Continue on this road as far as you are willing to go. By the time we got the "wall" (the cirque below the Ellingwood-Blanca saddle) the snow was very deep and there was no more trail to follow. You can connect them via the class 3 ridge (suggest reading about the routes on 14ers.com. Blanca Peak Route Guide | A 14er with Breathtaking Views Blanca Peak stands tall as the queen of the southern Rockies, 4th highest in the state overall. If you are driving a passenger car you won't get far. Would recommend breaking this up by camping at Lake Como or driving up as high as possible with a very high clearance 4x4. Dispersed camping is allowed in the area, camp at least 150 feet from any water, and practice Leave No Trace ethics. But once you’re pushing past the lake towards the summit the landscape is just gorgeous. Dogs are also able to use this trail. It was my first 14er, I started at 6.15 am and it took me about 11 h 15 min total to complete the whole 19 Miles. Tough but very do-able hike. Be smarter than me and drive up as far as you can. Was 90F at the main road and dropped to 4F with 50mph sustained during the night and back up to that speak as we summited around 9:00AM. The first half of the trail is fairly easy. Blanca Peak is a 19.2 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Alamosa, Colorado that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Super fun. Be very observant of fall zones, avalanche conditions and prep for a serious excursion if you intend to climb in the spring. US Forest Service First started encountering snow just above Lake Como, and it got progressively deeper. Ellingwood Point and Blanca Peak is a 7-mile out-and-back trail with a 5971-foot elevation gain. Camping: By far the most popular spot to camp during a hike to Little Bear Peak to Blanca Peak Traverse is at Lake Como. More than a few hikers have been known to gasp aloud when they round the corner and see the robin-egg blue waters. Monte Vista, CO 81144 Hiking trip report, map, and photos for Ellingwood Point and Blanca Peak via Zapata Lake, located in Rio Grande National Forest, Colorado. The last half becomes quite steep and rocky, with the trail disappearing and turning into a scramble over rocks. Do yourself a favor and camp near Lake Como. Blanca, camp. The trail turns to singletrack and continues up a steep headwall with a cascade. The formal Blanca Peak trail begins at Lake Como and is almost entirely above timberline, the trail ends at the ridge leading to Blanca Peak. But the backpacking is an awesome experience and there are plenty of campsites with firepits at Lake Como! The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from April until September. At just below 12,000 feet in elevation, Sierra Blanca looms intimidatingly large from the sandy deserts and rangelands that surround the compact range. The last mile is pretty tough and took us longer than expected. It is the fourth highest peak of the Rocky Mountains, and the eighth highest peak in the contiguous United States . Follow the ridge the rest of the way to the summit. Attempted the out and back in one day. Day #1: We drove 2.9 miles up the "road" and called it quits there; then we hiked the remaining ~5 miles to Lake Como. Blanca Peak, Ormes Buttress $875: An amazing climb up the more difficult north face of Blanca peak that climbs at about 5.6 in difficulty over several thousand feet. Sierra Blanca Trail. I took 3 friends for their first 14er and they did fine. The summit pitch was a bit sketchy since the normally-class 2+ rocks were covered in snow and very slippery. After passing the head wall head toward the ridge just to the right of the saddle first. The last half becomes quite steep and rocky, with the trail disappearing and turning into a scramble over rocks. A very specialized four wheel drive vehicle is required to climb this road. The trail was marked really well. It is known to the Navajo people as the Sacred Mountain of the East. Definitely challenging- we didn’t reach the summit and I’m not sure the other two people we saw did either. Hiked Ellingwood Point & Blanca Peak from Zapata Lake (non-standard route) in late September 2017. For the best experience at either, head out early in the morning to quell the adventure lust before coming back to town and settling in for an afternoon on the laptop. The only downside is that since it's accessible by road, there are some that drive all the way up there, and others that come up on ATV's, spoiling some of the atmosphere (especially when they roll in late at night). She’s the center of the Blanca Mastiff, a large grouping of peaks that rise above the San Luis … Painful. BIG hike. Loved every second of it. Views are super good. Summiting Sierra Blanca Peak and skiing at the adjacent Ski Apache resort are synonymous with Ruidoso as well. The trail to the saddle is accompanied by several lakes as you gain elevation, the next one gets revealed, which was quite neat. Sierra Blanca Peak, near Ruidoso. At 11,973 feet high, Sierra Blanca is the tallest mountain in Southern New Mexico. Phone: 719-852-5941 Map showing recreational areas. Unlicensed vehicles permitted, but insanely difficult for … There is a bit of loose rock danger, and some drop offs near the top that some might find scary; stay to the right of the ridge to keep it to safe class 2 hiking. Bring enough water (took us 3-3.5 hours with a couple shorts breaks). Some people will camp at Como, but if you have the legs for it, absolutely not needed given that 90% of these miles are on a road (although...a pretty rugged road). Cairns