West Slopes
Mt. Columbia · 14,073' · Rank #37
Class 2 Standard Route
12
miles RT
4,250
ft gain
Class 2
difficulty
7-10
hours
Trail Map
Trail data coming soon
We're working on adding detailed trail maps and elevation profiles for this route.
Route Details
- Distance
- 12 miles RT
- Elevation Gain
- 4,250'
- Difficulty
- Class 2
- Exposure
- Low
- Typical Time
- 7-10 hours
Trailhead
- Name
- Frenchman Creek Trailhead
- Starting Elevation
- 9,400'
- Coordinates
- 38.9028°N, 106.3458°W
Parking & Access
- Parking
- Free Lot 50-100 spots
- Fee
- Free
- Best Arrival (Weekends)
- Before 5:00 AM on summer weekends
- If Lot is Full
- Overflow parking along road approaching trailhead
No Service
About 30 cars at North Cottonwood TH. 2WD accessible. Shared with Mt. Harvard. Popular trailhead fills early.
Route Description
The standalone route to Columbia via the west slopes. Alternatively, climbed from Harvard via a strenuous ridge traverse. The west slopes route passes through scenic Frenchman Creek drainage before climbing to the summit.
Gear & Preparation
The Harvard-Columbia traverse adds significant difficulty and exposure. The west slopes route is more moderate but longer. Either option makes for a demanding day.