Climbed it today from Middle St Vrain, left car at 7 AM, hoping to get to Ogalalla but clouds looked bad when I summited at 11 AM so I stuck with just Elk's Tooth. I tried biking the 4WD road, and it is super rough even for a mountain bike. Took me 1 hour to bike up, 35 min down. Saw lots of jeeps, and later in the day lots of ATV buggies. It's a super serious road and very actively used for recreational 4WD. I don't know if you can drive to Coney Flats trailhead these days, but if you can, that's a much better way to start this hike (or try the Wild Basin side?)
The actual trail is pleasant, not very steep for the first 4 miles, with great meadows. Not high-use, so a handful of places you have to hunt for the trail. A few stream crossings that required a bit of thinking (no bridges). The gully had only a bit of snow in it (late July), and it was OK to kick steps in with ice axe and shoes but not fun, and the non-snow part wasn't very fun either (scree). You can avoid the snow if you want (I did on the descent). Once on the ridge, the climb redeems itself. Saw about 5-10 people sign the summit register every year, usually July -- September dates.
kkriley19 - Aug 12, 2013 1:13 am Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2012
Big Day
Long but great day w/ Mar Dog and Andreas
Brian Kalet - Jul 5, 2013 10:39 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2013
What a great day. Perfect weather for slogging up the talus and scree. The views from the top were well worth it though! I was the first person to sign the summit register this year, which was also cool!
Second time up there (first time on Aug 31, 2008 with Heather and Colin) and still enjoyed it. Gained the ridge early which provided some good scrambling. Traversed on over to Ogallala and Ooh La La. One of my favorite areas in CO. With Brian this time.
chicagotransplant - Aug 15, 2010 10:11 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2010
Wild Basin Loop
Very long hike in Wild Basin with Steve and John. Went up Copeland via Ouzel Lake, traversed to Ogalalla and Elk Tooth, then back down to the trailhead via Pear Lake trail. Really liked the ridge from Ogalalla to the saddle with Elk Tooth, reminded me of the Gore. The Elk Tooth side wasn't as much fun, a little loose.
Gareth - Oct 5, 2008 1:49 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
East Ridge, then traverse to Ogalalla
I climbed Elk Tooth after an interesting meadow bivy which involved two trash bags and a space blanket (I left the trailhead at about 11 pm the night before and hiked until about 2 am). I was attempting the Elk Tooth to Sawtooth traverse, but I had to bail off of the ridge before I got the last two peaks due to the weather. Elk Tooth is a very nice mountain! I didn't see anyone else the entire time I was within the wilderness boundary.
heather14 - Sep 10, 2008 12:41 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2008
East Ridge
I think the road was the crux of the day. Gained the ridge way before the suggested gully...provided for quite a bit of fun scrambling/climbing. Weather rolled in so had to scratch Ogallala.
A bold day trip. Only for the commited... The area above Pear was wonderfully isolated, but ripe masquitos in July.
miztflip - Sep 1, 2006 2:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2006
Tooth 2 Tooth Traverse
Spent the day traversing from Elk Tooth to Sawtooth. Great outing from coney flats. I ended up gaining Elk Tooths east ridge too early and ended up climbing the class 4 section of the ridge connecting to St. Vrain. The rock was excellent on this section with great exposure. It ended up being the best part of the traverse. Elk Tooth was straight forward and fun, but not at all hard. RT 7:20 from Coney Flats.
jwclimbs - Aug 27, 2006 7:26 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2006
East Ridge
Would have preferred the climb with a little snow rather than the scree-fest we endured going up. The ridge was nice & summit was exposed and very nice. Hopes for Ogalalla were squashed by weather. We descended to the Ogalalla-Elk Tooth Saddle just in time for the rain/hail to pound on us for a solid 30 minutes.
The ridge between Elk Tooth and Ogalalla was the best rock and the most fun of the trip. I would have liked to do the other half - but that will have to wait for another day.
