Hike Treasury Mountain and Treasure Mountain White River National Forest, CO

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Treasury Mountain and Treasure Mountain are a couple of 13ers outside of Crested Butte, two of only a small handful in the area. I wanted to get them both in a day, despite the route not making a ton of sense since linking them up along the ridge isn't possible due to a Class 5 cliff (or so I've heard). I reached the Yule Pass Trailhead (any vehicle can get there) and set out along the Yule Pass Trail, an old road that has been eroded into a narrow and sometimes treacherous trail. A couple of spots were particularly steep on the left and required a little bit of extra care, uncommon for Colorado trails.

After a mile along the Yule Pass Trail, I decided to head up an obvious social trail on the right in order to access Treasury Mountain first. The ridgeline was for its majority a nice Class 1 hike with some steep sections. About halfway up I crossed a significant flat section from where I'd descend later. Past the flat bit, a somewhat faded social trail leads up a not-unpleasant talus/scree slope, followed by a lovely flat section where Treasury Mountain came into view. The last bit to the summit introduced some Class 2. A social trail wrapped around to just left of the ridge crest, but I also descended along the crest on my way back. It's really all Class 2 and you can't go too wrong to gain the summit. I could see Treasure Mountain to the northwest, and I was tempted to try continuing along the ridge crest, despite knowing the sketchy stuff I'd have in store. I'd also heard of some people using some old cables to descend the southwest face of Treasury Mountain to get down to the Yule Pass Trail below, but this also seemed particularly loose and steep and scary, and I didn't want to make this otherwise very tame day into a horror-fest. Instead I backtracked along the crest.

I reached the first flat section along the way to Treasury Mountain and descended generally southwest. I could see Yule Pass below and headed more-or-less toward it. Along the way I hiked down steep tundra for the majority, but there were a couple of talus sections. There's a bunch of options for getting back down to the Yule Pass Trail, so just have fun descending the slope. Once I was back on the Yule Pass Trail, I followed it as it descended around 500 feet of vertical loss. On the right, a social trail led away from the main trail. This social trail is more popular for its access to the Yule Lakes. It begins in very good shape and is easy to follow as it gains elevation steeply and then ascends more lightly along the slope. The trail started to fade a bit after a mile or so, cairns now helping to mark the way, but you can't be too wrong here if you lose the cairns. Just stick roughly to the 11800-11900 contour line to reach Yule Lakes.

There are a couple of options to gain the Treasure Mountain ridgeline, my next objective. Most seem to leave the social trail early and ascend via a minor cirque, but I used this as my descent route (the eastermost line on my attached map leading up to Treasure Mountain). Alternatively, I decided to follow the ever-fading social trail to Yule Lakes to check them out. The lakes were gorgeous and I was happy I did so, despite the ascent being quite a bit steeper for longer. After reaching Yule Lakes, I ascended north and up the alternating tundra/talus slope for around 1500 vertical gain to reach the ridgeline above. It was overall a pretty fast ascent and didn't exceed Class 2, but it was a bit brutal on my quads.

Once on the ridge it was a tundra stroll to the summit of Treasure Mountain, where I got excellent views toward Maroon Peak and Capitol Peak, among others. I didn't stick around for long and decided to attempt the somewhat more standard route for accessing the summit rather than via Yule Lakes. I headed east along the ridgeline and started own the cirque-esque slope. The crux was toward the top, where a steep Class 2 dirty bit of slope led me off the ridge crest and onto the tundra below. From here it was overall very pleasant grassy walking with the occasional boulder to dodge. I made it back to the social trail and followed it to the Yule Pass Trail, which I then took back to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Treasury Mountain

13462 ft

502 rise

Treasure Mountain

13528 ft

2808 rise

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Starting out from the Yule Pass Trailhead. Ahead the road ends, but someone drove their car as close as they could.

Along the heavily-eroded Yule Pass Trail. Quite the steep drop on the left.

Looking back along the Yule Pass Trail.

