Ellingwood Point is a challenging 14er on the Blanca Massif in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Rising dramatically from the San Luis Valley below, it’s one of four 14ers in the area, along with Blanca Peak, Little Bear Peak, and Mount Lindsey. Most people climb to the summit from Lake Como on the South Face route, the easiest way up. Even so, Ellingwood is one of the most challenging Class 2 14ers in the state, thanks to its length, elevation gain, tricky route-finding, and long drive from Denver. The effort is worth it. The views are spectacular, and you’re unlikely to share the summit with more than a few other people.
Many climbers pair Ellingwood with its taller neighbor, so if you’re thinking about doing both, read my Blanca Peak route guide too. Learn what you need to know to reach the summit safely below in my Ellingwood Point hiking guide.
These peaks can be unpredictable and dangerous. Help is often hours or days away: your safety is primarily your responsibility. Prepare for your trek, understand your limits, be aware of the risks, and equip yourself with the necessary skills and gear.
The South Face route follows Lake Como Road to Lake Como (about 11,750 feet) and shares the Blanca Peak trail past the Blue Lakes and Crater Lake. Near 13,400 feet, it leaves Blanca’s trail and crosses Ellingwood’s south face to the summit ridge. There’s no single trailhead. You drive as far up the road as your vehicle can safely go, park, and walk from there.
Most people turn this into a two-day trip, and that’s what I’d recommend. You’ll hike to Lake Como, camp, and start for the summit before dawn the next day.
Start hiking Ellingwood Point by driving up Lake Como Road as far as your vehicle can safely go. From there, it’s a long, steep walk on loose, rounded rock past the old cabins of Commodore Camp and the rocky obstacles called the Jaws. You can read my Lake Como approach guide here.
After you reach Lake Como, follow the old road around the lake and up through the last of the forest. You’ll reach treeline near 12,000 feet. The road ends near the Blue Lakes, at about 12,200 feet, and a trail begins.
Your next goal is to climb a series of switchbacks next to a waterfall. Staying left of the falls, the trail gains about 300 feet up the rock wall. This section still has a good trail, but the scrambling begins soon. Above it, pass a small lake near 12,600 feet on its right side, then another near 12,650 feet, and round a corner to Crater Lake, at about 12,800 feet.
As you near the end of the basin, you’ll face another headwall near 13,000 feet with a series of rock ledges. Follow the trail through the talus (fields of large, loose rocks) to its base, swing right, and zigzag up through the ledges. The trail gets faint in places, but you’ll find plenty of cairns (small piles of rocks that mark the route) to help guide you through this section. Near 13,300 feet, turn left as you approach the top of the headwall.
Just above 13,400 feet, you’ll reach a corner with a couple of cairns. This is the hard left where you leave the Blanca Peak route. Blanca’s trail continues up to the right, and the fainter Ellingwood trail heads left. Mark this junction on your GPS or phone app, because you’ll need to find it again on the way down. There’s a large mining hole just ahead of you and a little higher, below the ridge, with light-colored rock below its entrance. Watch for it to help guide you. The route traverses left, below the mine opening. Don’t go inside.
Follow trail segments and cairns across Ellingwood’s south face, passing below the steep, broken ridge that connects Ellingwood and Blanca. Near 13,500 feet, the terrain eases a bit. Continue a little farther onto the face, then turn right and climb straight toward the ridge, aiming for a notch that gets more obvious as you go. Follow the cairns carefully here. Wandering off the cairned line puts you on steeper, looser rock.
The ridge below Ellingwood, at the 13,800-foot notch, is a good spot to check the weather before you climb the final stretch to the summit. It’s close, but it’s a solid scramble from here on, so things slow down a bit. Turn left and follow the ridge crest. A few hundred feet below the summit, you’ll see large ledges and blocks along the ridge. Sticking to the cairned route will help you avoid the worst of them. At the top, you’ll go over a false summit, then drop down to cross a notch before regaining the summit proper above you. Take your time making this final move!
On the peak, enjoy your accomplishment! Have a snack and water, and turn back with plenty of time to reach treeline before afternoon storms. You’ll return to the 13,800-foot notch, then reverse your route across the south face to the Blanca trail near 13,400 feet. Go slowly and keep looking for cairns. In July 2024, a hiker who got off route on the way down needed a helicopter rescue. If you’re comfortable with Class 3 and the weather’s stable, you can traverse to Blanca from the notch instead, but read up on that combination first. Safe travels on the trail, and good luck hiking Ellingwood Point!
Those hiking Ellingwood Point should always bring a map. I recommend downloading one to your phone and printing a paper backup in case anything happens to your electronics while you’re hiking. For a detailed route line and photos, see the 14ers.com South Face route page. Ellingwood shares its route with Blanca up to about 13,400 feet, so the map and elevation profile on my Blanca Peak guide are helpful too.
These photos show Lake Como Road, Lake Como, the shared base camp for Ellingwood and Blanca, and the upper basin and snowfields on the way to the ridge.
