Lone Eagle Peak

Category: Colorado (Indian Peaks)Summit Elev: 11,940 ftRock Type: Granite
Date: September 6, 2021 (Mon)Trip Report #: 500Partner: solo

Route: Solo Flight (4th, ~21 miles, 6500 ft gain/loss)

Big day of exercise to an incredible summit.

Intro

Lone Eagle Peak is located in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, just west of the Continental Divide. It is a beautiful spire of granite thrust out into the center of the pristine Lone Eagle Cirque, surrounded by higher peaks yet dominating the entire area, its steep north face rises more than 1,000 vertical feet above Mirror and Crater Lakes. There are a few routes to the spectacular summit, with the classics being the North Face / Stettner Route (5.7) and Solo Flight (4th). Nate and I had discussed climbing the North Face route.

The Solo Flight route on Lone Eagle Peak had been on my radar as a good day out when I lacked a partner and felt the need for a long day of exercise in the mountains. At 4th class, this route is the easiest (and most popular) route to the summit. Plus, since Solo Flight is the standard descent route, it would be nice to scope it out before climbing the North Face route. Labor Day Monday 2021 looked like a splitter late summer day and I was feeling restless after a couple of weeks in school. So to Lone Eagle Peak it was! 

The Solo Flight route is circuitous, first heading south under the peak's east face, then turning 180 degrees and heading northwards towards the summit. The final approach to the summit consists of exposed 3rd class traversing and an section of exposed 4th class downclimbing (the crux of the route). The summit of Lone Eagle Peak is not the highest point on the ridge, but the furthest north end of the ridge.

The long approach to Lone Eagle Peak ensures solitude. There are two methods of approach. Lone Eagle Cirque can be approached from the east over Pawnee Pass (~21 mile, 6500 ft gain/loss round trip starting from Long Lake TH) or from the west starting at the Monarch Lake trailhead (~18 mile, 3800 ft gain/loss round trip). It is a hump either way but the route from the west is shorter with less elevation gain and loss. But I live on the east side of the Indian Peaks, Nate and I had discussed approaching from the west on our future climb of Lone Eagle, plus preferred to burn the calories myself rather than the hours of driving, so I came in the longer way over Pawnee Pass. 

Also, as of 2021, there is a timed entry reservation system for being able to park at the trailhead on the east side (I don't think this applies to the west side yet). I was unaware of this new reservation system, so I was turned around at the entrance gate and had to walk an additional 3 miles of road to the trailhead, potentially turning my day into a 27 mile round trip. Fortunately, as I was hiking up/down the road at the beginning/end of the day, both times a friendly family of hikers offered me a ride, so I only added about 1.5 miles of road hiking to my day, making it a 22.5 mile round trip.

The following page gives a trip report for my day out. Big day of exercise to an incredible summit!

Time Stats

Route Overlay

Lone Eagle Peak above Mirror Lake. View from the north. Photo taken by Steve Bratman. The Solo Flight route climbs the left (east) side out of view in the photo.
Google Earth overlay of Solo Flight. View from the east. Click on image to enlarge.

Hike in

I hiked in from the east over Pawnee Pass  (~21 mile, 6500 ft gain/loss round trip starting from Long Lake TH). An easier way to approach would be from the west (Monarch Lakes TH), but this requires more drive time for those living on the east side.

Also, due to the fact I did not get a reservation for parking at the Long Lake TH, I had to hike 3 miles of the road to get from my car to the trailhead. Fortunately, as I was hiking up/down the road at the beginning/end of the day, both times a friendly family of hikers offered me a ride, so I only added about 1.5 miles of road hiking to my day, making it a 22.5 mile round trip.

Starting up the road at dawn. Fortunately I hiked only 0.5 mile before a friendly family picked me up and drove the remaining 2.5 miles to the Long Lake Trailhead.
Not far into the hike.
The junction with the Isabelle Glacier Trail. I headed right towards Pawnee Pass. Behind the hikers is Isabelle Lake and Isabelle Glacier cirque.
The slopes up to Pawnee Pass from the east.
Pawnee Pass, 12,550 ft. This is the high point of the day (the summit of Lone Eagle Peak is actually lower).
Towering granite cliffs to the northwest of Pawnee Pass.
West side of Pawnee Pass. Chilly!
Lone Eagle Peak as seen from the trail before heading into Lone Eagle Cirque.
Zoomed in on previous photo.
Lone Eagle Peak as seen from Mirror Lake.

CLIMB

I climbed Lone Eagle Peak via Solo Flight, which at 4th class is the easiest (and most popular) route to the summit. It is also the standard descent route. This route is circuitous, first heading south under the peak's east face, then turning 180 degrees and heading northwards towards the summit. The final approach to the summit consists of exposed 3rd class traversing and an section of exposed 4th class downclimbing (the crux of the route). The summit of Lone Eagle Peak is not the highest point on the ridge, but the furthest north end of the ridge.

My round trip time from Mirror Lake to summit and back was about 3 hours, which included a short lunch break.

Heading southwards along the eastern edge of Lone Eagle Peak, just below some steep walls. There is a nice path. I was treated to some pretty late summer colors.
Heading southwards along the eastern edge of Lone Eagle Peak, just below some steep walls. There is a nice path.
Follow cairns southwards for awhile.
3rd class ramp that marks where you stop heading south and start heading northwest.
Scramble easily up these slopes following cairns. The general direction of travel is towards the northwest.
There is just one location where you make a brief foray onto the west side. Marked by cairns.
Chockstone in the notch. This is where you cross from the west side to the east side.
Looking towards the summit (furthest point on the ridge) from just after passing over the chockstone notch to the east side. Mostly exposed 3rd class with a 50 foot 4th class downclimb.
Looking up at the 50 foot 4th class section after downclimbing it. Not bad, just definitely no room for error due to the exposure and steep cliffs below.
There is a rap anchor above the 4th class section. Useful if you have a rope (I did not).
A block on the 3rd class traverse towards the summit.
Summit with view to north in distance. You can see Longs Peak and Mt. Meeker at the south end of RMNP in the distance.
Summit. Crater Lake below.
Summit register.
Looking down from summit at the valley floor 1000+ feet below.
Looking south along the ridge from near the summit of Lone Eagle Peak. Lone Eagle Peak forms the northernmost point on the ridge, while the higher peaks on the ridge to the south are Limbo (12,420) and Iroquois (12,799)
Lunch. The Pepsi was definitely worth it.

Hike Out

Done with the climb, but still a fair bit to go.....gotta hike 9.25 miles and hoof back up over Pawnee Pass (~2,500 ft gain from Crater Lake trail junction on west side of the pass)....

View up at Pawnee Pass from the west.
Ascending Pawnee Pass from the west.
Just east of Pawnee Pass. Late summer colors. All downhill from here!
Beginning the hike down the road. Fortunately I hiked only 1 mile before a friendly family picked me up and drove the remaining 2 miles to my car parked near the entrance gate. 

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