Audubon, Paiute, Toll, Pawnee Traverse, and Blue Lake in Roosevelt National Forest, CO

Hike Audubon, Paiute, Toll, Pawnee Traverse, and Blue Lake Roosevelt National Forest, CO

Class 3 10.5 miles 4500 gain 6-8 hrs Loop Sep 14, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Audubon, Paiute, Toll, Pawnee Traverse, and Blue Lake GPX Track

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Aftering being rained out the first time and blown over with overhelming wind the second time on Mt. Audubon, the Indian Peaks Wilderness finally let me go for the Mt. Audubon, Paiute Peak, Mt. Toll, Pawnee Peak traverse. From the Mitchell Lake Trailhead, I headed up the popular Mt. Audubon Trail to the summit of Mt. Audubon and scoped out the ridge to come. I followed the Class 2 ridgeline to Paiute Peak and then headed down Class 2 stuff to the saddle between Paiute Peak and Mt. Toll.

The face of Mt. Toll is Class 5, but you can avoid it by strolling along to the right on the loose slope, hugging the cliff face. A Class 3 move awaits at the end of this slope. After pulling this move, a mostly solid gully leads up to a notch just south of the summit. It was minor Class 2 to Mt. Toll's summit, and then I continued along the ridge to Pawnee Peak.

From Pawnee Peak, I noted Blue Lake to the northeast and headed down a loose slope to ledgy terrain. As you'll see on my map, my track meanders a fair amount due to cliffs and steep sections. My advice is to stick to a wide gully that hugs the base of Pawnee Peak and not just beeline it to Blue Lake. There's nothing more than easy Class 2 here to get down to Blue Lake, but the descent is made slightly more difficult due to the maze-like quality of the cliffs. Blue Lake is absurdly beautiful, especially with the fall colors. I took the Blue Lake Trail back to the trailhead.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Audubon
13223 ft
823 rise
2
Paiute Peak
13088 ft
448 rise
3
Mount Toll
12979 ft
419 rise
4
Pawnee Peak
12943 ft
402 rise

