nathan.olds - May 31, 2024 2:00 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2024
It's steep, and also a lot of fun.
This was tough. After Ruxton Ave turns to dirt you will cross the to eastern side of the creek either using the metal maintenance bridge or natural rock bridge further down. The trail starts off the cog railway and is marked by small fences and railroad signs. As soon as the actual trail starts near the railway it’s straight up. The trail towards Magog is easy to follow and was covered in spiderwebs on the day I went. Near Magog the trail steepens and turns to straight scree. The trail continues to be easy to follow past Gog. Here you will find some ATV tracks, the one heading towards Cameron’s Cone will take you to the start of the trail. It’s important to follow the track until you see the trailhead on the right side, marked by a small cairn and red plastic stake by a survey marker. The trail here becomes hard to follow so be sure to pay close attention. Once you reach the final ascent the trail steepens significantly. I only spent a few minutes at the summit due to lightning strikes near by. If you have trekking poles, bring them.
kronshage3 - Apr 22, 2017 1:06 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2016
From Barr Trail Trailhead
Do not underestimate this climb. It is based almost entirely on social trails and your own route finding skills. This route gains elevation fast. Lost the "trail" on the way down and ended up in the Crystal Park neighborhood.
Foxfulness - Jun 6, 2016 7:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2016
Beautiful summer morning
Starting from Memorial Park in Manitou, 3 hours and 5 minutes to summit. I found the lower portion of the trail very simple to follow, but trickier further up beyond the 4 wheel road.
I bushwacked back down on the west side through the gully which is labeled as "Dark Canyon" on the Pikes Peak Atlas, and crossed the Cog at the "Manitou Halfway House." A solid trail connects from there to Barr Trail near No Name Creek, and went down on Barr. 1 hour and 58 minutes descent, even despite some rough bushwacking in Dark Canyon.
I don't know what possessed me to try this pretty tough mountain. It didn't start that way. I just headed straight up from Manitou Springs where I lived, hit the Northeast ridge of Eagle Mountain and kept going to the higher peak I could see ahead. I remember alot of loose rock and a few slips on the way up to the left of the cliffs of the peak. Got kind of skinned on that trip, but also remember what an accomplishment it seemed at the time. By reading some of the logs for this peak, it doesn't sound like it has gotten any easier with time:)
Kiefer - Oct 22, 2013 1:04 am Date Climbed: Oct 20, 2013
Snowy Day!
With Sarah!
Sarah Simon - Oct 20, 2013 8:28 pm Date Climbed: Oct 20, 2013
Northwest shoulder from Ruxton
As advertised, there was certainly route finding and steep going in ample quantities to this summit. Kiefer, Logan and I went with the flow and ended up on the NW shoulder. We were able to follow a footpath the entire way, but had to be vigilant at times to stay on track. I guess there are nice summit views...snowfall and clouds obscured all vistas at the top. Great day! Happy hour wine, cheese and chocolate fondue at Mona Lisa Wine Cellar afterward!!!
Natasha - May 16, 2013 12:15 pm Date Climbed: Apr 27, 2013
There is a trail!
Great day on Cameron Cone. Was confused down low and got on the wrong trail, but eventually found it before Magog Ridge and took it the whole way to the summit. Surprisingly, I met 3 others on the summit and hiked down with them. If you want specific info on how to get on the trail from the very start, PM me. - V
Brian Kalet - Jul 23, 2012 11:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2012
6 Peaks
With Rocky Peak, Mount Manitou, 10245, Marys Mountain & Sheep Mountain.
LivingColorado - Aug 10, 2011 7:24 pm Date Climbed: Apr 8, 2011
3rd Attempt and Summit at Last!
Had attempted this one a couple times before, but had to turn back shy of the summit for various reasons. This time there was nothing holding me back and I finally made it. I hiked it again a few weeks ago with some friends. Living in Crystal Park, I have this mountain pretty much in my backyard, which is very nice.
pyerger - Jun 13, 2011 11:16 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2011
Jones park route
Parked at the top of Helen Hunt falls. I hiked up the gully to Buckhorn trail, then over to bear creek trail to jones park.( quicker than Seven Bridges). Then I hiked past Louds cabin,
to the saddle between MT Garfield, and MT Arthur.Got up on the ridge, between Arthur, and Cameron cone, and took the ridge proper over to the summit. Lots of bushwacking, and boulder hopping along the ridge. Once you leave Jones park the trip becomes very remote. 7:45 round trip.
