Fancy Peak and Savage Peak via Missouri Lakes Loop in White River National Forest, CO

Hike Fancy Peak and Savage Peak via Missouri Lakes Loop White River National Forest, CO

Class 3 12.2 miles 5700 gain 8-11 hrs Loop Sep 12, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Fancy Peak and Savage Peak via Missouri Lakes Loop GPX Track

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Obviously, peaks with names like "Fancy Peak" and "Savage Peak" beckoned to be climbed. Neither were fancy, nor savage, but definitely super pretty. This route seemed particularly interesting because it uses a fairly popular loop in the Holy Cross Wilderness to access the ridgeline, but avoids the more popular sections of the trail by taking the high road. The official trail is known as the Fancy Pass and Missouri Pass Loop, or Fancy Lake and Missouri Lakes Loop, depending on where you look. My route hits both passes, but follows the ridgeline that bisects the passes, as well and continuing to two Colorado 13ers, Fancy Peak and Savage Peak, neither of which are part of the official trail. I added the official trail section that I skipped in the attached map for reference.

From the Fancy Pass Trailhead, head up the uneventful wooded walk to Fancy Lake, and then continue up an old mining road to Fancy Pass. From here, you'll see the trail head down into the bowl to the west toward Treasure Vault Lake. To the north, the ridge heads up to Fancy Peak, and to the south, it stretches all the way to Savage Peak, which becomes visible as you head up to Fancy Peak. There's a fun Class 2+ mini ridge you can follow to gain Fancy Peak, or a walk-up just to the left of the ridge. From Fancy Peak, you can get a better sense of the entire ridge traverse to Savage Peak. If you don't want to do it, you can always head back down to Fancy Pass and take the official loop trail for the rest of the day.

Assuming you want to continue along the ridgeline south from Fancy Pass, head up a low Class 3 scramble to an unnamed high point between Fancy Pass and Missouri Pass, and then head back down to Missouri Pass, where you cross over the official trail again before continuing up the ridge that will ultimately lead to Savage Peak. There are a couple of easy Class 3 moves along this ridge, but you can likely avoid any serious scrambling by dropping just west of the ridgeline. The views west toward the lakes along Carter Creek and east to the Missouri Lakes are each a different color, and all overwhelmingly beautiful. From the summit of Savage Peak, head down the obvious ridgeline until you feel comfortable leaving the ridge and bushwhacking through beautiful alpine meadows to get back to the official Missouri Pass Trail. Take this back to the Fancy Pass Trailhead.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Fancy Peak
13192 ft
352 rise
2
Peak 12898
12898 ft
378 rise
3
Savage Peak
13139 ft
1153 rise