Conditions on Ellingwood Point vary a lot through the year. Snow often lingers on the headwalls above Lake Como into early summer, the upper route can ice up in fall, and Lake Como Road gets snowed in during winter. Check these sources before you go:
Back from a climb? Post a conditions report on 14ers.com. It helps the next person plan.
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It’s important to check the weather forecast before hiking Ellingwood Point, several times in the days before and again the night before. Afternoon thunderstorms are common over the Blanca Massif in July and August, and you’ll be on an exposed face and ridge far from shelter. Aim to summit by late morning so you’re heading down before storms build.
In July 2024, severe afternoon storms over the massif kept a rescue helicopter from reaching an injured hiker on Ellingwood, and he spent the night on the mountain. Read my lightning safety tips for 14ers before your trip.
Ellingwood Point’s standard route starts on Lake Como Road, off Colorado 150 north of US 160. There’s no formal trailhead and no restrooms or water. Most people drive as far up the road as they’re comfortable, park on the side, and walk the rest. That’s normal here.
Directions:
The road: Most cars can drive about 1.5 miles up before it gets rough, and most 2WD vehicles park around 8,000 feet. 4WD SUVs and trucks can usually crawl about 3.25 miles to several pull-offs near 8,800 feet. That’s a popular parking spot, and it puts you within about 4 miles of Lake Como. Small, high-clearance 4WD vehicles sometimes reach pull-offs near 9,900 to 10,000 feet, but there’s very little parking up there, and 2026 road reports on 14ers.com describe the truly difficult obstacles starting above about 9,900 feet. Only ATVs, UTVs, and heavily modified rigs with skilled drivers make it to the lake. Wherever you stop, pull fully off the road so you aren’t blocking other drivers or a rescue vehicle.
Don’t try to drive to the lake unless you have serious 4WD experience and a vehicle built for it. Rollovers on this road have killed and injured people over the years. In September 2022, a driver died after a rollover near the Jaws 2 obstacle (Out There Colorado). Check recent road reports on the 14ers.com Lake Como trailhead page before you go, and see my Lake Como Road hiking guide for more on the approach.
Travel safety: Most routes into the San Luis Valley cross high mountain passes on narrow, winding roads, and conditions vary a lot with the weather, especially in the shoulder seasons and winter. Check COtrip for road conditions, and carry extra clothing and supplies.
Climbing any of Colorado’s high peaks requires careful preparation and the right gear to ensure safety and enjoyment. Here’s a comprehensive gear list for this climb:
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Here are some specific items I recommend bringing with you to tackle this route:
Check out my complete 14er packing list here to make sure you bring everything you need to succeed and stay safe.
The right map for this peak:
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For Ellingwood, I’d add a helmet. 14ers.com rates the rockfall risk on this route as considerable, and you’ll often have other parties above you on the headwalls. Early in the season, microspikes and trekking poles help on the snow above Lake Como. Here’s my guide to the best microspikes for 14ers.
Most people climbing Ellingwood camp at Lake Como or along the lower part of Lake Como Road. Both are free and first-come, first-served, and neither has toilets or water.
Along Lake Como Road
At Lake Como
Campgrounds
Learn more about dispersed camping near 14ers.
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Alamosa is the best base if you’d like a bed before or after your trip. It’s the largest town in the San Luis Valley, with hotels, motels, restaurants, and gas, and it’s about 30 minutes from the bottom of Lake Como Road. The small towns of Blanca and Fort Garland are closer and have a few services. You’ll also find cabins and vacation rentals around the valley.
If you’re climbing from a camp at Lake Como, you’ll probably only need a bed the night before you hike in or after you come out. The valley floor sits above 7,500 feet, so spending a night there also helps you adjust to the altitude.
With more and more people visiting Colorado and heading outdoors with each passing season, it is more important than ever to recreate responsibly by using Leave No Trace practices on this peak. Here are the LNT 7 Principles and some relevant tips:
By following these principles, you can ensure your hiking and camping adventures are environmentally-conscious and preserve the natural beauty of the great outdoors for future adventurers.
Check out these 50+ Leave No Trace tips for more information and to learn more.
The Lake Como basin gets heavy use from hikers, backpackers, and off-road drivers, and the narrow canyon is short on campsites and firewood. Camp only in established sites, keep at least 150 feet from water, and use a stove. Above the Blanca trail junction, the Ellingwood route is faint, and it’s easy to wander. Follow the cairns and existing trail segments so you don’t add new paths across the fragile alpine slopes. The mine openings and the cabins at Commodore Camp are pieces of the area’s history. Please leave them as you found them.
There are more than 3,000 search and rescue missions in Colorado every year. Don’t become one of them!
Follow these tried-and-true practices to mitigate your risk on this climb and improve your odds of making it back to the trailhead safely.
By following these safety tips, you can significantly reduce the risks associated with a high peak like this one and have a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Learn more by reviewing my complete mountain safety guide.
