UN 13,015 (formerly UN 13,020 interpolated) near Maroon Lake and Willow Pass has been determined to be no longer a ranked summit per Lidar evaluation, which gives it 292 ft. of prominence. This has reduced the total number of ranked 13ers from 584 to 583. We will be adjusting our list in the near future.
LoJ: #63 (Pre-LiDAR #60) / 13,943' Fletcher Mountain
N 39° 24' 11.06", W 106° 07' 44.15"
(Not Field Checked)
Pacific Peak
"Drift Peak" [Formerly UN 13,900]
Crystal Peak
Atlantic Peak [Formerly UN 13,841]
Peak Summary
The summit of Fletcher Mountain can be gained from either its' SW ridge or its' SE ridge (that connects over to Quandary Pk.) by Class 2 rubbly routes, when approached from a narrow basin that heads NW from the upper Blue Lake on Monte Cristo Creek. Summit County Road 850 is the access to the trailhead and is usually passable to passenger vehicles. By itself, this can be a fairly short day-hike. Combined with Drift Peak, it can become a much more challenging day.
Fletcher Mtn. SW Ridge Route
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Blue Lakes - Monte Cristo Ck. TH
The trailhead for the Blue Lakes on Monte Cristo Creek uses the same directions as for Quandary Peak, initially. If coming from Breckenridge on SH 9, drive south from the center of town approximately 8 miles where you turn right (west) onto "Blue Lakes Road #850.
If coming from Hoosier Pass on SH 9, drive north from the summit of the pass just over 2 miles to the left turn (west) onto Blue Lakes Road #850.
Once on CR 850, drive past the large, day-use parking lot for Quandary and drive west past numerous private cabins. Continue from SH 9, 2.3 miles to parking below and east of the dam for the upper reservoir. Most recent information we have (09/2021) indicates that the parking restrictions that govern Quandary Peak do not apply to the Blue Lakes Road and trailhead. However, driving to the lower Blue Lake may be blocked by gate which may add about .75 mile of additional hiking one way to the lower lake. Early morning parking may not be difficult, but later in the morning/day, and especially on weekends and peak summer times, parking spots may be at a premium and the Forest Service prohibits parking on the road shoulders.
Camping
When you initially turn off of SH 9, there is almost all private property, so no camping. The first real opportunity to camp will be at the lower reservoir where a road turns off to the left and drops down to cross Monte Cristo Creek, then heads for the south side of the lower reservoir. There are a few primitive campsite possibilities along this road. The closest other possibilities will be found on CR851 which leads to McCullough Gulch. See the McCullough Gulch TH for more information.
Click thumbnail to view full-size photo + captionRoute Description
Year Climbed: 1988From the trailhead at the upper reservoir, a trail begins at the NE corner of the reservoir that leads into the unnamed, steep-walled basin on the west side of Quandary Peak. The trail angles uphill WNW, gaining elevation above the reservoir quickly, passing through some willows, then crossing the lower tongue of a talus field. Once past the talus, the trail heads more NW on a tundra slope, cutting through some more willows and staying on the right hand side of the creek, following the remnants of an old mining roadbed. After a while, the trail crosses to the left side of the stream, passes some meanders and becomes wedged between talus fields on both sides of the narrow valley.
When the trail comes to something of a headwall, the stream descends from the right, but the trail follows a narrow, tundra gully more to the left and crests out at a small pond. Here is where you now have the two options. If you continue in the bottom of the drainage NW for a little longer, you can scramble on out through rock outcrops and talus to the left and emerge onto a flatter plain below the SE ridge of Fletcher which connects over to Quandary. Gain the ridge west of an unnecessary bump and then hike on Class 2 rubble to the Fletcher summit.
Alternately, (and this is how we did it), from the vicinity of the same small pond, begin immediately to leave the drainage bottom, heading more to the left and hiking up rubble and past some rocky outcrops, following a wider gully that may hold some snow until you once again emerge onto the high plain that sits below the Fletcher summit on its' south flank. Stroll across a combination of tundra and smaller rubble and embedded rocks toward the Fletcher SW ridge and a saddle. A low, rounded ridge marks the south terminus of this high plain with a PT. 13,515 marker on the survey map. Keeping that ridge on your left, use it as a guide for reaching the SW ridge. There are any number of ways to go up, but for now, you may want to avoid the yellowish slope farther right that holds the kind of scree best for descending, but more of a pain to go up.
Once on the SW ridge, it is again, a Class 2 rocky stroll to the summit where you can enjoy an impressive view of Quandary and its' Class 3 west ridge. Stronger and more skilled parties may want to consider the rugged traverse to Atlantic Peak, north. Otherwise, descend by either route you ascended or make use of the yellowish rock/scree slope for a quicker descent back to the plain. Or, if looking for something challenging, consider a trip over to the summit of Drift Peak, a soft-ranked summit to the south that offers a very sporting route.
Additional BETA
Links to other information, routes & trip reports for this peak that may be helpful. -
