LoJ: #343 (Pre-LiDAR #342) / 13,372' Mount Guyot

Range › Front Range
Quadrangle › Boreas Pass
Summit Location › Peak Route Icon N 39° 27' 31.61", W 105° 56' 16.38" (Not Field Checked)
Neighboring Peaks › Peak Icon Bald Mountain Peak Icon Whale Peak

Peak Summary

Mount Guyot from the summit of Georgia Pass is a quick Class 2 hike that can be done in just a few hours. Accessing Georgia Pass from US 285 and the town of Jefferson provides a way to the pass that most crossover SUV's can drive without problem. The terrain tends toward the steep and rocky, so even though the mileage is short, this is not the best hike for younger children.

MT. Guyot East Ridge Route

Class 2
Short Day // A Wee Little Climb
RT From Georgia Pass: 2.5mi / 1,785'
  • Trailhead
    • Georgia Pass TH

      Accessing Georgia Pass from the south side offers the best road conditions. From this direction, some or most crossover type SUV's should be able to reach the summit of the pass. Coming in from the north and Breckenridge will require higher clearance vehicles and possibly 4WD. One site rates it as passable for stock SUV's though it is steeper and rougher on the north side. A great deal of snowmobile traffic in the winter from either side of the pass makes this area generally easily accessible in the winter, with cars frequently being able to drive within a few miles of the pass when coming from Jefferson. Back in the gold rush days, this pass use to be known as "Swan River Pass."

      From the town of Jefferson on US 285, west of Kenosha Pass and east of Fairplay, turn north onto CR 54, aka: Michigan Creek Road. In 1.3 mile, the road makes an abrupt left turn and heads west. Follow the road west as it curves around the base of Michigan Hill and at 3.0 miles comes to a "Y" intersection where CR 54 continues to the right. Heading generally NW, be sure and stay left at an intersection of CR 54 and FR 870. In 3.2 miles from the "Y" intersection, the road comes to the turnoff for the Michigan Creek Campground, a National Forest fee campground with vault toilet and water. Beyond here, the road begins a lot of winding around as it gains elevation to the pass. To make the final gain to the pass summit, there will be two switchbacks with a long contouring stretch in between. To climb Mt. Guyot, park at the pass summit area where there will be plenty of room. On the north side of Georgia Pass, the CR 54 becomes FR355.1.


      Camping

      There is a National Forest CG called 'Michigan Creek" at the coordinates provided below. This is a fee campground with water and vault toilets. It has about a dozen sites which you can expect to be full on summer weekends.

      As you continue NW on CR 54 toward Georgia Pass, there are any number of at-large, primitive campsite opportunities and some side roads that will lead off to more private ones. There is also ample camping room at the summit of the pass. One road at the summits heads off into the trees to the west and the Mt. Guyot east ridge. There are good spots along that road before it soon fades out.


      Campsite Locations

      Michigan Creek › N 39° 24' 41.09", W 105° 53' 02.32"
      Coordinates are for the turnoff into the CG. Elevation is 10,100 ft.
    Peak Icon Route Map Photos

    Route Info MT. Guyot East Ridge

    Route Description

    Year Climbed: 2002

    Note: Google Earth seems to have lost about 40 feet of this mountain as compared to the USGS measurement. ON GE, the highest elevation we could find was 13,330 ft.

    From the summit area of Georgia Pass, walk west along a single track road that heads toward the east ridge of Mt. Guyot. The road heads through some trees and then begins to fade out as it reaches the end of the trees. It also stays right, close to the south edge of the ridge. After the trees end, there will be a short section of willows to punch through followed by an all-too-brief section of tundra. After that, it's mostly rock in one shape or form all the way to the summit and things get steeper. Higher up, some exposed cliff shows on the left (south) and there's also something of a notch. After the notch, it also gets steeper on the right hand side as well with a cliff-like section on the right side of the ridge as you near the summit. None of this is evident on either Google Earth or the contour map. There is at times some very minor exposure in a few of the steeper sections closer to the cliffs. A little careful route finding can avoid any major problems and keep this at Class 2 though some might arguably consider it closer to Class 2+.

    The summit has a commanding view of South Park, which viewed from altitude is quite an impressive feature. See how many other Front Range summits you can identify from here. To return, just retrace your route back down. It would also be feasible to follow the connecting ridge over to Bald Mtn. by way of French Pass, but that would make for a very long day. For just Mt. Guyot alone from Georgia Pass, most parties should be able to complete this climb round-trip and arrive back at your vehicle well before lunch with an early start. It took us about 3 hours.

    Winter ascents on the east ridge have been reported on various websites. For any winter ascent, be prepared to encounter snow cornices that can make navigating, especially the upper ridge section, more challenging.


    Additional BETA

    Links to other information, routes & trip reports for this peak that may be helpful.
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