are there that don’t necessarily mark the standard route, so make sure you know where you’re going (I’d recommend checking out 14ers.com along with AllTrails). There is no sign for the road to turn on, but it us just after the 3 mile marker on the right side. Camping at Lake Como was one of the more peaceful, beautiful sites I've experienced. BLANCA PEAK and ELLINGWOOD POINT. I definitely recommend doing a backpacking trip and splitting up your days like so: Day 1-hike the 5ish mile Lake Como road up to Lake Como, camp. Drove up to just before the first "Jaws" obstacle in a slightly modified 1995 Landcruiser (2.5 in. I'll probably never do this one again due to the road, but am glad to have had the chance to catch a late season ascent! Watch out for maintenance vehicles on this trail. Trailhead: Lake Como Trailhead. It is approximately 3 miles from 150 to the start of the trail. Then when you reach the saddle, wow, it's neat to see the other side, which is STEEP! The first 4.5 miles of the Blanca Peak Trail is over an extremely rough, rocky jeep road. Approach to lake como ~ 6mi with a lot of elevation gain and little tree cover. Was very cold and windy once above tree line. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from June until September. Hard. The trail is open for the following uses: Hiking and backpacking. Climb up was brutal but would absolutely do again. Almost no snow left on Saturday. Following the road, continue around the lake and up through more forest to reach tree line, at 12,000' - 3. Rio Grande National Forest, 1803 W. Highway 160 Depending on how far your car can make it up Lake Como road, you could do it the summit in the same day. Hearing Impaired: 719-852-6271. Come well prepared. At 14,335 feet, Blanca Peak is the highest mountain in the Sangre De Cristo Range and the 7th highest in the contiguous United States. There is a creek crossing within the last 2 miles to Como which is nice to water up if you don't want to carry too much water. Plenty of camping spots along the road. We had successfully circumnavigated Blanca Lake, despite getting cliffed out a couple times, and managed to tag Blanca Peak in the process. I would do it again. Flickr/Todd Shoemake. Overall we enjoyed the Blanca trail, though a bit difficult for us flatlanders without time to acclimate. After a quarter of a mile you will pass a sign letting you know you are in Wilderness area. It was wonderful to not have too drive far. From some vantage points there is nearly 8,000 feet of elevation differential bewteen the viewer and the summit. Here in this saddle, you are surrounded by "fourteener" giants Ellingwood Point (14,042'), Blanca Peak (14,344'), and Little Bear Peak (14,035'). Rocks, there's lots of rocks, starting from the road up until the summit, which makes it pretty tiring. Blanca Peak is a primary draw for hikers and climbers due to its ranking as the 4th highest peak in Colorado, and 7th highest in the continental United States, making it a coveted summit. Tough hike from a physical standpoint. A long hike up Lake Como Road to climb Blanca Peak and Ellingwood Point. This route is pretty simple all the way to Lake Como. The final stretch to the top has several class 3 scrambles, mixed in with some snowy patches (but we never put on our spikes). My favorite mountain in Colorado. Day 3-hike back down Lake Como road to your car. parked 1.5 miles in with my prius and the rocky road was difficult to hike on. Adequate parking is available along the first 2.5 miles of road. Above you to your right will be the imposing face of Little Bear Peak. tires) and hiked the rest of the way. Hiking info for Lookout Mountain and Sierra Blanca Peak, located in Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico. Turn right onto dirt road. The road was pretty full of cars and campers Saturday night, but there is an abundance of open space that can fit many people throughout the road. Not the easiest class 2 with all the lose rocks and a fair amount of pathfinding. Beautiful. It is associated with the color white, and is said to be covered in daylight and dawn and fastened to the ground with lightning. Tons of campsites, beautiful spot. Find More Hikes in Sacramento Mountains Starting up the Crest Trail. I’d give this a week so as to let some more of the snow melt. Stay on the road until 12,200' where it ends near Blue Lakes then continue northeast on a trail - 4. The road works its way up several switchbacks before entering the valley floor. The first half of the trail is fairly easy. The 20ish miles is no joke for a “flatlander”, but so happy we gave it a shot. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from June until September. Fishing is available at Crater, Como and Blue Lakes. This is a 13.2 mile out-and-back hike with 6400 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 8-11 hours to complete. The overall distance from Como Lake to Blanca Peak is 2.5 miles. Turn here. Great 14er! Along the way you will pass by several ruins of old buildings. Not much snow and light wind. Blanca Peak is a 2 mile hike from this point. Once past Crater Lake, the trail switchbacks up the steep talus and scree to approximately the center of the saddle between Blanca Peak and Ellingwood Point . Lookout Trail is approximately 0.25 miles long. Very hard. We tried summiting this on Sept 11 after the first snow storm of the year. Beautiful alpine lakes, aspen groves, waterfalls, and all the usual glory of the Sangre de Cristo range. I parked just before the ski area at the nature trail parking lot. You can experience