Incliner - Jan 4, 2010 8:46 pm Date Climbed: Jan 4, 2010
Trail?
Huge solo trip for January. Trail quality is poor until the trail disappears. Last 1800 was exposed rock scrambling and plowing through knee to waist deep snow. Seriously had doubts about finding a route to the summit that wouldn't require rope. Never was sure I was on the "right" ridge. Just kept heading up and eventually summited.
Beautiful rock formations and views. 4.25 hours up, 2.25 hours down. I think I am done with this one until late spring. Bring your route skills, this was my third attempt and I actually got lost at some point everytime including my succussful summit. Go with someone who knows the "way"..
hiflier41 - Nov 5, 2008 1:36 pm Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2008
A tough but rewarding summit
My friend and I hiked Cameron via the Elgleman Canyon/Northeast Slope yesterday. It was tough, and we didn't see a soul after leaving the Barr trail. We stopped quite a bit and the round trip took us 8 hours. The views from the summit were spectacular. We had to do a little bushwacking on the way up, but were able to maintain the trail the whole way down. We were tripped up on the way up by taking the frist trail we came to after crossing the cog tracks. Be sure to cross the tracks in the right spot, climb the canyon slope, and turn right on the SECOND obvious trail you come to, about 100 vertical feet above the tracks. The GPS waypoints were very helpful.
ksherwood - Aug 6, 2008 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2008
Southeast Flank - Possible bypass of Crystal Park
We climbed this yesterday in some pretty strong wind and rain which obscured the views but made for a great challenge... the Cone is definately a well-fortified peak and I agree with everyone about being able to route-find, regardless of your approach. You could spend hours climbing up and down for vantage points if you don't have a topo map. I live in Crystal Park so I was able to climb from there, HOWEVER, I did not climb from the forest service roads on the north side as mentioned in previous posts. I approached from the gentle valley at about 9,800 on the southeast side and then up the southern face. This is slightly longer but very pretty and I believe it is accessible from Section 16 via the Jones Park route. It is all forest service unless you follow the north-flowing creek DOWN the steep drainage, then you are entering Crystal Park (and will end up on on my deck, so don't do it :). If you're willing to bushwhack and climb instead of following the canyons and valleys, you could probably cut several miles off your trip, but it is a workout and should not be attempted by anyone but experienced hikers/backpackers.
Watch out for the angry yellowjackets that build their nests on the forest floor. There is also a black bear (family?) that lives in this valley so make sure you make plenty of noise to warn them of your approach.
Great hike! Plan to hike from my house one day through the Lions Den to Cripple Creek.
BeginnerClimber - Jul 1, 2008 10:50 am Date Climbed: Jun 1, 2008
Found the trail the whole way
Alright, here's the rule of the land up on Cameron Cone: STAY ON THE TRAIL! Go about 50 feet, look for the trail. If you can't find it, go back to where you were, and look harder. Cameron Cone is steep, you're going to booger up your hands and legs scrambling through the brush on the very thin trail, and you'll slip and fall quite a bit. However, if you get off trail, your day will be miserable. Another point: take your GPS and enter the points posted here on this site. They're a HUGE help.
Did it solo with my dog, and even though the mountain was VERY CHALLENGING, it was a great time. Much better than my 24 July 2005 hike where my friend and I were complete newbies. Also, I love hikes off the Barr Trail "superhighway" where you don't see anyone for hours. Great time.
OK I CAN MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR YOU!!! IF YOU NEED MORE GPS COORDINATES, I HAVE ABOUT 80 WAYPOINTS. JUST PM ME!
ElliottDavis - Feb 1, 2008 3:40 pm Date Climbed: Jan 27, 2008
Well, at least I made it: a cautionary tale.
Sigh. Some days you're a star and there are also other days. For all that it's close to town and not very high, this mountain has a few difficulties that can encourage the latter sort of day if you do what I did. Which you shouldn't.
