Pacific Peak Trip Report 09/21/2025

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Pacific Peak - 13,965 feet Atlantic Peak - 13,856 feet
Date Posted	09/21/2025
Date Climbed	09/20/2025
Author	SpringsDuke

#10 and #11 Centennials - Pacific Peak West Ridge and Atlantic Peak
#10 and #11 Centennials - Pacific Peak West Ridge and Atlantic Peak Going coast to coast on Pacific Peaks West Ridge traverse over and down Atlantic Peaks West Ridge. I decided to stay 2 nights at Cambria Copper Mountain Hotel. It is a nice hotel that is cheap on the off season for skiing and made for a more relaxing weekend to enjoy the climb. The trailhead is only 9 miles south of the hotel so quick and easy to wake up and drive to the 2wd lot at 7am. The 4wd road isnt too bad except at the beginning there is a big sinkhole in the middle of the road, and then about 2 other high clearance ruts. In Mayflower Gulch which is popular for dog walkers and retirees later in the day when we came back down. Take a left after the gate and the trail through the willows is right behind the big dark fire pit. Trail to bash through the willows. Was able to stay mud free except for one false step so its not that bad at all with hiking poles out. A dirt trail to follow from the cabins to the bottom of both Pacific and Atlantic west ridge. Its easy route finding to get back to this nice dirt trail anytime needed from both peaks. Take a left at the end of the trail to get to Pacific Peak or take a right to go to Atlantic. Aiming for the prominent point on Pacific Peak. Helmets on I dont mind the loose rock too much when no other climbers are around. I just pick my path on most stable and can move pretty quickly to take breaks to breathe and look at whats next. Looking back down from the prominent point. Hugging the left hand side and going back to the ridge. Went from hugging the left side to reach the gully and then go to the right side of the gully to reach this solid rock. This is the crux of the route. Getting over this did put a quick scare into me. At the top I felt that uncomfortable almost on the edge of vertigo feeling you dont want to feel. Blood left the legs like I saw a ghost and I remember wanting to turn around but knowing its too late make a move up and get over it, and thats exactly what happened. Whew! Going back down later in the day on Atlantic Peak I took some zoomed in photos of the prominent point, the gully, and then the crux of the route. If you zoom in you will see 5 climbers doing it in this photo around noon time. I sat there and watched them for over 20 minutes for all 5 of the to complete it so glad I wasnt the only one. One climber in black can be seen starting the crux here. Now you can see all 5 on top of the crux! Now back to my climb above the crux of the route. Its nice and spicy still climbing class 3 on ridge but now at least I have good adrenaline going through me and feel comfortable with the moves I have to make. Looking up at Pacific Peak starting to see clouds. I wouldnt want to be on tis ridge when wet and I dont know how much I would like to ever down climb it either. I think up and over to Atlantic more prudent. Looking back down you can see a knife edge on the ridge. There are two or three of these you have to down climb after you get to the end of a highpoint. They are challenging but just find footing down climbing the 8 feet or so you have to and then move on back up the ridge. Looking back up and now we repeat hitting the top of the crest and then downclimbing a short little knife edge. So after about halfway up now the ridge is quicker to move along. Looking back down but still moving on easier terrain. There was an area around here where I did have to step on some snow and move around on the left side of the ridge for the first time. Going around this rock on the left side of the ridge has an awkward move around it and over some exposure but the rock was solid. Then back to the right side of the ridge and head up to the rock above to find the gully. Fun on the ridge! Exactly one hour after starting the ridge in the last class 3 gully. I thought I would go up the right side. But nope that was very large and loose boulders when I touched. I actually ended up climbing the crack on the left side of the photo instead. On top of the gully easy ridge to the summit Down climb a little bit here and be sure not to loose focus. Its not a challenging down climb like the few knife edge drops earlier in the ridge were, but making a mistake here is still easy being so close. It was also getting wet and windy at this point so maybe that had something to do with it. Its easy to just bounce up that dirt path on the right. Pictures make it look steeper than it feels. On top of Pacific Peak summit. Took One hour and 10 minutes from the time I put my helmet on. And except for the small fright on the crux it was a really fun ridge. Heck maybe even the fright made it more memorable as well. It was less than one minute out of 70, but Id like to avoid that feeling as much as possible. This gentleman made the summit right behind me although he came from Crystal Peak. He scooted away quickly cause he was doing some crazy 40 mile trek or something. Hope he had a good time doing that! Pacific Tam highest recognized alpine lake in the US. Going to Atlantic Peak in the clouds. Super cold at times from here until we get back lower as it starts to rain and snow. Break at the lake. I really went slow from here on out just enjoying the area and soaking it all in for the beautiful fall time I love so much. Going up Atlantic the clouds socked me in after this. The only summit photo from Atlantic that isnt just cloud. Some photos going down Atlantic as the cloud broke every now and then. Atlantics West Ridge is more a dirt and rock trail on the top, then you cross on the ridge proper, then you have to slog through boulder field to get back to the creek and the nice dirt path back to Mayflower Gulch. Caught these climbers going up Atlantic on the ridge proper portion. One of them is doing the karate kid pose haha. Paved parking trailhead means the new sports car comes. This and the hotel I really spoiled myself this time. I even let the self driving tech take over most of the drive and it works pretty well. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

#10 and #11 Centennials - Pacific Peak West Ridge and Atlantic Peak

23279_01 — Going coast to coast on Pacific Peaks West Ridge traverse over and down Atlantic Peaks West Ridge. I decided to stay 2 nights at Cambria Copper Mountain Hotel. It is a nice hotel that is cheap on the off season for skiing and made for a more relaxing weekend to enjoy the climb.

