Pfeifferhorn East Ridge Routes

The purple (rightmost) route is the one I took, and is available here as a gpx file (do NOT open the file in browser; right-click or ctrl-click (mac) to download the file ("save as")). The red and blue tracks were pulled off the web (gpx files), and simply show more possibilities. From the parking lot to point 1 (bridge over stream) is 2.55 miles with 1400' of accumulated gain. If you want to follow the purple track, go straight (NOT over the bridge). From point 1 to point 2(north end of Red Pine Lake) is 0.72 miles, with 650' of gain. From point 2 to 3, the trail deteriorates and braids; there are occasional cairns, and the route is obvious; this section is 0.92 miles and gains 1100'. One caution: when the trail breaks through the trees at ~10100', there are sporadic cairns heading south; ignore them and stay on the talus-strewn rib. From point 3 to the summit, there is a distinct use trail; the "crux" is really a broken rock "causeway" just before the summit cone (see here and here). This last section is 0.62 miles long and has ~625' accumulated gain. (NOTE: Scott points out that the blue route is a snow route similar to the route described here, except the blue line stays to the east side of the bowl; that side of the bowl looked dangerous (rockfall) to me.)