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North Ridge from Eldorado Canyon Trailhead
Route

North Ridge from Eldorado Canyon Trailhead

 
North Ridge from Eldorado Canyon Trailhead

Page Type: Route

Location: Colorado, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 39.93430°N / 105.2884°W

Route Type: Hiking, Scrambling

Season: Spring, Summer, Fall

Time Required: Half a day

Rock Difficulty: Class 3

Grade: I

Route Quality: 
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Page By: tomlauren

Created/Edited: May 3, 2008 / Jan 1, 2011

Object ID: 400880

Hits: 1484 

Page Score: 86.78% - 4 Votes 

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Overview

 
Shirttail Peak
Shirttail Peak from the Eldorado Canyon Trail.

This route allows one to climb to the summit of Shirttail Peak from the Eldorado Canyon Trail.

This is not the easiest route to the summit of Shirttail Peak. For example, the North Ridge from Mesa South Trailhead route is easier (class 2).

This route is likely the shorttest route to the summit of Shirttail Peak from a public trailhead.

Getting There

Start at Eldorado Canyon Trailhead.

Route Description

Stats: Class 3, 1.7 miles (round trip), 1300 feet of elevation gain.
 
Rincon Cutoff Trail
 

From the trailhead, follow the Eldorado Canyon Trail past the switchbacks until you reach the sign for the Rincon Cutoff Trail. Take the Rincon Cutoff Trail. Once on the Rincon Cutoff Trail, look for a faint trail that leaves the Rincon Cutoff Trail to the left (about 500 feet or so up the Rincon Cutoff Trail, at a point where the Rincon Cutoff Trail starts to head downhill). Follow this new trail a short distance to a boulderfield, then head up the boulderfield to the saddle on the ridge between the Cadillac Crag and Rincon Wall.
 
Class 3 area of North Ridge Route of Shirttail Peak
 

From the saddle, traverse south below the ridge until you get an opportunity to perform some class 3 moves to get onto the ridge proper.
 
View to the north from the top of the ridge
 

This is what you'll see to the north if you climb to the top of the ridge at the point shown above. Shirttail Peak is southeast from here.
 
The summit of Shirttail Peak from the North Ridge Route
 

Scramble south along the east side the ridge until you find an opportunity to get off the ridge and head toward Shirttail Peak. Reaching the summit of Shirttail Peak requires a few class 2+ moves.

Trail Profile and Map

The trail color represents the class of that portion of the trail.

Green = Class 1
Blue = Class 2
Purple = Class 3

Trail Profile

The vertical unit is feet, and the horizontal unit is miles.
 
Trail Profile of Eldorado Canyon Trailhead to Shirttail Peak via the North Ridge Route
 


Map
 
North Ridge of Shirttail Peak from Eldorado Canyon TH
North Ridge from Eldorado Canyon TH.

Images

Shirttail Peak from the North RidgeView to the north from the top of the ridgeShirttail PeakClass 3 area of North Ridge Route of Shirttail PeakThe summit of Shirttail Peak from the North Ridge RouteRincon Cutoff Trail
North Ridge of Shirttail Peak from Eldorado Canyon THTrail Profile of Eldorado Canyon Trailhead to Shirttail Peak via the North Ridge Route



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