LoJ: #451 (Pre-LiDAR #453) / 13,239' UN 13239 Formerly UN 13232 A
N 38° 59' 10.27", W 106° 30' 27.34"
(Not Field Checked)
Peak Summary
A typical Class 2, half day hike in the Sawatch that can be shortened with 4WD vehicle access. Note: This peak uses the North Fork Clear Creek trailhead description for access to this area. That description ends at the crossing of Grey Copper Creek. If you have 4WD with good clearance, you may be able to drive an additional mile or so to the wilderness boundary before beginning this hike. Lidar added 7 feet of elevation to this summit.
Alan Lake - NW Approach Route
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North Fork Clear Creek - Winfield TH
From Leadville, drive south a little over 19 miles on HWY 24 to the turnoff for Clear Creek Reservoir (CR390) and head west. The turn is less than 2 miles south of "Granite." From Buena Vista, drive north just under 15 miles to the same turnoff. Drive west on graded dirt road 11.7 miles to Winfield. As the road approaches Winfield, it will become a little more narrow and likely to have some potholes. Because of heavy use, this road is often washboarded badly.
From Winfield, turn right (north) and follow FR390A north, then west as it heads up the North Fork of Clear Creek. From the intersection in Winfield, it will be about .9 mile to the coordinates provided. We have not been on this segment of road in several years. It was not too bad when last on it and did not really require 4WD but good clearance vehicles would be best. In Gerry Roach's "Colorado's Fourteeners" book, he describes the road as "rough" from Winfield on and recommends 4WD.
Camping
All along the drive up the Clear Creek Road, there are at-large camp spots. Finding an unoccupied spot anywhere near Vicksburg or Winfield can be difficult on weekends. Be aware of private property. For the North Fork of Clear Creek, it is best to drive west, past Winfield and look for at-large campsites from about the location of the old cemetery and westward, up to the wilderness boundary.
Route Description
Year Climbed: 2000Either walk or drive to the wilderness boundary and then continue on the old roadbed another mile to near where the small creek that drains Alan Lake intersects the road. Before that creek, begin an ascent up the steep but mostly open and grassy slope toward Alan Lake. 1,400 feet of ascending which will take most of an hour or more to accomplish will bring you to the pleasant little lake nestled in this alpine bowl.
From the lake, head SW on still tundra slopes that gradually give way to more scree over the next 800 feet of gain. Aim for a section of ridge that swings north from the summit. As you approach this ridge, you may encounter one little area of more difficult & looser footing. Once on the ridge, turn south and follow it as it turns SW to the summit. The final stretch will be over larger, broken rock which may slow younger children.
For the descent, return by the same route. While on the summit, you may want to scout out other 13ers in the area and also admire La Plata Peak looming to the north, dominating the landscape.
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