12:40PM start; picked the wrong "trail" from the railroad tracks and scrambled along the side of Engelman Canyon; lost the trail to Gog & Magog and scrambled along the side of Engelman Canyon soem more; got tempted by what looked like mellow contours up towards Eagle Mtn and skipped the Gog & Magog route - footing wasn't great with no trail (duh); knee-deep windpacked snow on the ridge above Crystal Park; then a change of fortunes - found wind-scoured slopes above the ridge for easy walking, found the NE slopes trail; then the trail petered out; dogs got afraid occasionally scrambling up steep rocks and snow; left them for a few minutes to find the summit, and on reflection, I'll never leave them like that again because they were quite scared to be abandoned. Summited a bit before sunset and started zooming down; snow very handy for this. Losing the light, missed the Gog & Magog ridge (you might think it would be impossible to miss, but twilight changed things quite a bit) and went down about halfway between Gog and Eagle Mtn - into large rocks and dense brush that one typically finds in the bottom of a ravine.
Pick any three lessons you like from this (mis)adventure. Oh, and I left my phone at home so I couldn't tell my wife that we'd be late getting back. On the plus side, went up and back in 6:40, so I felt studly, considering the conditions. So I'm a blundering stud - oh, brother. =P
Note to anyone ending up in the same ravine between Gog and Eagle Mt.... it's famous in CP for Mountain Lions. My neighbor's dog won't even go into it.
Route Climbed: Englemann Canyon/Southeast Slope Date Climbed: November 26, 2005
This is really a fun hike. I had some trouble finding the trail on the way up, but I found it on the way down. There is a great trail going the whole way - if you can find it! The mountain is steeper and more eroded than it appears from a distance.
Route Climbed: Englemann Canyon / Southeast Slope Date Climbed: November 12, 2005
This was a tough one as advertised. Beautiful day other than the gusts on Magog Ridge that brought me to my knees a few times. I was definitely glad that I brought my GPS - made the descent much easier. Cameron Cone definitely has unique views.
nathan.olds - May 31, 2024 2:00 pm Date Climbed: May 28, 2024
It's steep, and also a lot of fun.This was tough. After Ruxton Ave turns to dirt you will cross the to eastern side of the creek either using the metal maintenance bridge or natural rock bridge further down. The trail starts off the cog railway and is marked by small fences and railroad signs. As soon as the actual trail starts near the railway it’s straight up. The trail towards Magog is easy to follow and was covered in spiderwebs on the day I went. Near Magog the trail steepens and turns to straight scree. The trail continues to be easy to follow past Gog. Here you will find some ATV tracks, the one heading towards Cameron’s Cone will take you to the start of the trail. It’s important to follow the track until you see the trailhead on the right side, marked by a small cairn and red plastic stake by a survey marker. The trail here becomes hard to follow so be sure to pay close attention. Once you reach the final ascent the trail steepens significantly. I only spent a few minutes at the summit due to lightning strikes near by. If you have trekking poles, bring them.
kronshage3 - Apr 22, 2017 1:06 pm Date Climbed: Jun 7, 2016
From Barr Trail TrailheadDo not underestimate this climb. It is based almost entirely on social trails and your own route finding skills. This route gains elevation fast. Lost the "trail" on the way down and ended up in the Crystal Park neighborhood.
Foxfulness - Jun 6, 2016 7:21 pm Date Climbed: Jun 5, 2016
Beautiful summer morningStarting from Memorial Park in Manitou, 3 hours and 5 minutes to summit. I found the lower portion of the trail very simple to follow, but trickier further up beyond the 4 wheel road.
I bushwacked back down on the west side through the gully which is labeled as "Dark Canyon" on the Pikes Peak Atlas, and crossed the Cog at the "Manitou Halfway House." A solid trail connects from there to Barr Trail near No Name Creek, and went down on Barr. 1 hour and 58 minutes descent, even despite some rough bushwacking in Dark Canyon.
dino61111 - Jan 31, 2015 2:51 pm
First mountain ever climbedI don't know what possessed me to try this pretty tough mountain. It didn't start that way. I just headed straight up from Manitou Springs where I lived, hit the Northeast ridge of Eagle Mountain and kept going to the higher peak I could see ahead. I remember alot of loose rock and a few slips on the way up to the left of the cliffs of the peak. Got kind of skinned on that trip, but also remember what an accomplishment it seemed at the time. By reading some of the logs for this peak, it doesn't sound like it has gotten any easier with time:)
Kiefer - Oct 22, 2013 1:04 am Date Climbed: Oct 20, 2013
Snowy Day!With Sarah!
