Hiking Conundrum Peak | 14er Route Info, Map & Advice
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 Conundrum Peak is a fantastic adventure. Many people choose not to climb it, as it doesn’t meet the 300-foot prominence rule to be considered an officially ranked peak. Nevertheless, it’s a great fourteener that’s often included as it has an official name. This Conundrum Peak Route Guide is for the easiest way of the mountain, though alternatives do exist to summit both peaks in one day. This is not an easy mountain, though it is the easiest Elk Mountains 14er. Take your time and prepare well with my Conundrum Peak Route Guide and other sources.
NEW TO 14ERS? CHECK OUT MY BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR A SAFE FIRST SUMMIT!
Hiking Conundrum Peak: Fast Facts
- Standard Route: South Ridge
- Trailhead: Castle Creek
- Elevation Gain: 4,400 feet
- Round-Trip Distance: 13.5 Miles
- Difficulty Level: Class 2+ Scramble
- Range: Elk Mountains
Hiking Conundrum Peak - South Ridge 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.
If you have a 4WD vehicle available, make sure you use it to drive to Conundrum Peak. You can shave off a significant portion of the hike if you can reach the end of this rough mining road.
You should also take some time to visit 14ers.com and read through their route description. It is the best resource available to train and prepare for this ascent.
My Conundrum Peak Route Guide includes this topographical map of the trail and region. 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 your trip. 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 Conundrum Peak
NOAA Forecast for Conundrum Peak
Hiking & climbing 14ers 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 14ERS? CHECK OUT MY BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR A SAFE FIRST SUMMIT!
Hiking, scrambling and climbing up Colorado’s high peaks are inherently high-risk, dangerous activities. There is a significant risk of injury or death, even with proper planning and experience. Those using my Conundrum Peak 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.
