Hiking Mount Edwards | Free 13er Route Info
- Alex Derr
- December 15, 2020
- 4:19 am
- No Comments
Please Follow Leave No Trace Ethics!
This area is increasingly popular and experiencing heavy impacts from public use. Please stay on the designated trail, pack out trash, practice good trail etiquette, and leave pets at home. Click here to learn more.
Hiking Mount Edwards, one of Colorado’s 100 tallest, or “centennial peaks” is an easy day trip close to Denver. You’ll need a 4WD vehicle with good clearance to get you to the Waldorf mine area (see the google map below). Once there, you’ll likely be alone on the mountain, as this 13er gets few visitors, unlike its 14er neighbors Grays and Torreys further along the ridge. You can add on McClellan Mountain just down the ridge in the other direction to get two 13ers in one climb. Plan your visit with my Mount Edwards route guide below.
NEW TO 13ERS? CHECK OUT MY BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR A SAFE FIRST SUMMIT!
Hiking Mount Edwards: Fast Facts
- Standard Route: East Slopes
- Trailhead: Waldorf Mines
- Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet
- Round-Trip Distance: 4.5 Miles
- Difficulty Level: Class 2 Scramble
- Range: Front Range
Hiking Mount Edwards - East Slopes Route
Remember Mountain Safety Best Practices!
14ers can be dangerous due to altitude sickness, lightning, variable weather conditions, loose rock, and exposure. If you are new to hiking and climbing 14ers, click here and take a minute to review our safety tips and advice.
You need a 4WD vehicle with good clearance to make it to this trailhead if plan on hiking Mount Edwards. Choose an alternative route or peak if you don’t have one. This is a long, slow road to approach the Waldorf Mine, take your time, and stay safe. Once you reach it, park and take a look at McClellan Mountain above you, Edwards lies just beyond.
Walk southwest along the road leading to Argentine Pass, until you come to a creek after a quarter-mile. Take a right here and follow the creek into a basin below Mt Edwards. This is how you’ll reach and climb the east slopes.
Head deeper into the basin and start to climb towards the rich, following the creek bottom. Reach steeper terrain above 12,300 feet. Without a trail, angle to the right and pick a line to reach the ridge. It gets steep but does not exceed class 2 scrambling. Reach the saddle near 13,400 feet between Edwards and McClellan.
Take a right and continue along the ridge to reach the summit of Mt Edwards. While steeper than the ascent up to the saddle, it is still only class 2. Gain the summit and enjoy the views from the top.
Once you make it to the tip, enjoy your accomplishment and the views of Grays and Torreys Peak to the west. Be sure you descend with plenty of time to reach the treeline before afternoon thunderstorms become a hazard. I hope you found my Mount Edwards route guide helpful and informative for planning your next trip. Safe travels on the trails and good luck hiking Mount Edwards.
If you plan on hiking Mount Edwards, you will need a good topographical map. You can download this map on your phone or print out a copy to bring with you on your climb. Always bring some hardcopy map in case your digital version fails or breaks.
Use these two sources to check the weather conditions before hiking Mount Edwards. Consider the temperature high and low, wind speed, precipitation, and whether there are any storm systems on the horizon to be aware of. No Conundrum Peak Route Guide is complete without weather forecasts.
Mountain Forecast for Mt Edwards
Hiking Mount Edwards is an inherently high-risk activity – use my Windom Peak route guide at your own risk, and use the following best practices to help keep yourself safe.
- Bring the Ten Essentials and the knowledge/skill to use them.
- Leave your plans with someone back home along with a detailed itinerary.
- Start early, and end early: Be back at tree line by noon to avoid lightning.
- Check the weather forecast and stay home during inclement weather.
- Research your route and bring a compass & topographic map.
NEW TO 13ERS? CHECK OUT MY BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR A SAFE FIRST SUMMIT!
Hiking Mount Edwards is an inherently high-risk, dangerous activity. There is a significant risk of injury or death, even with proper planning and experience. Those using my Mt Edwards Route Guide accept all risks associated with climbing 14ers and do not hold this website or any information they obtain from it liable for any accidents or injuries that occur while engaging in these activities on Colorado’s high peaks. It is each hiker or climber’s responsibility to research their route carefully, bring the ten essentials, and practice other safe practices, though even these precautions do not eliminate risk and danger. Visit these summits at your own risk.
Alex is an Eagle Scout, climber, and environmental policy expert located in Denver, Colorado. He created The Next Summit to help others stay safe exploring the mountains and advocate to preserve the peaks for the future. Follow him on Linkedin or Twitter or click here to contact him.