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Starting up the Fancy Pass Trail.
Starting up the Fancy Pass Trail.
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Approaching Fancy Lake.
Approaching Fancy Lake.
Fancy Lake, that peak you see above is part of the ridgeline from Fancy Peak to Savage Peak, but it's not Fancy Peak.
Fancy Lake, that peak you see above is part of the ridgeline from Fancy Peak to Savage Peak, but it's not Fancy Peak.
Headed up the trail to Fancy Pass.
Headed up the trail to Fancy Pass.
Looking back toward Fancy Lake.
Looking back toward Fancy Lake.
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Looking back down an eroded mining road leading to Fancy Pass.
Looking back down an eroded mining road leading to Fancy Pass.
Fancy Pass, looking northeast. Fancy Peak is up to the left, the Fancy Pass Trail I came up is down to the right.
Fancy Pass, looking northeast. Fancy Peak is up to the left, the Fancy Pass Trail I came up is down to the right.
Headed up to Fancy Peak.
Headed up to Fancy Peak.
On the way up to Fancy Peak, looking back the way I came, Treasure Vault Lake visible on the opposite side of Fancy Pass.
On the way up to Fancy Peak, looking back the way I came, Treasure Vault Lake visible on the opposite side of Fancy Pass.
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Close-up of the ridgeline from Fancy Peak to Savage Peak (center rounded peak). Treasure Vault Lake is on the right. If you choose to follow the official trail, it takes you down to Treasure Vault Lake - I opted to follow the ridgeline.
Close-up of the ridgeline from Fancy Peak to Savage Peak (center rounded peak). Treasure Vault Lake is on the right. If you choose to follow the official trail, it takes you down to Treasure Vault Lake - I opted to follow the ridgeline.
Fancy Peak summit looking north toward Harvey Lake. Mt. of the Holy Cross is obscured by sub-peaks somewhere on the right.
Fancy Peak summit looking north toward Harvey Lake. Mt. of the Holy Cross is obscured by sub-peaks somewhere on the right.
On the way down from Fancy Peak to Fancy Pass - you can see some easy Class 3 stuff to follow the ridge.
On the way down from Fancy Peak to Fancy Pass - you can see some easy Class 3 stuff to follow the ridge.
Headed up to the Class 3 stuff from Fancy Pass.
Headed up to the Class 3 stuff from Fancy Pass.
Along the ridgeline, Treasure Vault Lake visible on the right.
Along the ridgeline, Treasure Vault Lake visible on the right.
Looking back toward Fancy Peak and Fancy Lake.
Looking back toward Fancy Peak and Fancy Lake.
Treasure Vault Lake right, Missouri Lakes left. Wow. Savage Peak top left.
Treasure Vault Lake right, Missouri Lakes left. Wow. Savage Peak top left.
Close-up of Savage Peak and Missouri Lakes.
Close-up of Savage Peak and Missouri Lakes.
Close-up looking down a fun scramble to Missouri Pass and Treasure Vault Lake.
Close-up looking down a fun scramble to Missouri Pass and Treasure Vault Lake.
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At Missouri Pass looking toward Missouri Lakes.
At Missouri Pass looking toward Missouri Lakes.
At Missouri Pass looking up toward the scramble to the next set of ridgeline.
At Missouri Pass looking up toward the scramble to the next set of ridgeline.
Headed up to the ridgeline, Savage Peak in the distance.
Headed up to the ridgeline, Savage Peak in the distance.
On the way up to the ridgeline north of Savage Peak, looking back at Missouri Pass.
On the way up to the ridgeline north of Savage Peak, looking back at Missouri Pass.
Close-up looking west toward a bunch of random pretty lakes.
Close-up looking west toward a bunch of random pretty lakes.
Along the ridgeline headed to Savage Peak - Missouri Lakes below on the left.
Along the ridgeline headed to Savage Peak - Missouri Lakes below on the left.
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Close-up looking southwest at a gorgeous canyon.
Close-up looking southwest at a gorgeous canyon.
Savage Peak ahead.
Savage Peak ahead.
Along the ridgeline just below Savage Peak, looking back at my route.
Along the ridgeline just below Savage Peak, looking back at my route.
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Savage Peak summit looking at the ridgeline.
Savage Peak summit looking at the ridgeline.
Savage Peak summit looking toward Missouri Lakes (left) and my ridgeline to get down (right).
Savage Peak summit looking toward Missouri Lakes (left) and my ridgeline to get down (right).
Closeup of the ridgeline down.
Closeup of the ridgeline down.
On the way down, looking toward Missouri Pass (center). The ridgeline I follow to gain Savage Peak is on the left.
On the way down, looking toward Missouri Pass (center). The ridgeline I follow to gain Savage Peak is on the left.
Looking back up at Savage Peak.
Looking back up at Savage Peak.
Almost down the ridgeline.
Almost down the ridgeline.
Looking back up the way I came, easy route-finding down off the ridge. If you're scrambling at all, you likely left the ridge too soon.
Looking back up the way I came, easy route-finding down off the ridge. If you're scrambling at all, you likely left the ridge too soon.
Headed through open fields toward the official Missouri Lakes Trail. Above is the ridgeline I followed to get from Missouri Pass to Savage Peak.
Headed through open fields toward the official Missouri Lakes Trail. Above is the ridgeline I followed to get from Missouri Pass to Savage Peak.
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Random tarn along my route.
Random tarn along my route.
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Found the Missouri Pass Trail.
Found the Missouri Pass Trail.
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Missouri Pass Trail is really pretty.
Missouri Pass Trail is really pretty.
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Looking back along the Missouri Pass Trail at a random tarn with great light.
Looking back along the Missouri Pass Trail at a random tarn with great light.
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Savage Peak (or at least a sub-peak of Savage Peak) is poking  out in the middle of this photo, shortly before getting back to the trailhead.
Savage Peak (or at least a sub-peak of Savage Peak) is poking out in the middle of this photo, shortly before getting back to the trailhead.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!