Mount Elbert · East Ridge

From U.S. 24 south of Leadville, take Colorado 82 west toward Twin Lakes. Drive about 4 miles and turn right onto the 24 road. Drive 1.2 miles up a hill to the main trailhead parking area (paved) on the left. This is the lower trailhead and 2WD vehicles should park here. Continue 50 feet past the lower TH and turn left on Forest Service road 125.1B (4WD). From here it's 1.8 miles to the upper trailhead. Walk or drive up the 4WD road to reach the start of the trail.

Along the 4WD road there are several pull-offs and camping spots. Near 0.5 mile there's usually rough section of road but most 4WD vehicles should be able to get past it. Near 1.6mi, cross a small stream. Continue to a parking area with information kiosk at 1.8mi. This is the trailhead.

 1 shows the general route. If you park at the 2WD, paved trailhead, you have two options for your start: 1) Walk 2.5 miles up the Continental Divide/Colorado Trail to the point where the trail passes the upper, 4WD trailhead, or 2) Walk 1.8 miles up the 4WD road to reach the upper trailhead. Most prefer the latter. From the 4WD trailhead follow trail signs up FS 125C road for 50 yards before turning right onto the CDT/CO Trail  2.

Walk 0.1 miles through the forest and cross a creek via a footbridge  3. Continue on the CDT/CO Trail through willows, keeping left at the first of two junctions for Lily Lakes. Walk through a section of aspens for about 0.4 miles, descend slightly, then turn sharply left at the second Lily Lakes junction  4. Continue a bit farther and stay left at yet another junction  5. Now on the South Mt. Elbert Trail, follow it through the forest  6. At approximately 11,400', the trees begin to thin as you reach the south edge of the ridge.  7. Ascend the ridge, passing through a clearing at 11,600'  8. Turn left and ascend to a corner offering a beautiful view of the upper route  9. From there, turn right and traverse north then south  10, regaining the ridge near 12,300'  11. Continue a short distance to reach a saddle .

From the saddle, the route becomes more challenging as you'll need to gain 2,000 feet of elevation over the remaining 2 miles  12. In recent years, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) has improved and re-routed portions of this trail, so you may notice some closed-off, older trail sections. Leave the saddle, turning left to bypass an initial point, swing back to the ridge, then regain the ridge crest near 12,500'  13. Continue north as the trail now swings to the north side of the ridge  14. Once you're side of the ridge, the trail continues west, where you'll be treated to an excellent view of upper Box Creek  15. Continue traversing west as you gradually gain elevation. Near 13,000' the trail switchbacks left back toward the ridge crest  16.

When you regain the ridge at 13,100', you'll encounter a large rock wall  17. Turn right and continue along the ridge to 13,200', where you'll see the route's crux—a steep section between 13,400' and 13,800'  18. Zig zag your way up through this steep section  19, then swing left onto Elbert's southeast face  20. Traverse partway across the face before climbing 600 feet to reach the summit ridge. Finally, turn left and follow the ridge to the summit  21  22  23.

This is Elbert's safest winter route because there is rarely avalanche danger along the east ridge.

The east ridge isn't a great ski but it does often hold enough snow for a continuous descent.