July 18, 2023
Hoosier Ridge | 13,352 feet
Route: from Hoosier Pass
9.5 miles; 3000 feet elevation gain
Total time: 5 hours 30 minutes
Hidden gem 13ers are my favorite mountains to climb because of their beauty and solitude. This mountain isn't on AllTrails and at first glance most people will think I am writing about the popular and easy loop off Hoosier Pass. This mountain sits off the other side of Hoosier Pass along with a few other 13ers.
We started at 6am and were shockingly the first car in the Hoosier Pass parking lot. This hike is very straightforward but there is a downloadable .gpx file on 14ers.com that I recommend downloading for safety. Your first 0.75 miles are on a road, after that you will take a sharp right and head directly up. There is no trail to follow but the objective is clear. There is often moose on the first mile of this hike hiding in the willows so be aware of your surroundings especially with dogs. Once you reach the top of the first ascent you can see the rest of your hike and a few false summits. It is an undulating ridgeline hike to the summit with stunning views of the Mosquito Range the entire way. There is a trail for some of the way but it is often faint. This hike is mostly tundra hiking with a few small talus fields around each false summit. There are a few snow fields remaining on the east side of the ridge but no snow that crosses the route. The wildflowers are currently at their prime covering the entire trail and mountainside.
We headed back the way we came after this summit but there are two other 13ers nearby that would be very easy to add one, Red Peak A & Red Mountain C. We only saw one other person on this route today, it was incredible!!
Hike Details:
Trailhead: accessible in any car; paved road to the top of Hoosier Pass.
Camping: no available camping.
Fees & Reservations: none.
Bathrooms: no bathrooms at the trailhead.
Trash: no garbage at the trailhead.
Dog-friendly: this route is dog friendly.
Recent Conditions: see 14ers.com peak conditions.
Forecast: mountain-forecast.com (nearest peak forecast).
Comments