Hassell Peak and Pettingell Peak

Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest, CO Front Range

Trip stats

Distance
12.4 mi
Net Gain
3,900 ft
Time
5-7 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 3
Route
Loop
Peaks
2

Ratings out of 10

Effort
6.7/10
Personality
6/10
Beauty
6/10
Solitude
4.4/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. Hassell Peak
    13,215′ elevation · 375′ prominence
  2. Pettingell Peak
    13,553′ elevation · 1,563′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

39.702450, -105.854080

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Aug 23, 2021 — Located just off I-70, this hike to a couple of Colorado 13ers makes for a convenient outing. The Herman Gulch Trail, which is what we used to access the peaks, is in great condition. It takes a pretty direct like from the trailhead up through the alternating forested and meadowy valley leading to Herman Lake. About a half mile before reaching the lake, the Jones Pass Trail forms a junction. Yossi and I took this trail, our goal being to hike the loop counter-clockwise, first heading up to Hassel Peak. The Jones Pass Trail wrapped around a ridge, descended a few hundred feet, and then reascended to the saddle on the south side of Hassell Peak.

A social trail continued to the summit of Hassell Peak, only some light Class 2 and a couple of ups and downs on the ridge along the way. We returned to the junction and left the trail, heading southwest with our sights on Pettingell Peak, looking forward to the scramble. Hiking along the ridgeline was pretty straightforward, only a bit of Class 2 before reaching the first major rock outcropping on the ridge crest. We chose to stick to the Class 3 ridgeline and get some warm-up scrambling in, but you could keep the first section Class 2 by avoiding the crest and keeping to the right (north) side of the crest. Soon we found ourselves at the base of Pettingell Peak, where the terrain became steeper and introduced a lot more talus-hopping. Class 2 and low Class 3 moves brought us to just below the summit. Nothing was particularly difficult, but it was all quite fun and not exposed. The last hundred feet or so to the summit was mostly flat.

From the summit of Pettingell Peak, we considered attempting the sketchy traverse from Pettingell Peak to The Citadel, but an incoming storm wasn't on our side. Instead we continued west along the ridge crest and dropped down onto a pretty tundra slope. This steep slope led above a cliff and down a gully (Class 2) to the north side of Herman Lake. From here we wrapped around the east side of the lake and picked up the Herman Gulch Trail, taking it back to the trailhead.

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Photos

51 photos

  1. Herman Gulch Trailhead.
  2. View back toward Mount Sniktau along the Herman Gulch Trail.
  3. Continuing up the Herman Gulch Trail.
  6. The Herman Gulch Trail swaps between meadowy views and forest.
  8. View back along the Herman Gulch Trail as we near Herman Lake.
  9. Herman Lake is up ahead, but we would first make a right and take the Jones Pass Trail instead.
  10. Along the Jones Pass Trail. Herman Gulch is on the right in this photo.
  11. View back along the Jones Pass Trail. The Citadel is visible top center.
  12. Along the Jones Pass Trail.
  13. The trail ascends a minor ridge, then descends into the valley below before reascending to the ridgeline visible ahead. Hassell Peak is top right.
  14. Close-up into the descent into the valley.
  15. View back into the valley we descended into, now ascending to the ridgeline.
  16. Almost to the ridgeline.
  17. View back. The trail comes from the far right in this photo. Herman Gulch is visible top right. Grays/Torreys visible in the distance.
  18. Onward to Hassell Peak.
  19. View back as we hike to Hassell Peak. Pettingell Peak visible above Yossi.
  21. A quick dip in the ridgeline on the way to Hassell Peak.
  22. Hassel Peak summit, view toward Pettingell Peak and the ridgeline we'd be on shortly.
  23. Close-up to Pettingell Peak from Hassell Peak.
  24. Back at the south side of Hassell on our way to Pettingell, view back to Hassell.
  25. Onward along the ridgeline to Pettingell Peak.
  26. Pettingell Peak top right, Herman Lake on the left.
  27. Close-up of the ridgeline to come.
  28. First rock outcrop. We chose to stick to the ridgeline for some fun Class 3. You can avoid it by staying to the right of the ridgeline, a Class 2 alternative.
  29. View back toward Hassell as we scramble along the Class 3 ridge crest.
  30. Yossi wrapping up the last bit of the add-on Class 3 section. As you can see on the left in this photo the crest is avoidable.
  31. The true ridgeline ascent to Pettingell Peak.
  32. We found ourselves mostly avoiding the crest, but there were still plenty of fun Class 2/3 moves.
  33. View down at Yossi scrambling just below the ridge crest.
  34. View back.
  35. The route leads to the left of the outcrop ahead.
  36. View back, Herman Lake visible on the right. Herman Gulch, the trail we came in on, come sup the valley in the center.
  37. Class 2/3 to the left of the spine.
  38. View back on the Class 2/3.
  39. Along the ridge crest, or just to the left of it.
  40. View back at Yossi on the Class 2/3.
  41. Almost to the summit of Pettingell Peak, view back along the crest.
  42. Pettingell Peak ahead, some easy Class 2 to the summit.
  43. Pettingell Peak, view back toward Hassell Peak.
  44. Pettingell Peak summit. To get down we continued along the ridge crest, headed west.
  45. Dropping off the ridgeline down to the pleasant tundra below.
  46. Descending the steep slope, heading southeast. There is a cliff on the right, so we didn't want to get too close to it.
  47. View back toward the ridgeline. Pettingell Peak visible top right. We descended via the tundra on the left.
  48. Class 2 after the tundra. We headed to the gully on the left.
  49. Class 2 gully complete with a social trail, which led to the north side of Herman Lake.
  50. Herman Lake, view up at Pettingell Peak.
  51. On our way back via the Herman Gulch Trail as the storm hit.

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GPX track

Hassell Peak and Pettingell Peak GPX route and driving track

The complete GPX track is available to download, so you can load the route straight into your navigation app or device. The trip report, route info, photos and planning details stay free.

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