Yule Pass is visible on the left. I'll be returning that way later. First I'm headed to Treasury Mountain, top right.

A social trail leading away from the Yule Pass Trail and up to the ridgeline above.

Ascending to the ridgeline on my way up to Treasury Mountain.

Ascending to Treasury Mountain.

Looking back. The Yule Pass Trail wrapped around the right side of Cinnamon Mountain (center) in this photo.

Ascending along the ridge.

The first extensive flat section. On my way back down from Treasury Mountain I'd be descending on the left in this photo.

View back the way I came.

Ascending more along the ridge. Snowmass and Capitol visible in the distance on the right.

Close-up toward Snowmass and Capitol.

Second flat section. Treasury Mountain visible center. The hike was easy to the start of the ridge.

Heading up the ridgeline to Treasury Mountain. The social trail wraps to the left if the ridge crest, but you can also stay along the crest itself. Both options were Class 2.

Treasury Mountain summit, view back.

View toward Treasure Mountain. Tempting to head along the ridge, but I'd say don't.

View north.

View south toward Purple Mountain. The Yule Pass Trail heads horizontally through this photo. My goal now is to get down to it in order to reach Treasure Mountain.

After backtracking to the first flat section, I descended by heading southwest. Yule Pass visible in the center of this photo.

Looking back up at the ridgeline after descending about halfway.

View back toward the ridgeline I came down just as I reached the Yule Pass Trail. As you can see there are many options to get down, none exceeding Class 2.

Along the Yule Pass Trail.

Gorgeous views.

The trail sticks to the slopes on the north side of Yule Creek. The social trail used to access Yule Lakes pops out on the right and ascends, while the official trail continues descending.

View back along the social trail.

The social trail to Yule Lakes ascends the slope ahead.

Another shot back. I came from Yule Pass, which is in the center of this photo.

The social trail begins to fade, but it generally doesn't ascend a lot so getting lost is unlikely.

View back toward Yule Pass again.

Hints of social trail, but cairns help when it's not obvious.

One more shot back.

Approaching Yule Lakes.

Yule Lakes! Treasure Mountain is up there on the right.

Close up of the first of the Yule Lakes.

Close-up toward Treasure Mountain. I ascended to the right in this photo, then headed along flat ground in the center of this photo, and then ascended directly to the ridgeline above.

Flat section before the steep ascent to the ridge. Treasure Mountain is up there in the center. The slope is steep everywhere, but you might want to take a moment to choose a good line that avoids potentially extra-steep stuff.

View back down. I ascended from left of center in this photo.

Class 2, but also just a lot of steep tundra.

Close-up back. The larger lake in the center was the first Yule Lake I stumbled on earlier.

Steep ascent to Treasure Mountain.

View back. I came up from the center in this photo.

Much higher up, now just below the ridge, looking back.

Along the ridge, quick jaunt to Treasure Mountain.

Treasure Mountain summit, close-up toward Capitol, Snowmass, Maroon.

Treasure Mountain, close-up toward Maroon Peak.

Treasure Mountain, view west.

I left the Treasure Mountain summit and headed east along the ridge. Treasury Mountain visible on the left.

Close-up toward Treasury Mountain. My descent from the ridge would start at the minor saddle right of center in this photo.

Descending from the ridge. The first bit was steep and loose. This seems to be the more standard approach to reach Treasure Mountain, but I only used it as my descent so I could go see the Yule Lakes on the ascent.

Short Class 2 steep/loose section, then easy tundra.

View back up at the ridge.

No social trail, but east tundra walking. Eventually I plopped back onto the Yule Lakes social trail. Be careful not to descend too far!

After getting back to the Yule Pass Trail, I headed back toward my car along the trail. This is a shot from Yule Pass back the way I came.

Yule Pass, view toward the trailhead. I continued along the trail.

Close-up into the beautiful canyon on the south side of the trail.

Approaching the trailhead, Mount Baldy visible up there. I'll save that one for another day.

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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!