#481 / 13,212' Jacque Peak
N 39° 27' 16.74", W 106° 11' 48.74"
(Not Field Checked)
Peak Summary
Jacque Peak is an easily accessible, Class 2 summit that makes a good half-day hike. With passenger car access through Copper Mountain, this summit is close enough to many Front Range cities to make this an easy day trip with a return before evening. Lidar measurements added 7 feet of elevation.
Jacque Peak NE Ridge Route
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Copper Mountain TH
From I-70, either west or east bound, take the exit for Colorado 91 and Cooper Mountain. Drive south on 91 just a short distance and turn west onto the boulevard drive for Copper Mountain. Continue west past one large parking area, through a traffic circle and shortly after that, to another parking area on the north side of the road. Park here. Walk west along the road a short distance and then turn south, passing the Union Creek Village area and the bottom of the two lifts and choose a ski run to begin heading up on.
Camping
There is no camping in the immediate vicinity. The best possibilities close by are: 1. Mayflower Gulch a few miles south and up SH91 or 2. the Black Lakes at the top of Vail Pass. For the Black Lakes, take the exit at the top of Vail Pass and then drive north on a side road that leads down to the Black Lakes. While there is no campground here, you may be able to park in a vehicle overnight. Mayflower Gulch offers no campground either but you can drive the road up the gulch and select a place to either car camp or set up a tent.
Click thumbnail to view full-size photo + captionRoute Description
Year Climbed: 2008To make this hike, you may want to pick up a Copper Mountain Winter Ski map to aide in determining the best route. Once you decide which ski run you wish to head up, this route is very simple. The immediate goal is to get to the top of Union Mountain. Hiking up along the Union Creek Express Lift will get you 2/3rds of the way there but we would suggest heading up on a run that will take you to the bottom of the Timberline Lift. From the top of that lift, continue uphill across more open terrain to the top of Union Mountain/Peak. The hike to the top of Union (12,313 ft.) will be on grassy terrain almost the entire way.
Once atop Union Mtn., head SW up the ridge to the summit of Jacque Peak. You will still have 1.6 miles to cover. The hiking is generally easy on tundra with some wildflowers and as you near the top, more chiprock and small rubble, but nothing difficult. Portions of the ridge will be littered with ski boundary markers, fencing, etc. From the summit, you'll enjoy an expansive view of the terrain on the south side of Vail Pass, some of the southern Gore Range, the Tenmile Range and farther to the west, the northern end of the Sawatch, including Mt. of the Holy Cross. To descend, return as you came, but perhaps mix it up a little by hiking down a different ski run.
Additional BETA
Links to other information, routes & trip reports for this peak that may be helpful. -
