Mount Silverheels, Hoosier Ridge, Red Mountain in Pike and San Isabel National Forest, CO

Hike Mount Silverheels, Hoosier Ridge, Red Mountain Pike and San Isabel National Forest, CO

Class 2 14.4 miles 5100 gain 6-8 hrs Out + Back Aug 24, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mount Silverheels, Hoosier Ridge, Red Mountain GPX Track

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Mount Silverheels, Hoosier Ridge, and Red Mountain are really just three massive humps outsid eof Breckenridge. The hike to access them feels pretty long due to the sweeping and uninspired tundra, but they make for a pleasant and fairly big day of walking along a sloped ridgeline. I parked at Hoosier Pass and headed east along a dirt road. This road would lead to some sort of building, but I left the dirt road and continued east along the tundra slope. I went far enough along the road that was able to avoid all bushwhacking farther down, starting right up the tundra slope. At some point I stumbled on a social trail that led to the ridge crest. I continued east, deciding that I'd do Mount Silverheels first. This meant leaving the ridgeline and heading across the tundra slope to the south-leading ridgeline. I passed under a power line and then was able to side-hill around one big hill along the way, before finding myself at the base of Mount Silverheels. Though not visible from below nor from farther away, the north face has a social trail leading through the talus. The route goes at easy Class 2, but it's steep. It was easy tundra walking once I reached the summit ridge.

After coming down from Mount Silverheels, I headed north and just followed the grassy ridgeline all the way to Hoosier Ridge. Along the way I only had to do a little bit of talus-hopping, but there were multiple humps that required going up and over. Hoosier Ridge also included some Class 2 to reach its summit. Red Mountain was only a short distance away, so I dropped off Hoosier Ridge's steep and grassy northern slope and ascended Red Mountain. This peak was similar to the rest of the hike except that it had the most difficult move of the day. Still only Class 2, a short and steep section of talus required a tiny bit of thought to find a solid and viable route. The views toward the more impressive 13ers to the west, Boreas Mountain to the northeast, and Breckenridge to the north were nice.

I returned back along the ridgeline, side-hilling along the west side of Hoosier Ridge so I didn't have to re-ascend the peak, and made my way back to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Silverheels
13822 ft
2283 rise
2
Hoosier Ridge
13352 ft
912 rise
3
Red Mountain
13229 ft
349 rise

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View back toward Hoosier Pass as I start up the dirt road/trail.
View back toward Hoosier Pass as I start up the dirt road/trail.
View toward the tundra ridgeline I'd soon be ascending.
View toward the tundra ridgeline I'd soon be ascending.
Looking back shortly before leaving the road and ascending the tundra. Mount Lincoln visible left, Quandary Peak on the right.
Looking back shortly before leaving the road and ascending the tundra. Mount Lincoln visible left, Quandary Peak on the right.
Ascending the tundra slope.
Ascending the tundra slope.
Montgomery Reservoir comes into view below. I ascended from the forest in the center of this photo, Hoosier Pass.
Montgomery Reservoir comes into view below. I ascended from the forest in the center of this photo, Hoosier Pass.
Mount Silverheels pops into view on the right.
Mount Silverheels pops into view on the right.
Along the ridgeline, view toward Hoosier ridge and Red Mountain, way over there.
Along the ridgeline, view toward Hoosier ridge and Red Mountain, way over there.
First I headed south toward Mount Silverheels. The route I took leads along the tundra on the left and up to the ridge, then heads south to the base of the peak.
First I headed south toward Mount Silverheels. The route I took leads along the tundra on the left and up to the ridge, then heads south to the base of the peak.
View back toward the ridgeline I left.
View back toward the ridgeline I left.
On the ridge leading south to Mount Silverheels.
On the ridge leading south to Mount Silverheels.
Close-up toward Mount Silverheels. The route leads up the slope just right of the lens flare in this photo.
Close-up toward Mount Silverheels. The route leads up the slope just right of the lens flare in this photo.
Nearing the base of the talus.
Nearing the base of the talus.
View back along the ridgeline. I came from the ridge on the left.
View back along the ridgeline. I came from the ridge on the left.
Another poor hiker who chose to do Mount Silverheels today. There was no social trail until reaching th talus.
Another poor hiker who chose to do Mount Silverheels today. There was no social trail until reaching th talus.
View back from along the social trail in the talus. Hoosier Ridge visible along the ridgeline.
View back from along the social trail in the talus. Hoosier Ridge visible along the ridgeline.
Minor Class 2. The social trail leads up to the summit ridge.
Minor Class 2. The social trail leads up to the summit ridge.
On the summit ridge to Mount Silverheels.
On the summit ridge to Mount Silverheels.
Mount Silverheels summit, view north. Hoosier Ridge visible center. Bald Mountain also visible to its right in the distance.
Mount Silverheels summit, view north. Hoosier Ridge visible center. Bald Mountain also visible to its right in the distance.
Mount Silverheels summit, view south.
Mount Silverheels summit, view south.
Back along the ridge, now headed north. This is a view back toward Mount Silverheels.
Back along the ridge, now headed north. This is a view back toward Mount Silverheels.
Lots of tundra walking along the undulating ridgeline.
Lots of tundra walking along the undulating ridgeline.
And some minor talus-hopping.
And some minor talus-hopping.
View back. Mount Silverheels left, Hoosier Pass out of frame on the right.
View back. Mount Silverheels left, Hoosier Pass out of frame on the right.
Hoosier Ridge ahead.
Hoosier Ridge ahead.
View back again, Silverheels left, Hoosier Pass in the trees on the right.
View back again, Silverheels left, Hoosier Pass in the trees on the right.
More talus on the way to Hoosier Ridge.
More talus on the way to Hoosier Ridge.
Hoosier Ridge center. One final hump obstacle in the way.
Hoosier Ridge center. One final hump obstacle in the way.
Hoosier Ridge right of center, Red Mountain left of center.
Hoosier Ridge right of center, Red Mountain left of center.
Class 2 up to Hoosier Ridge.
Class 2 up to Hoosier Ridge.
Hoosier Ridge, view back along the ridgeline. Mount Silverheels on the left.
Hoosier Ridge, view back along the ridgeline. Mount Silverheels on the left.
Down to the saddle with Red Mountain.
Down to the saddle with Red Mountain.
At the base of Red Mountain.
At the base of Red Mountain.
Class 2, the crux of the hike. There's a sweet spot on the left in this photo where the talus feels more secure and slightly less steep.
Class 2, the crux of the hike. There's a sweet spot on the left in this photo where the talus feels more secure and slightly less steep.
View back toward Hoosier Ridge from Red Mountain.
View back toward Hoosier Ridge from Red Mountain.
Red Mountain, view west toward the more jagged 13ers near Breckenridge. Hoosier Pass, my trailhead, is on the left.
Red Mountain, view west toward the more jagged 13ers near Breckenridge. Hoosier Pass, my trailhead, is on the left.
Red Mountain view toward Bald Mountain (left) and Boreas Mountain (right).
Red Mountain view toward Bald Mountain (left) and Boreas Mountain (right).

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