Sarah Simon - Oct 20, 2013 8:28 pm Date Climbed: Oct 20, 2013
Northwest shoulder from RuxtonAs advertised, there was certainly route finding and steep going in ample quantities to this summit. Kiefer, Logan and I went with the flow and ended up on the NW shoulder. We were able to follow a footpath the entire way, but had to be vigilant at times to stay on track. I guess there are nice summit views...snowfall and clouds obscured all vistas at the top. Great day! Happy hour wine, cheese and chocolate fondue at Mona Lisa Wine Cellar afterward!!!
Natasha - May 16, 2013 12:15 pm Date Climbed: Apr 27, 2013
There is a trail!Great day on Cameron Cone. Was confused down low and got on the wrong trail, but eventually found it before Magog Ridge and took it the whole way to the summit. Surprisingly, I met 3 others on the summit and hiked down with them. If you want specific info on how to get on the trail from the very start, PM me. - V
Brian Kalet - Jul 23, 2012 11:17 am Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2012
6 PeaksWith Rocky Peak, Mount Manitou, 10245, Marys Mountain & Sheep Mountain.
LivingColorado - Aug 10, 2011 7:24 pm Date Climbed: Apr 8, 2011
3rd Attempt and Summit at Last!Had attempted this one a couple times before, but had to turn back shy of the summit for various reasons. This time there was nothing holding me back and I finally made it. I hiked it again a few weeks ago with some friends. Living in Crystal Park, I have this mountain pretty much in my backyard, which is very nice.
pyerger - Jun 13, 2011 11:16 am Date Climbed: Jun 11, 2011
Jones park routeParked at the top of Helen Hunt falls. I hiked up the gully to Buckhorn trail, then over to bear creek trail to jones park.( quicker than Seven Bridges). Then I hiked past Louds cabin,
to the saddle between MT Garfield, and MT Arthur.Got up on the ridge, between Arthur, and Cameron cone, and took the ridge proper over to the summit. Lots of bushwacking, and boulder hopping along the ridge. Once you leave Jones park the trip becomes very remote. 7:45 round trip.
Incliner - Jan 4, 2010 8:46 pm Date Climbed: Jan 4, 2010
Trail?Huge solo trip for January. Trail quality is poor until the trail disappears. Last 1800 was exposed rock scrambling and plowing through knee to waist deep snow. Seriously had doubts about finding a route to the summit that wouldn't require rope. Never was sure I was on the "right" ridge. Just kept heading up and eventually summited.
Beautiful rock formations and views. 4.25 hours up, 2.25 hours down. I think I am done with this one until late spring. Bring your route skills, this was my third attempt and I actually got lost at some point everytime including my succussful summit. Go with someone who knows the "way"..
hiflier41 - Nov 5, 2008 1:36 pm Date Climbed: Nov 4, 2008
A tough but rewarding summitMy friend and I hiked Cameron via the Elgleman Canyon/Northeast Slope yesterday. It was tough, and we didn't see a soul after leaving the Barr trail. We stopped quite a bit and the round trip took us 8 hours. The views from the summit were spectacular. We had to do a little bushwacking on the way up, but were able to maintain the trail the whole way down. We were tripped up on the way up by taking the frist trail we came to after crossing the cog tracks. Be sure to cross the tracks in the right spot, climb the canyon slope, and turn right on the SECOND obvious trail you come to, about 100 vertical feet above the tracks. The GPS waypoints were very helpful.
ksherwood - Aug 6, 2008 12:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2008
Southeast Flank - Possible bypass of Crystal ParkWe climbed this yesterday in some pretty strong wind and rain which obscured the views but made for a great challenge... the Cone is definately a well-fortified peak and I agree with everyone about being able to route-find, regardless of your approach. You could spend hours climbing up and down for vantage points if you don't have a topo map. I live in Crystal Park so I was able to climb from there, HOWEVER, I did not climb from the forest service roads on the north side as mentioned in previous posts. I approached from the gentle valley at about 9,800 on the southeast side and then up the southern face. This is slightly longer but very pretty and I believe it is accessible from Section 16 via the Jones Park route. It is all forest service unless you follow the north-flowing creek DOWN the steep drainage, then you are entering Crystal Park (and will end up on on my deck, so don't do it :). If you're willing to bushwhack and climb instead of following the canyons and valleys, you could probably cut several miles off your trip, but it is a workout and should not be attempted by anyone but experienced hikers/backpackers.