23279_02 — The trailhead is only 9 miles south of the hotel so quick and easy to wake up and drive to the 2wd lot at 7am. The 4wd road isnt too bad except at the beginning there is a big sinkhole in the middle of the road, and then about 2 other high clearance ruts.

23279_03 — In Mayflower Gulch which is popular for dog walkers and retirees later in the day when we came back down. Take a left after the gate and the trail through the willows is right behind the big dark fire pit.

23279_04 — Trail to bash through the willows. Was able to stay mud free except for one false step so its not that bad at all with hiking poles out.

23279_05 — A dirt trail to follow from the cabins to the bottom of both Pacific and Atlantic west ridge. Its easy route finding to get back to this nice dirt trail anytime needed from both peaks.

23279_06 — Take a left at the end of the trail to get to Pacific Peak or take a right to go to Atlantic.

23279_07 — Aiming for the prominent point on Pacific Peak.

23279_11 — I dont mind the loose rock too much when no other climbers are around. I just pick my path on most stable and can move pretty quickly to take breaks to breathe and look at whats next.

23279_12 — Looking back down from the prominent point.

23279_13 — Hugging the left hand side and going back to the ridge.

23279_14 — Went from hugging the left side to reach the gully and then go to the right side of the gully to reach this solid rock.

23279_15 — This is the crux of the route. Getting over this did put a quick scare into me. At the top I felt that uncomfortable almost on the edge of vertigo feeling you dont want to feel. Blood left the legs like I saw a ghost and I remember wanting to turn around but knowing its too late make a move up and get over it, and thats exactly what happened. Whew!

23279_16 — Going back down later in the day on Atlantic Peak I took some zoomed in photos of the prominent point, the gully, and then the crux of the route. If you zoom in you will see 5 climbers doing it in this photo around noon time. I sat there and watched them for over 20 minutes for all 5 of the to complete it so glad I wasnt the only one.

23279_17 — One climber in black can be seen starting the crux here.

23279_18 — Now you can see all 5 on top of the crux!

23279_19 — Now back to my climb above the crux of the route. Its nice and spicy still climbing class 3 on ridge but now at least I have good adrenaline going through me and feel comfortable with the moves I have to make.

23279_20 — Looking up at Pacific Peak starting to see clouds. I wouldnt want to be on tis ridge when wet and I dont know how much I would like to ever down climb it either. I think up and over to Atlantic more prudent.

23279_21 — Looking back down you can see a knife edge on the ridge. There are two or three of these you have to down climb after you get to the end of a highpoint. They are challenging but just find footing down climbing the 8 feet or so you have to and then move on back up the ridge.

23279_23 — Looking back up and now we repeat hitting the top of the crest and then downclimbing a short little knife edge.

23279_24 — So after about halfway up now the ridge is quicker to move along.

23279_25 — Looking back down but still moving on easier terrain.

23279_26 — There was an area around here where I did have to step on some snow and move around on the left side of the ridge for the first time.

23279_27 — Going around this rock on the left side of the ridge has an awkward move around it and over some exposure but the rock was solid.

23279_28 — Then back to the right side of the ridge and head up to the rock above to find the gully.

23279_30 — Exactly one hour after starting the ridge in the last class 3 gully. I thought I would go up the right side. But nope that was very large and loose boulders when I touched. I actually ended up climbing the crack on the left side of the photo instead.

23279_31 — On top of the gully easy ridge to the summit

23279_32 — Down climb a little bit here and be sure not to loose focus. Its not a challenging down climb like the few knife edge drops earlier in the ridge were, but making a mistake here is still easy being so close. It was also getting wet and windy at this point so maybe that had something to do with it.

23279_33 — Its easy to just bounce up that dirt path on the right. Pictures make it look steeper than it feels.

23279_34 — On top of Pacific Peak summit. Took One hour and 10 minutes from the time I put my helmet on. And except for the small fright on the crux it was a really fun ridge. Heck maybe even the fright made it more memorable as well. It was less than one minute out of 70, but Id like to avoid that feeling as much as possible.

23279_35 — This gentleman made the summit right behind me although he came from Crystal Peak. He scooted away quickly cause he was doing some crazy 40 mile trek or something. Hope he had a good time doing that!

23279_36 — Pacific Tam highest recognized alpine lake in the US.

23279_37 — Going to Atlantic Peak in the clouds. Super cold at times from here until we get back lower as it starts to rain and snow.

23279_38 — Break at the lake. I really went slow from here on out just enjoying the area and soaking it all in for the beautiful fall time I love so much.

23279_39 — Going up Atlantic the clouds socked me in after this.

23279_40 — The only summit photo from Atlantic that isnt just cloud.

23279_41 — Some photos going down Atlantic as the cloud broke every now and then.

23279_42 — Atlantics West Ridge is more a dirt and rock trail on the top, then you cross on the ridge proper, then you have to slog through boulder field to get back to the creek and the nice dirt path back to Mayflower Gulch.

23279_45 — Caught these climbers going up Atlantic on the ridge proper portion. One of them is doing the karate kid pose haha.

23279_44 — Paved parking trailhead means the new sports car comes. This and the hotel I really spoiled myself this time. I even let the self driving tech take over most of the drive and it works pretty well.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

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