LoJ: #515 (Pre-LiDAR #523) / 13,164' Pomeroy Mountain

Range › Sawatch Range
Quadrangle › Saint Elmo
Summit Location › Peak Route Icon N 38° 37' 38.19", W 106° 20' 29.73" (Not Field Checked)

Peak Summary

Pomeroy Mountain is a Class 2 summit located in the Sawatch Range. It can be accessed from either St. Elmo via Pomeroy Gulch, or from south of Hancock or the North Fork Reservoir on the North Fork of the South Arkansas River. Only the Hancock access does not require 4WD. The other two do, especially the access from the North Fork Reservoir, but this offers the easiest approach to the peak. Previous elevation for Pomeroy was 13,151 ft. Lidar has increased it to 13,164 ft. Ranking has changed to #515.

Pomeroy Mtn South Ridge Route

Class 2
Medium Day // Take a Lunch
Climbed with UN 13082
RT From North Fork Reservoir: 6.2mi / 1,750'
  • Trailhead
    • North Fork Reservoir TH

      From Poncha Springs and the intersection of US285 and US50, head west approximately 6.6 miles on US 50 to the little town of Maysville and turn north onto County Road 240 which will become FR240. It's easy driving to the Angel of Shavano Campground and the crossing of the Colorado Trail on pavement. Beyond there, the road begins to degrade and ultimately becomes a slow, rocky affair. For the next 1.3 miles, maps show it as passable for passenger vehicles, but don't count on it. Best to just bring the 4WD with better clearance that can handle the rocky surface. It's 4.7 miles from the campground to the old townsite of Shavano and a trail that heads up Cyclone Creek. This could become an exit point for a climb of Grizzly or an alternate route. The USGS map amd FS2016 show an old roadbed/trail that heads up Cyclone Creek here, but the Trails Illustrated and San Isabel NF map do not show it. It has been in disuse long enough that iot's difficult to spot any of it on Google Earth. From the old townsite area of Shavano, it's another 2.25 miles to the North Fork Reservoir Campground, on the east side of the reservoir. This is a very limited facility with only about 8 sites. We are using it for the "trailhead," though the actual start to Grizzly is farther up the road if continuing on to Billings Lake. 4WD can be driven all the way to there. The start for Grizzly we suggest is about 2/3rds of the way up to Billings Lake. Drive or hike from the campground north on the road and begin the climb after crossing an intermittent stream at these coordinates: N 38° 37' 11.27" W 106° 19' 26.82".


      Camping

      There are two national forest campgrounds: The Angel of Shavano and the North Fork Reservoir. Expect both to be full on weekends. Both are fairly small and the Angel of Shavano CG is a favorite launch point for those climbing the 14ers. Between the two campgrounds there are a number of primitive sites just off the road that can be used.


      Campsite Locations

      North Fork Reservoir CG › N 38° 36' 41.91", W 106° 19' 09.24"
      11,470 elevation
    Peak Icon Route Map Photos

    Route Info Pomeroy Mtn South Ridge

    Route Description

    Year Climbed: 2005

    From the North Fork Reservoir Campground, head back to the main road (FS240) and walk or drive up toward Billings Lake. Before reaching the lake, turn left onto a 4WD track at these coordinates: N 38° 37' 14.44" W 106° 19' 28.34". Follow the track across tundra, willows and past a few trees to an intersection with another 4WD track at these coordinates: N 38° 37' 01.69" W 106° 19' 48.70". You should be just north of a small, intermittent stream that drains down from the bowl east of the saddle between Pomeroy and Sewanee. Hike west toward the saddle, working through willows as best you can and staying on the north side of the creek/drainage. When the drainage makes a turn to the SW, keep hiking more to the west to avoid a large area of talus. There's a very old track that you may intersect that will cut diagonally SW to gain the saddle between Pomeroy and Sewanee. You may be able to find it at these coordinates: N 38° 37' 07.24" W 106° 20' 36.56". The track leads through the chiprock to the saddle. At the saddle, you'll be just below the rugged north cliffs of Sewanee. That summit is not ranked. From the saddle, turn north and hike the crest of the ridge to the summit of Pomeroy on mostly chiprock & rubble with no real difficulties. Pomeroy offers a nice view of the entire North Fork Basin as well as the Pomeroy Lakes to the north and Grizzly Gulch. We have sequenced Pomeroy with UN 13,070. Though that summit is even lower, it would make little sense to leave it hanging.


    Additional BETA

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