this panoramic view of the Sacramento Mountains for yourself by taking a challenging 9.3 mile (round trip) day hike to the summit. The road goes to Como Lake, but unless you own a Rock Crawler you'll have to walk most of the way. Fantastic views and a gain in elevation of 1900 feet. 3 Reviews of Blanca Peak "The contrast of the white rock of Blanca Peak against blue skies was positively stunning. Plenty of camping spots on the hike up to Lake Como as well. Get … Blanca Peak is the fourth-highest peak of the Rocky Mountains located in the southern Sangre de Cristo range not far from Alamosa, CO. From right to left: Little Bear is the tallest peak on the right and Blanca is just to the left of Little Bear after the level connecting ridge between the two peaks. Day #3: We hiked it out and drove home. Camping at lake Como is great. Steep, but not much exposure. Lake como road is a bit of a long slog. RMFI broke ground on the Blanca Peak and Ellingwood Point Trail Project in 2011, and finished in 2013. From the intersection of Colorado 160 and Colorado 150 (East of Alamosa) head north on Colorado 150 for 3.1 miles. Map Information, Forest Service Home | USDA.gov | recreation.gov | Recreation Customer Service Standards | USA.gov | Whitehouse.gov, Plug-Ins | FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Privacy Policy | Important Notices | Information Quality, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/riogrande/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=29500&actid=50. Lindsey (14,042) Iron Nipple (13,480), Hamilton Peak (13,658) Peak 13,828, and of course Ellingwood Point (14,042) as well as all the ridges connecting them. I’m delighted to say that this was my first 14er and it was a good one! Our group decided to camp two nights at Como which was a great way to break up the trail and give us time to relax and fish. This is a 8.2 mile loop hike with 3000 cumulative feet of elevation gain that takes about 4-6 hours to complete. 2. Spectacular views along the way are the rule rather than the exception. It’s possible, but you probably won’t have a great time. I was wrong. Be prepared for the weather and have water for this hike. Also, road is pretty bad - drove my 2WD (toyota camry) to like 8-9k, so you don't need to start as far as indicated on this specific alltrail hike. This was my 1st 14er, I saw 19 miles and I scoffed. It had been a fantastic day out in the mountains! highly suggest you camp near Lake Como, its a great spot to acclimate to the altitude before bagging a 14er, Very nice hike! Ellingwood Point (just right of center in the photo) to the left of Blanca. The 22-mile hike to the summit of Blanca Peak and back is one of the longest 14er hikes in Colorado. Awesome. In terms of difficulty I’d say it’s not bad. Definitely wouldn’t recommend trying it in one day. Blanca Peak Peak Via Lake Como Road (2WD Vehicle to 8,800 Feet) – 13.2 Miles Round Trip (21.24 km) – 5,614 Feet (1711.15 m) Total Elevation Gain – Class 2 If you park directly off of 150, and don’t travel down the road at all, add 3.11 miles each way and 1,170 feet of elevation gain. Will be back. Lost the trail a few times and the snow was knee deep in a few spots. The hike up to Como, as everyone says is tough. The weather in this area is subject to sudden changes and thunder storms can be expected at any time. From the summit of Blanca Peak one can also traverse across to Ellingwood Peak. From Highway 160, proceed 3 miles north on State Road 150. You may park off the road within the first 2.5 miles then walk up to Como Lake. The fire was believed to … The upper trail is difficult and can be dangerous. I left the rental home Sunday, September 1, 2013 at 5:45 AM. Blanca Peak is sandwiched between the San Isabel National Forest to the east and the Rio Grande National Forest to the west. beware the terrible road leading up to it. This was a few days after an early September snowstorm. Walking up the jeep road is an option that most visitors choose. The overall distance from Como Lake to Blanca Peak … The 22-mile hike to the summit of Blanca Peak and back is one of the longest 14er hikes in Colorado. Trailhead: Lake Como Trailhead Day #2: From Lake Como campsite, we did the RT and summited. The upper trail is difficult and can be dangerous. lift, 33 in. The motorized trail ends at the lowest Blue Lake. The trail continues its climb up the valley and passes several more beautiful alpine lakes. Great conditions 09/20. Beautiful views and several Alpine lakes along the way. Most visitors hike up the road. It was a killer hike up and once you get to the ridge before the summit, you’re using your hands and feet to climb, but such a memorable experience!! My son was going to hike with me but was not feeling well. A brutal, long hike. The peak is known for its impeccable 360 degree views, as you can see well over 100 miles in every direction thanks to Colorado's clean, crisp, thin air. Helen's superb job of navigating through the … Side trips can be made to two other 14,000 feet peaks, Little Bear Peak (14,037') and Ellingwood Point (14,042'). Standard 4x4's will make it to maybe 10,500. Usually done over a few days this is approached from the Huerfano valley. We were able to hike a couple kilometers down the valley before donning our headlamps for the final hour. Two of Colorado's fourteeners. Blanca Peak Trail . But worth it. Be courteous to hikers. An all-day hike from the top to the bottom of Ski Apache or reverse. It made trail finding difficult and we were in spots that were easily class 3 exposures, if not more.