Walton and I had a pretty wet trip, but what a great peak!
thebeave7 - Aug 14, 2006 4:42 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2006
East Ridge
Had to hike the road, long approach but mellow. Found some decent class 3 on the way up, views are very nice and peaceful. Traversed over to Ogalalla.
Mountain Jim - Jul 9, 2006 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 1972
From Middle St Vrain via East Ridge
Good summit view.
NanitaD - Apr 13, 2006 3:25 am Date Climbed: Aug 21, 1998
From Hutcheson Lakes
We started in the dark at the Wild Basin Ranger Station and hiked up the trail past Finch Lake. One of my two climbing partners didn't feel well and had to take a nap beside the trail for a little while just below Pear Reservoir. After the nap, a little water and food revitalized everyone so we continuned. We left the beaten path at the east end of the largest Hutchenson Lake and found a scramble route up ledges on the northeast side. Unfortunatley we couldn't spend much time on the summit because of some scattered clouds and sprinkles. There was no lightening and the rain didn't last long, but it made the rock slick for the decent. From the summit we looped slightly to the west of our accent route and came back to Hutchinson Lakes at about the same point.
Tough climb, long day but extremely rewarding. The hike up the Middle St. Vrain Drainage would be a great trip in itself. Very lush place. Although on the way out I thought I was going to be struck by lightning, I was scared _hitliss. The crux of this day was attaining the east ridge. Very steep and tough to get traction. I thought the ridge itself was a blast, I enjoyed the scrambling. The summit is a lonely place to be, not many people wake up and say "I'm going to go climb Elk Tooth today."
lavaka - Jul 19, 2020 8:25 pm Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2020
Long approach, annoying gully, great ridgeClimbed it today from Middle St Vrain, left car at 7 AM, hoping to get to Ogalalla but clouds looked bad when I summited at 11 AM so I stuck with just Elk's Tooth. I tried biking the 4WD road, and it is super rough even for a mountain bike. Took me 1 hour to bike up, 35 min down. Saw lots of jeeps, and later in the day lots of ATV buggies. It's a super serious road and very actively used for recreational 4WD. I don't know if you can drive to Coney Flats trailhead these days, but if you can, that's a much better way to start this hike (or try the Wild Basin side?)
The actual trail is pleasant, not very steep for the first 4 miles, with great meadows. Not high-use, so a handful of places you have to hunt for the trail. A few stream crossings that required a bit of thinking (no bridges). The gully had only a bit of snow in it (late July), and it was OK to kick steps in with ice axe and shoes but not fun, and the non-snow part wasn't very fun either (scree). You can avoid the snow if you want (I did on the descent). Once on the ridge, the climb redeems itself. Saw about 5-10 people sign the summit register every year, usually July -- September dates.
kkriley19 - Aug 12, 2013 1:13 am Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2012
Big DayLong but great day w/ Mar Dog and Andreas
Brian Kalet - Jul 5, 2013 10:39 am Date Climbed: Jul 4, 2013
2 PeaksWith Ogalalla.
jaxcharlie - Jul 25, 2011 12:51 pm Date Climbed: Jul 23, 2011
East Ridge from Wild Basin THWhat a great day. Perfect weather for slogging up the talus and scree. The views from the top were well worth it though! I was the first person to sign the summit register this year, which was also cool!
StephanieLynn - Sep 16, 2010 8:08 pm Date Climbed: Jul 31, 2010
East ridgeSecond time up there (first time on Aug 31, 2008 with Heather and Colin) and still enjoyed it. Gained the ridge early which provided some good scrambling. Traversed on over to Ogallala and Ooh La La. One of my favorite areas in CO. With Brian this time.
chicagotransplant - Aug 15, 2010 10:11 pm Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2010
Wild Basin LoopVery long hike in Wild Basin with Steve and John. Went up Copeland via Ouzel Lake, traversed to Ogalalla and Elk Tooth, then back down to the trailhead via Pear Lake trail. Really liked the ridge from Ogalalla to the saddle with Elk Tooth, reminded me of the Gore. The Elk Tooth side wasn't as much fun, a little loose.
