptarmigan Lake Posted On: 7/31/2023, By: angry Info: Dry, cruiser, dog-friendly. Summit register needs a functional writing instrument. Beautiful views, minimal effort. Wildflowers still poppin. |
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7/22/2023 Route: From Ptarmigan Lake Posted On: 7/24/2023, By: Kitten Info: Nice route up to Jones Mtn B from Ptarmigan Lake, only one snow patch remains at top, it can be by-passed on the left. |
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9/3/2022 Route: Ptarmigan Lake Posted On: 9/5/2022, By: mtngoatwithstyle Info: Beautiful day hiking Jones B.Trail to Ptarmigan Lake was easy and trail from the lake to saddle is easy to spot.Once in saddle,choose your own route to summit.Not hard.I saw 3 hikers but they had parked their jeep at Grassy Gulch,I reckon,and hiked from there. |
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8/6/2022 Route: from Ptarmigan Lake Posted On: 8/6/2022, By: ScottLovesRMNP Info: Very straightforward at this time of year, with Class 1 trail all the way to Ptarmigan Lake, followed by a quick climb up the east ridge from the saddle with Gladstone Ridge. |
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11/30/2021 Route: East Slope via 349 and Ptarmegan Lake Pass Posted On: 11/30/2021, By: Jan van Tilburg Info: Jones Mnt A via South Cottonwood Approach Exit to 349 is 9.2 ml on road 344 from Cottonwood Pass road (306) Last 3 miles on 344 before the exit to road 349 are rough and snow covered. At 2 places with ice. Could be avoided. Still tricky especially when covered in snow. A week earlier I came upon such an ice patch somewhat further on 344 and had to turn around. Extremely slippery. 349 is almost totally covered in snow. Not deep. Once at the end of 349 the trail was snow covered and pretty deep in places. The east slope up Jones Mnt A from the Ptarmegan Lake Pass is totally snow covered. In the beginning it's not deep but higher up it is. A cornice is forming. So it's best to veer to climbers left and reach the ridge to the top. That's almost snow free and the summit is then easily reachable. I wore micro spikes the whole hike. Which made the day a lot easier. |
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10/23/2021 Route: East ridge Posted On: 10/24/2021, By: CaptainSuburbia Info: Parked on 349 and hiked up to the east ridge. Road was dry except for shaded areas. Most of the snow on the ridge was avoidable until near the summit where it was continuous for the last bit. My dog was postholing to his knees and regretted not bringing gaiters. Surprisingly, we got in a few short glissades going down the SE face. We continued towards Gladestone and made it about half way along the ridge before running out of time. There was very little snow on the ridge and the final summit push looked dry. Unexpectedly, had a few encounters with 2 different goat groups. They were not Quandary like though and kept their distance. |
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6/19/2021 Route: From \"Chalk Rock\" + Jones Mountain North Posted On: 6/21/2021, By: supranihilest Info: The traverse to Jones from "Chalk Rock" is a bit scrambly and loose. Class 3 staying on the ridge itself. The rock is both more solid and more grippy than it looks, but there's some exposure and some loose rock. No snow. The traverse can be kept to loose Class 2/2+ by staying on the south side of the ridge and traversing on talus. The final ascent up Jones is all on tundra. If skipping Jones North then descend the road to the east, FS 349. It returns to CR 344. Bonus 12er: Jones Mountain North is tied for third highest 12er in Colorado and it's easy to bag, so go get it! Class 2 all the way across. To descend I returned south down Jones North's summit pitch and then headed southeast towards Ptarmigan Lake. There's some nasty willow whacking and swampy ground but it's Class 2 back to the Ptarmigan Lake trail, which then crosses over a pass and joins FS 349. |
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6/17/2021 Route: From Chalk Rock Mtn Posted On: 6/17/2021, By: HikerGuy Info: Summer conditions. Ridge dry from Chalk Rock to Jones and dry down to lake. There is a Class 2 ledge on the south side of the middle part of the ridge for easy passage. There was a bit of snow on the road just below the lake, but it is avoidable. |
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9/28/2019 Route: Jones/Chalk from Ptarmigan Lake Posted On: 9/28/2019, By: JasonKline Info: Free of snow/ice, not terribly windy, and not even particularly cold. Perfect late September day, but that will change soon. |