Ellingwood’s main hazards are route-finding above the Blanca junction, loose rock on the south face, afternoon storms, and the length of the day. A few Ellingwood-specific things to know:
If the weather turns or you’re running late, turn around. The summit will still be there next time.
No permits, passes, reservations, or fees are needed to climb Ellingwood Point in 2026. Please follow Leave No Trace practices and recreate responsibly to help keep it that way.
Lake Como Road starts on BLM land and private parcels and then enters the Rio Grande National Forest. The Forest Service describes the Blanca group as sitting just south of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, and its boundary map runs the wilderness line right across Ellingwood’s summit, with the wilderness to the west and northwest. Ellingwood’s summit sits on the divide between the Rio Grande National Forest (Alamosa County) to the south and the San Isabel National Forest (Huerfano County) to the north. The standard route from Lake Como stays outside the wilderness until the summit, but if you head west or northwest from the top, wilderness rules apply. Here’s what you’ll need to follow while hiking or camping in the area:
Fire restrictions change through the season. Check the Rio Grande National Forest alerts page and the BLM San Luis Valley Field Office before you go.
Ellingwood Point stands 14,057 feet tall by the LiDAR figure 14ers.com uses. Older USGS maps list 14,042 feet, and 2024 National Geodetic Survey data puts it at 14,054.9 feet. 14ers.com ranks it 40th among Colorado’s ranked 14ers. The summit shares a ridge with the slightly taller Blanca Peak, about half a mile away, and it’s also close to Mount Lindsey and Little Bear Peak. Read more about the updated elevations for Colorado’s 14ers.
Ellingwood has only about 374 feet of prominence (how far a summit rises above the lowest saddle connecting it to a higher peak). That’s just over the 300-foot cutoff Colorado uses to count a separate peak, so its spot on 14er lists has been debated. It’s counted by most authorities, including 14ers.com.
Ellingwood Point is named after Albert Ellingwood, an early pioneer of technical climbing in Colorado who made many first ascents of the state’s high peaks. His American Alpine Journal obituary doesn’t mention this summit, but it lists two climbs right next door: Blanca by its east face and north ridge in 1916, and Little Bear by its west ridge in 1925. You’ll sometimes see it called Ellingwood Peak, and the federal Geographic Names Information System lists the name Ellingwood Point with a 1972 date.
The area around Ellingwood Point and Blanca Peak was heavily mined and prospected in the late 1800s. Lake Como Road began as a supply route for miners, and mule trains carried ore down to the San Luis Valley. Today you’ll pass mining relics, cabins, and old prospecting holes along the way, reminders of a bygone era.
Ellingwood Point, the pointed summit on the ridge, seen from the Blanca side in summer and in early-season snow.
Use these resources to keep planning your Ellingwood Point climb:
Ellingwood Point is 14,057 feet tall by LiDAR, the figure most climbers use today. Older USGS maps list 14,042 feet, and 2024 National Geodetic Survey data puts it at 14,054.9 feet.
About 17 miles round trip with 6,200 feet of gain from the 2WD parking near 8,000 feet on Lake Como Road. From the 4WD pull-offs near 8,800 feet, it’s about 14.25 miles. Most people camp at Lake Como, which cuts summit day to about 6 miles round trip.
Yes, if you’re comfortable with Class 3. A common plan is to climb Ellingwood first, return to its 13,800-foot notch, then traverse below the connecting ridge to join Blanca’s standard route. 14ers.com rates that combination Class 3, at about 18 miles and 6,800 feet of gain from the 2WD parking. See my Blanca Peak guide.
Yes. It’s rated difficult Class 2, with considerable exposure and rockfall and route-finding that gets tricky after you leave the Blanca trail. The length and gain add to the challenge. I wouldn’t pick it as a first 14er. Start with an easier peak, then work up to Ellingwood.
Most lists count it. It has about 374 feet of prominence, just over the 300-foot standard Colorado uses, so some people have questioned it over the years.
Not unless you’ve got a heavily modified off-road vehicle, an ATV, or a UTV, plus a skilled driver. Most 2WD cars park around 8,000 feet, and stock 4WD vehicles usually stop near 8,800 feet.
No. No permit, pass, reservation, or fee is needed in 2026. Respect private property along the lower road and follow Rio Grande National Forest rules.
I wouldn’t. The upper route is sharp, loose rock and ledges that are hard on paws and joints, and the day is long. If you bring a dog on the lower road or to Lake Como, keep it under control and pack plenty of water.
Notice: The material presented in this route guide may not be comprehensive or precise and should not be solely relied upon when planning your climb. Inadequate experience, physical fitness, supplies, or equipment may result in injury or fatality.
The Next Summit and the author(s) of this hiking guide offer no guarantees, neither explicit nor implied, regarding the accuracy or dependability of the information provided.
By utilizing the information herein, you agree to indemnify and absolve The Next Summit and the hiking guide author(s) from any claims and demands against them, including any legal fees and expenses.
Alex Derr 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.
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