Gareth - Oct 5, 2008 1:49 pm Date Climbed: Aug 23, 2008
East Ridge, then traverse to OgalallaI climbed Elk Tooth after an interesting meadow bivy which involved two trash bags and a space blanket (I left the trailhead at about 11 pm the night before and hiked until about 2 am). I was attempting the Elk Tooth to Sawtooth traverse, but I had to bail off of the ridge before I got the last two peaks due to the weather. Elk Tooth is a very nice mountain! I didn't see anyone else the entire time I was within the wilderness boundary.
heather14 - Sep 10, 2008 12:41 pm Date Climbed: Aug 31, 2008
East RidgeI think the road was the crux of the day. Gained the ridge way before the suggested gully...provided for quite a bit of fun scrambling/climbing. Weather rolled in so had to scratch Ogallala.
Park5.6 - Apr 16, 2007 2:52 am
E. RidgeA bold day trip. Only for the commited... The area above Pear was wonderfully isolated, but ripe masquitos in July.
miztflip - Sep 1, 2006 2:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 30, 2006
Tooth 2 Tooth TraverseSpent the day traversing from Elk Tooth to Sawtooth. Great outing from coney flats. I ended up gaining Elk Tooths east ridge too early and ended up climbing the class 4 section of the ridge connecting to St. Vrain. The rock was excellent on this section with great exposure. It ended up being the best part of the traverse. Elk Tooth was straight forward and fun, but not at all hard. RT 7:20 from Coney Flats.
jwclimbs - Aug 27, 2006 7:26 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2006
East RidgeWould have preferred the climb with a little snow rather than the scree-fest we endured going up. The ridge was nice & summit was exposed and very nice. Hopes for Ogalalla were squashed by weather. We descended to the Ogalalla-Elk Tooth Saddle just in time for the rain/hail to pound on us for a solid 30 minutes.
The ridge between Elk Tooth and Ogalalla was the best rock and the most fun of the trip. I would have liked to do the other half - but that will have to wait for another day.
coloradoiceclimber - Aug 27, 2006 1:55 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2006
East RidgeWalton and I had a pretty wet trip, but what a great peak!
thebeave7 - Aug 14, 2006 4:42 am Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2006
East RidgeHad to hike the road, long approach but mellow. Found some decent class 3 on the way up, views are very nice and peaceful. Traversed over to Ogalalla.
Mountain Jim - Jul 9, 2006 1:25 am Date Climbed: Jul 12, 1972
From Middle St Vrain via East RidgeGood summit view.
NanitaD - Apr 13, 2006 3:25 am Date Climbed: Aug 21, 1998
From Hutcheson LakesWe started in the dark at the Wild Basin Ranger Station and hiked up the trail past Finch Lake. One of my two climbing partners didn't feel well and had to take a nap beside the trail for a little while just below Pear Reservoir. After the nap, a little water and food revitalized everyone so we continuned. We left the beaten path at the east end of the largest Hutchenson Lake and found a scramble route up ledges on the northeast side. Unfortunatley we couldn't spend much time on the summit because of some scattered clouds and sprinkles. There was no lightening and the rain didn't last long, but it made the rock slick for the decent. From the summit we looped slightly to the west of our accent route and came back to Hutchinson Lakes at about the same point.
Kane - Jun 8, 2003 8:53 pm
Route Climbed: East Ridge Date Climbed: 6-29-2002Tough climb, long day but extremely rewarding. The hike up the Middle St. Vrain Drainage would be a great trip in itself. Very lush place. Although on the way out I thought I was going to be struck by lightning, I was scared _hitliss. The crux of this day was attaining the east ridge. Very steep and tough to get traction. I thought the ridge itself was a blast, I enjoyed the scrambling. The summit is a lonely place to be, not many people wake up and say "I'm going to go climb Elk Tooth today."