Columbia Mountain

Overview

Columbia Mountain is a humble little highpoint on the end of a ridge to the north-northwest of historic Georgetown, Colorado. Columbia is a very low-prominence peak, but from its gentle, wooded summit the hiker can enjoy pleasant views of the surrounding peaks, including the Berthoud Pass area and parts of the Mount Evans Wilderness. What Columbia Mountains fails to deliver in terms of awe and drama it makes up for in convenience: It sits close to the I-70 corridor and makes for as short, pleasant day trip from the Denver Metro area.

Rank: Unranked
Prominence: 98 feet
USGS Quad: Georgetown
Trails Illustrated Map: #104 (Idaho Springs, Georgetown)

Rank & Prominence Source: Lists of John

Getting There & Route Information

Getting There: Columbia Mountain sits two miles as the crow flies to the north-northwest of Georgetown, Colorado. It rises just one mile due-west of I-70, accessible via Exit 232 to Hwy 40 through Empire.



Route Information: As SummitPost is a site based on collaboration, I challenge another member to collaborate and post a route to the summit of this peak. In this way, the content will be strengthened by the input of multiple members and a variety of perspectives.

Red Tape

Visiting this area requires no usage or parking fees. There is a lot of private property, heavily oriented toward mine holdings, on the eastern slopes of the mountain. Accessing the mountain from the northeast via County Road 252 (Bard Creek Road) avoids most private property difficulties.

Camping & Lodging

Many visitors to Columbia Mountain will come for the day from the Denver Metro area and thus find lodging near the peak unnecessary.

Clear Lake Campground
The Clear Lake campground is just four miles from Georgetown, Colorado via County Road 381. It is a small campground at 10,000 feet elevation with only 8 sites and is open seasonally from late May through mid-September.

Georgetown
The community of Georgetown has a few lodging options, mostly of the simple, family-run variety. Visit the Trip Advisor Page for Georgetown for more information on lodging in this town.

Idaho Springs
Like Georgetown, nearby Idaho Springs has a few simple, family-run lodging options. Visit the Trip Advisor Page for Idaho Springs for more information on lodging in this town.

Weather & Seasons

Columbia Mountain is a year-round peak for most abilities. Avoid the steep eastern slopes in snow season due to avalanche danger. Otherwise, a winter visit makes for a nice ski or snowshoe. Autumn should bring nice, golden Aspen groves. Summer may be a bit too warm and dusty. A springtime visit may mean a lot of postholing through rotten, late-season snow.

Images

View Columbia Mountain Image Gallery - 8 Images