James Peak (Winter)
Date: March 4, 2022 (Fri)Trip Report #: 525Partner: solo
Route: Snow-covered James Peak trail (~8 miles round trip, ~3000 ft gain/loss, snowy)
A nice winter morning beat-the-storm ascent of a thirteener.
James Peak is the namesake of James Peak Wilderness. It is a popular summit since it is above 13,000 feet with a straightforward and reasonably short approach mostly above treeline, all-year access, and grand views from the summit. The standard route (what I did) goes by St. Marys Lake and St. Marys Glacier.
The forecast called for clouds and snow, but I predicted a morning window before the storm rolled in. Indeed, I was treated to a nice sunrise and morning light, and then enjoyed watching the development of a wintery cloud cover. My round trip time to the summit of James Peak was 4 hours and 20 minutes. I did not need snowshoes due to the windblown nature of this terrain. I relished having the entire area to myself, as I did not see a single other person up there.
Below is a sampling of photos from my morning lap of a thirteener.
