Mt. Crested Butte: Guide's Ridge Technical Summit Route

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This hike gives you some Class 1 uphill hiking till you reach the Guide's Ridge, where you'll experience mixed terrain that is mostly Class 3 and 4 but does have some exposed Class 5 moves before reaching the summit and phenomenal views at the top of Mt Crested Butte. Experience is a prerequisite for this hike.

Guide's Ridge is rated Class 5, so that means some climbing moves and some exposure (more detail on terrain difficulty classes here: coloradomountaineering.com/…). If you're experienced and want to do this route, I recommend a helmet for any potential rock fall. You can rope up if you want, but it's not necessary. The ridge is pretty short distance wise, but it has some very fun, exposed moves.

Park in the free public parking at the Mount Crested Butte Resort.

How you get up to the Silver Queen lift is your choice. You can either take the service road that winds all the way up; it is the longer but less steep option. Another option is to take some of the mountain bike trails up and combine road and trail. These are more steep, but they cut down the mileage. A third option, if in season, is to just pay and take the lift up.

To the right of the Silver Queen lift, there's a small trail through the woods that takes you to the start of the route. Cross some rocks and then look to get on the ridge. If you see a stick poking up on the ridge pretty much straight across from the trail, this is an ideal place to start the climb.

There is a lot of really neat rock on the ridge. Choose a fun, but safe way to ascend. You can see a trail in many spots but sometimes you need to determine the best way to go forward.

There are a few exposed Class 5 (technical climbing, explained in more detail here: coloradomountaineering.com/…) moves on the ridge, but if you're a confident climber, they won't be an issue for you. Most of the route is a mix between 3rd and 4th Class.

The views along the ridge and at the summit of the town of Crested Butte and the hills and valleys surrounding it in every direction are pretty phenomenal.

After the summit (12,162'), head down the standard route which is Class 2 at first and then eventually Class 1 as you walk into the forest and back down to the lift.

If the lift is running, you can take it down for free, or just hike down back to your car.

For round trip totals you're looking at almost 7 miles and 3,300' of elevation.