Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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40.16687°N / 107.53234°W |
Route Type:
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Hiking, Mountaineering |
Season:
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Summer, Fall |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Overview
Morapos Creek probably makes the only practical route to the summit of Baldy Mountain. Perhaps the best route up the mountain is to follow Trail 1114 to just south of the eastern ridge of Baldy Mountain and then climb cross-country north to the Baldy Mountain ridge and then to the summit. The southwest, west and north slopes of the peak are very steep.
These are the upper west slopes of Baldy Mountain.Getting There
The turnoff for the road to the trailhead for Baldy Mountain begins on Highway 13 not far south of the tiny hamlet of Hamilton, which is located between Craig and Meeker.From Highway 13 between Mile Markers 73 and 74, turn south on County Road 41. The road is posted for Morapos Creek. The road is paved at first, but after only a few miles turns into a good gravel road. Stay on County Road 41 (ignoring all side tracks) and follow it to its end at what is known as the Morapos Campsite/Upper Loop. This is the trailhead.
This photo was taken near the trailhead at Morapos Creek.Route Description
From the trailhead, location the sign board for Trail 1114. Follow Trail 1114 (which at first is an old road) southwest. It’s a pretty good trail, but since it isn’t used often, expect to climb over fallen timber at time. The trail passes through some nice meadows and aspen forest and also passes several beaver ponds along the way.The trail eventually curves along the slopes to the south of Baldy Mountain. Probably the easiest route up the peak is to follow the trail 3.5-4 miles from the trailhead to where it approaches the ridgeline to the east (towards Point 10245) and then leave the trail and head directly for the Baldy Mountain Ridge.
We followed the trail to the peaks to the east before dropping onto the Baldy Mountain Ridge, but this is not the easiest route, so the one above is recommended.
Once on the gentle ridge of Baldy Mountain, follow it northwest over the bumps to the viewpoint at the terminus of the ridge. It is tempting to descend the west slopes of Baldy Mountain, but we found this to be a tedious and rather difficult route with steep slippery slopes and some bushwhacking. I recommend returning the same way.
The round trip distance to climb the peak and return is 8-9 miles depending on route variations.
This is the gentle summit ridge of Baldy Mountain. Most of the slopes of Baldy Mountain are steep, but the summit ridge is gentle.