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Starting from the Mitchell Lake Trailhead.
Starting from the Mitchell Lake Trailhead.
Image 1 from gallery
You can see Mitchell Lake below on the way up to Mt. Audubon.
You can see Mitchell Lake below on the way up to Mt. Audubon.
Image 3 from gallery
Mt. Audubon ahead.
Mt. Audubon ahead.
Image 5 from gallery
Looking back on the way up to Mt. Audubon.
Looking back on the way up to Mt. Audubon.
Image 7 from gallery
Image 8 from gallery
Easy scrambling to the summit of Mt. Audubon.
Easy scrambling to the summit of Mt. Audubon.
Mt. Audubon summit looking north.
Mt. Audubon summit looking north.
Mt. Audubon summit looking south, Paiute Peak visible on the right.
Mt. Audubon summit looking south, Paiute Peak visible on the right.
Along the ridgeline headed to Paiute Peak (right). Mt. Toll is the pointy peak on the left, and Pawnee is the hump just left of that. The green lake visible is a smaller lake just northwest of Blue Lake.
Along the ridgeline headed to Paiute Peak (right). Mt. Toll is the pointy peak on the left, and Pawnee is the hump just left of that. The green lake visible is a smaller lake just northwest of Blue Lake.
Approaching the summit of Paiute Peak.
Approaching the summit of Paiute Peak.
Paiute Peak summit, looking back toward Mt. Audubon. Blue Lake is the farther lake on the right.
Paiute Peak summit, looking back toward Mt. Audubon. Blue Lake is the farther lake on the right.
Continuing along the ridge from Paiute Peak to Mt. Toll - Blue Lake on the far left.
Continuing along the ridge from Paiute Peak to Mt. Toll - Blue Lake on the far left.
Mt. Toll ahead, Blue Lake on the left.
Mt. Toll ahead, Blue Lake on the left.
Mt. Toll - from the saddle, keep right and head for the notch in between the two peaks.
Mt. Toll - from the saddle, keep right and head for the notch in between the two peaks.
Just below the saddle - head for the notch.
Just below the saddle - head for the notch.
Scree below the notch.
Scree below the notch.
Looking back at the scree from the saddle toward Paiute Peak.
Looking back at the scree from the saddle toward Paiute Peak.
Class 3 move to get into the gully leading to the notch previously shown.
Class 3 move to get into the gully leading to the notch previously shown.
After the Class 3 move, headed into the gully on the left (hidden in this pic).
After the Class 3 move, headed into the gully on the left (hidden in this pic).
On the way up the loose gully. Nothing too crazy, just be careful of loose rock. At the top of the gully, stay left and get to the summit on Class 2 boulder scrambling.
On the way up the loose gully. Nothing too crazy, just be careful of loose rock. At the top of the gully, stay left and get to the summit on Class 2 boulder scrambling.
Mt. Toll summit, looking back toward Paiute (left) and Audubon (right). That green lake is the little one north of Blue Lake.
Mt. Toll summit, looking back toward Paiute (left) and Audubon (right). That green lake is the little one north of Blue Lake.
Mt. Toll summit looking toward Blue Lake (center) and Mitchell Lake (in the distant trees).
Mt. Toll summit looking toward Blue Lake (center) and Mitchell Lake (in the distant trees).
Mt. Toll summit looking south to Pawnee Peak.
Mt. Toll summit looking south to Pawnee Peak.
Pawnee Peak ahead.
Pawnee Peak ahead.
Class 2 up to Pawnee Peak.
Class 2 up to Pawnee Peak.
On the way up to Pawnee Peak looking back toward Mt. Toll.
On the way up to Pawnee Peak looking back toward Mt. Toll.
Close-up looking west at the beautiful Indian Peak Wilderness on the way up to Pawnee Peak.
Close-up looking west at the beautiful Indian Peak Wilderness on the way up to Pawnee Peak.
Pawnee Peak summit looking north to Mt. Audubon (center).
Pawnee Peak summit looking north to Mt. Audubon (center).
After coming down from Pawnee Peak, head down the loose slope toward Blue Lake.
After coming down from Pawnee Peak, head down the loose slope toward Blue Lake.
At the bottom of the slope looking up at Mt. Toll (Pawnee Peak is on the left out of frame).
At the bottom of the slope looking up at Mt. Toll (Pawnee Peak is on the left out of frame).
Blue Lake ahead.
Blue Lake ahead.
A small, shallow, colorful lake before Blue Lake. A social trail leads from here to Blue Lake.
A small, shallow, colorful lake before Blue Lake. A social trail leads from here to Blue Lake.
Crazy colors.
Crazy colors.
Mt. Toll center.
Mt. Toll center.
Approaching Blue Lake.
Approaching Blue Lake.
Blue Lake shore.
Blue Lake shore.
Blue Lake, Mt. Toll center.
Blue Lake, Mt. Toll center.
Leaving Blue Lake, Mt. Toll center, the slope I came down just to the left of Mt. Toll.
Leaving Blue Lake, Mt. Toll center, the slope I came down just to the left of Mt. Toll.
Heading back along the official Blue Lake Trail.
Heading back along the official Blue Lake Trail.
Image 43 from gallery
Image 44 from gallery
Image 45 from gallery
Official Blue Lake Trail.
Official Blue Lake Trail.
Image 47 from gallery
Image 48 from gallery
Looking back along the official Blue Lake Trail, a Mt. Audubon sub-peak on the right.
Looking back along the official Blue Lake Trail, a Mt. Audubon sub-peak on the right.
Mitchell Lake ahead.
Mitchell Lake ahead.
A bit more hiking through the forest after Mitchell Lake to get back to the trailhead.
A bit more hiking through the forest after Mitchell Lake to get back to the trailhead.

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