Watch out for the angry yellowjackets that build their nests on the forest floor. There is also a black bear (family?) that lives in this valley so make sure you make plenty of noise to warn them of your approach.
Great hike! Plan to hike from my house one day through the Lions Den to Cripple Creek.
BeginnerClimber - Jul 1, 2008 10:50 am Date Climbed: Jun 1, 2008
Found the trail the whole wayAlright, here's the rule of the land up on Cameron Cone: STAY ON THE TRAIL! Go about 50 feet, look for the trail. If you can't find it, go back to where you were, and look harder. Cameron Cone is steep, you're going to booger up your hands and legs scrambling through the brush on the very thin trail, and you'll slip and fall quite a bit. However, if you get off trail, your day will be miserable. Another point: take your GPS and enter the points posted here on this site. They're a HUGE help.
Did it solo with my dog, and even though the mountain was VERY CHALLENGING, it was a great time. Much better than my 24 July 2005 hike where my friend and I were complete newbies. Also, I love hikes off the Barr Trail "superhighway" where you don't see anyone for hours. Great time.
OK I CAN MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR YOU!!! IF YOU NEED MORE GPS COORDINATES, I HAVE ABOUT 80 WAYPOINTS. JUST PM ME!
ElliottDavis - Feb 1, 2008 3:40 pm Date Climbed: Jan 27, 2008
Well, at least I made it: a cautionary tale.Sigh. Some days you're a star and there are also other days. For all that it's close to town and not very high, this mountain has a few difficulties that can encourage the latter sort of day if you do what I did. Which you shouldn't.
12:40PM start; picked the wrong "trail" from the railroad tracks and scrambled along the side of Engelman Canyon; lost the trail to Gog & Magog and scrambled along the side of Engelman Canyon soem more; got tempted by what looked like mellow contours up towards Eagle Mtn and skipped the Gog & Magog route - footing wasn't great with no trail (duh); knee-deep windpacked snow on the ridge above Crystal Park; then a change of fortunes - found wind-scoured slopes above the ridge for easy walking, found the NE slopes trail; then the trail petered out; dogs got afraid occasionally scrambling up steep rocks and snow; left them for a few minutes to find the summit, and on reflection, I'll never leave them like that again because they were quite scared to be abandoned. Summited a bit before sunset and started zooming down; snow very handy for this. Losing the light, missed the Gog & Magog ridge (you might think it would be impossible to miss, but twilight changed things quite a bit) and went down about halfway between Gog and Eagle Mtn - into large rocks and dense brush that one typically finds in the bottom of a ravine.
Pick any three lessons you like from this (mis)adventure. Oh, and I left my phone at home so I couldn't tell my wife that we'd be late getting back. On the plus side, went up and back in 6:40, so I felt studly, considering the conditions. So I'm a blundering stud - oh, brother. =P
ksherwood - Aug 6, 2008 12:30 pm
Re: Well, at least I made it: a cautionary tale.Note to anyone ending up in the same ravine between Gog and Eagle Mt.... it's famous in CP for Mountain Lions. My neighbor's dog won't even go into it.
cftbq - Jul 22, 2007 6:06 pm Date Climbed: Jul 22, 2007
via Jones ParkDid a bunch of bushwhacking and route finding to get to this summit from the south. A beautiful, sunny day!
pittbrownie - Apr 9, 2006 2:18 am Date Climbed: Apr 8, 2006
Cameron ConeMy first peak! Much easier going up then down.
Mike Mc - Nov 28, 2005 1:43 am
Route Climbed: Englemann Canyon/Southeast Slope Date Climbed: November 26, 2005This is really a fun hike. I had some trouble finding the trail on the way up, but I found it on the way down. There is a great trail going the whole way - if you can find it! The mountain is steeper and more eroded than it appears from a distance.
csmcgranahan - Nov 12, 2005 6:46 pm
Route Climbed: Englemann Canyon / Southeast Slope Date Climbed: November 12, 2005This was a tough one as advertised. Beautiful day other than the gusts on Magog Ridge that brought me to my knees a few times. I was definitely glad that I brought my GPS - made the descent much easier. Cameron Cone definitely has unique views.