Overview
Tuckaway Mountain is seldom visited, although it is visible from many summits in the Colorado Springs region. If you have ever been to the summit of Pikes Peak, Almagre Mountain, Mt. Rosa, Mt. Arthur, Mt. Garfield, or Cameron Cone, you have seen Tuckaway's long and flat summit.
There are a few factors that make Tuckaway's summit a place where you will find solitude. It is surrounded by other, higher and more well-known peaks. Unlike its neighbors, you can't even see Tuckaway from most of Colorado Springs. And although a well-used trail passes the base of Tuckaway, it is not a short hike, and there is no trail or established route to the summit.
For those with the determination, Tuckaway is not terribly difficult to climb. Once off the trail, this is a fun introduction to bushwhacking and route-finding.
Getting There
Tuckaway can be approached from a few trailheads, I will describe two of them here.
Option 1: Seven Bridges (from Gold Camp / High Drive.) Trailhead elevation: About 7500'. From US 24 in Colorado Springs, go southwest on 26th Street. Follow this til it dead ends at High Drive, and turn left up Gold Camp Road. Gold Camp turns into a 2WD dirt road and is a fun drive. Take this road to a large parking lot at High Drive. If you reach pavement on Gold Camp Road, you went too far.
Option 2: Trail 701. Trailhead elevation: About 10,200'. From the Broadmoor area, find Old Stage Road and head up into the mountains. This is a 2WD dirt road and eventually merges into Gold Camp Road. This is a beautiful drive, but it is about an hour drive to the trailhead from Colorado Springs. Stay on Gold Camp Road until you find Forest Road 379. If you have 4WD you can drive up 379, otherwise you'll have to hike. Park at the Trail 701 Trailhead.
Red Tape
Tuckaway Mountain is in the Pike National Forest. No permits or fees are required to park, hike, or climb in the area.
When To Climb
Tuckaway is best climbed in the summer when there is no snow on the mountain. The snow generally doesn't get very deep in this area, but that's actually a problem. Since there is some scrambling over and around sharp rocks near the summit, the thin snow layer makes this difficult and a little dangerous.
Camping
There are plenty of good areas to camp in the area, along Bear Creek, Cheyenne Creek, or just about anywhere in the forest. There are no campgrounds at the trailheads, however.
Mountain Conditions
Contact the Pikes Peak Ranger District for current conditions.
Pikes Peak Ranger District
(719) 636-1602
Here's a site for Teller County/Rampart Range above 7500 Ft/Pikes Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Ft.
And here's Colorado Springs weather:
Images
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Front Range (CO)
