Approach
See "Getting There".
Route Description
PLEASE SEE "ADDITIONS & CORRECTIONS" TO SEE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT PRIVATE PROPERTY IN THE AREA.
Trailhead Elevation: 10920 ft
One Way Distance per my GPS: 3.8 miles
Approximate Hiking Time one way uphill: 3 hours
At the trailhead, follow the Jeep Road a very short distance until you reach the "Private Property/No Trespassing" sign. The USGS map shows that this road dead-ends at a nearby pond anyway so do not go beyond the sign. Head into the forest and go directly up a the slopes on the east side of Route 9. These slopes are known as Beaver Ridge. In most places, the forest is not dense and you will not need to "BUSHWHACK' per se. You will soon reach meadows and eventually go above the trees.
Near the top of Beaver Ridge, at around 11900 ft, you will reach another Jeep Road that travels north-south. Turn north, follow the road and go through a 11940 ft saddle to the east side of Beaver Ridge. Mt. Silverheels will come into view at this saddle.
At the saddle, you could leave the road, descend 200 ft and cross the creek to climb the west slopes of Silverheels. A better option, however, is to follow the road about a mile to the very end of it at Iron Mine (12050 ft). You can then hike up the gentler northwest slopes to gain the west end of the summit "hump" and follow it to the top.
Essential Gear
Hiking boots.
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.
mdavenport2 - May 16, 2005 3:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentThis area is clearly posted a private property with no trespassing signs. Most of this gulch is on private property and recommend that Scott Gulch be used to climb Silverheels not this one.
nader - May 16, 2005 5:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentWhen I was there in late summer of 2003, the private property sign appeared after a short hike on the road. I thought I avoided private property by bush whacking up the slopes. Is Beaver Ridge all private?
mdavenport2 - Sep 7, 2005 11:34 pm - Hasn't voted
Route Commentnader: Check the Trails Illustrated map # 109. That is a private section for quite a ways on both sides of the road and most of the way to the ridge.
nader - Sep 8, 2005 9:34 am - Hasn't voted
Route CommentI just added a note about this discussion to the main route page.