Blanca Peak Summit Trail – Ellingwood Point Traverse

Blanca Peak Summit Trail – Ellingwood Point Traverse

Mount Blanca is the highest mountain in Colorado outside of the Sawatch Range. It is the king of the Sangre De Cristos and the fifth highest peak in Colorado (the eighth highest in the lower 48 states and 27th highest in the US). In the past, many people thought this was the highest Colorado mountain, and you can’t blame them; Blanca cuts a much more regal profile than the state’s true highpoint, the gentle giant Mount Elbert. The Lake Como Road that you’ll be hiking up is a testpiece for advanced 4x4 drivers. Unlike other 4x4 roads in Colorado, this road is more like a wide class 2 trail that a few maniacs attempt to drive up. The stiff elevation gain (over 7,000 feet total) has a silver lining—you get to observe ecosystems gradually transform from parched desert land to lush meadows of alpine lakes. The hike up to Blanca’s apex is a scrambler’s delight, following a rocky but solid ridge to a small summit platform. I added in Ellingwood Point for those hoping to bag another 14er. The class 2 traverse over from Blanca is a pain. (I find staying high on the ridge, which is a class 3 option, preferable.) The rock is very loose and the angle is steep, meaning you’ll be spinning your wheels all the way up and slippin’ and slidin’ all the way down. It does have some great views, especially of Blanca, but it’s a scrappier climb.

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