Trip

Ascending Hikes – Pennsylvania Mountain

We'll be hiking a ~5 mile and ~1500 ft elevation gain out and back hike to the summit of Pennsylvania Mountain along the southeast ridge. Pennsylvania Mountain is a prominent peak located in the Mosquito Range of Colorado, reaching an elevation of 13,006 feet (3,964 meters). It lies near the towns of Fairplay and Alma, within Park County. The mountain is part of the larger Rocky Mountains and offers scenic views of the surrounding alpine landscapes, including other peaks like Mount Sherman.

Sun, Oct 27, 2024
Section: Ascending Hikes Section
Activity Type: Hiking
Audience: Adults

Difficulty: Moderate
Leader Rating: Moderate
Mileage: 5.0 mi
Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft
High Point Elevation: 13,018 ft
Pace: 1.5-2.0 MPH

Availability: FULL, 4 on waitlist (10 capacity)
Assistant Leader Availability: FULL (2 capacity)
Cancellation & Refund Policy

Meeting place and time

Carpool Place & Time: Meet at the US 285 & Twin Forks PnR at 6:15am, for a 6:30am departure (Us 285 & Twin Forks PNR - Google Maps)

We'll carpool to the Pennsylvania Mountain Trailhead (Pennsylvania Mountain Trailhead - Google Maps)

Leader's notes

We'll be hiking an out-n-back route along the southeast ridge from the trailhead in Alma, CO to the summit at just over thirteen thousand feet. As an oft-overlooked centralized rise in the landscape of the Mosquito Range, Pennsylvania Mountain provides unique views of many of the familiar mountains of the area: Dyer Mountain, Loveland Mountain, Mount Lincoln, Mount Bross, Torreys Peak, Grays Peak, Mount Bierstadt, Mount Evans, and Mount Silverheels. We'll also see quite a few mining ruins as we approch the summit. Pennsylvania Mountain's claim to fame is the "Turtle Nugget," an 8-ounce nugget of gold found on the mountain's slopes in 1990, so we'll keep a look out for gold along the route. Most of the hike is on tundra, above tree line. Our pace will be determined by the strength, stamina, and endurance of the group. We'll return to our cars along the same route. (Pennsylvania Mtn - SE Ridge - CalTopo)

The Colorado Mountain Club's Ascending Hike Section (AHS) provides an opportunity to make new friends and explore new places in Colorado's backcountry, while increasing your personal hiking speed, strength, and stamina. The section is administered by CMC volunteers. There is no cost, fee, or scheduling commitment. There are no dues or elections. Open to all CMC members. To join the section, contact the CMC office. (Ascending Hikes Section — The Colorado Mountain Club (cmc.org))

Route/Place