I had a great afternoon in the mountains. I climbed from the northeast side from FR 353. I parked well north of the seasonal gate closure. That is a rough and rocky 4WD road. If you have a rugged 4WD, you can keep driving and get much closer to the summit. My route was up the east ridge. Roundtrip was 7.8 miles and it took 5 hours total.
The view from the top is amazing.
Liba Kopeckova - Oct 18, 2021 1:11 pm Date Climbed: May 1, 2021
Skinned up and skied down, snow getting patchy across the flats above the glacier but managed to string it all together still without carrying. Won't last long with the warm week. Windy summit.
BKiser90 - Oct 19, 2019 12:18 pm Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2019
Colorado Mountainous COHP #9
I had no one to go hiking with this morning so I settle on something relatively close and quick. It snowed about two inches at elevation last night and there was a nice dusting over the trail up to James Peak. It was never hard to find though. I bundled up for this one and good thing: -1 degree wind chill. BRR! Bancroft and Parry look like fun peaks to nab from the vantage point of James.
McCannster - Jul 16, 2018 6:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2018
Bastille Day hike
With Angela and Carissa from East Portal trailhead. 12th CO county highpoint. 6.5 hours car to car, chill pace.
MikeLJ - Oct 7, 2017 10:29 am Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2004
Climbed St. Mary's Glacier to James Peak via SE Slopes Route. Left trailhead at 7:30am ($5 for parking) to avoid soft snow in the afternoon. Bare booted up the glacier with gusts up to 35-40mph. Put on snowshoes after about 2 miles. Missed the cairns that mark the trail as it hugs the ravine to the left but keeping right along the ridge works well too. Took 5.5 hours. Awesome weather - sunny, no clouds, all views.
Beautiful day. Lots of people around the lake and glacier but only 4 people on James Peak.
Sarah Simon - Jun 18, 2015 12:11 pm Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2015
Standard St. Mary's Route
Wow, lots of snow up there still! Ascended the standard St M's route, except we went up through the trees and enjoyed the steeper snowfield on climber's left of the snowfield proper. Ascended much of the way with a cool groups of 4 Czechs and one suffering US guy. Enjoy a short glissade off the summit. A lot of skiers and boarders out this day! Late lunch at Tommy Knockers, of course. With Mikey.
nickkarl - Dec 21, 2014 10:27 pm Date Climbed: Dec 17, 2014
Long Day
Long day of post hole hell. But still a fun day. http://www.coloradoascents.blogspot.com/2014/12/james-peak.html
Hiked up from the Rollinsville side this time & it was a beautiful approach. More wildflowers than I've ever seen around that area. Great summit hike!
Climbing Jack - Jul 21, 2014 9:32 pm Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2011
Over the glacier and over the meadow...
From Saint Mary's Lake.
BradBartick - May 18, 2014 9:34 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2014
Beautiful day
Snow and some light post-holing, but no biggie and overall a good day. Great weather, temps in 50's, light breeze. Nice cornices on the summit ridge. Lots of skiers.
Kiefer - Dec 13, 2013 11:55 pm Date Climbed: Dec 13, 2013
Standard Route
An awfully brutal day with insane winds. Wasn't all that cold really but the winds made it nigh of impossible to stop for even a quick food break.
Blue skies, hard-slab snow. Thank God this is as easy as they come. Else, with current snow conditions, might have thought twice of going for the summit.
Good day.
JThorne - Nov 15, 2024 3:09 pm Date Climbed: Oct 1, 2024
Gilpin County High PointNice sunny day with a chilly breeze
eferesen - Feb 25, 2024 3:10 pm Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2023
Fun dayAmazing Day! Ran head into a moose luckily we were both shocked and I ran in the opposite directions
JRaphaelson - Sep 10, 2023 12:51 pm Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2023
From St. Mary’s GlacierLovely hike, very easy routefinding up to the summit.
tjburr - Sep 26, 2022 3:47 pm Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2022
Picture Perfect Climbing DayI had a great afternoon in the mountains. I climbed from the northeast side from FR 353. I parked well north of the seasonal gate closure. That is a rough and rocky 4WD road. If you have a rugged 4WD, you can keep driving and get much closer to the summit. My route was up the east ridge. Roundtrip was 7.8 miles and it took 5 hours total.
The view from the top is amazing.
Liba Kopeckova - Oct 18, 2021 1:11 pm Date Climbed: May 1, 2021
snowy daycold day, on skis.
chicagotransplant - May 24, 2021 7:43 am Date Climbed: May 23, 2021
Southeast SlopesSkinned up and skied down, snow getting patchy across the flats above the glacier but managed to string it all together still without carrying. Won't last long with the warm week. Windy summit.
BKiser90 - Oct 19, 2019 12:18 pm Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2019
Colorado Mountainous COHP #9I had no one to go hiking with this morning so I settle on something relatively close and quick. It snowed about two inches at elevation last night and there was a nice dusting over the trail up to James Peak. It was never hard to find though. I bundled up for this one and good thing: -1 degree wind chill. BRR! Bancroft and Parry look like fun peaks to nab from the vantage point of James.
McCannster - Jul 16, 2018 6:47 am Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2018
Bastille Day hikeWith Angela and Carissa from East Portal trailhead. 12th CO county highpoint. 6.5 hours car to car, chill pace.
MikeLJ - Oct 7, 2017 10:29 am Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2004
Cool dayAscent in early fall.
aislinnmcl - Apr 11, 2017 5:39 pm Date Climbed: Apr 11, 2017
First 13erClimbed St. Mary's Glacier to James Peak via SE Slopes Route. Left trailhead at 7:30am ($5 for parking) to avoid soft snow in the afternoon. Bare booted up the glacier with gusts up to 35-40mph. Put on snowshoes after about 2 miles. Missed the cairns that mark the trail as it hugs the ravine to the left but keeping right along the ridge works well too. Took 5.5 hours. Awesome weather - sunny, no clouds, all views.
rmjwinters - Jul 29, 2015 10:12 pm Date Climbed: Jul 29, 2015
Standard via St MarysBeautiful day. Lots of people around the lake and glacier but only 4 people on James Peak.
Sarah Simon - Jun 18, 2015 12:11 pm Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2015
Standard St. Mary's RouteWow, lots of snow up there still! Ascended the standard St M's route, except we went up through the trees and enjoyed the steeper snowfield on climber's left of the snowfield proper. Ascended much of the way with a cool groups of 4 Czechs and one suffering US guy. Enjoy a short glissade off the summit. A lot of skiers and boarders out this day! Late lunch at Tommy Knockers, of course. With Mikey.
nickkarl - Dec 21, 2014 10:27 pm Date Climbed: Dec 17, 2014
Long DayLong day of post hole hell. But still a fun day. http://www.coloradoascents.blogspot.com/2014/12/james-peak.html
StashMaster - Dec 14, 2014 5:29 pm
Beautiful Summit HikeHiked up from the Rollinsville side this time & it was a beautiful approach. More wildflowers than I've ever seen around that area. Great summit hike!
Climbing Jack - Jul 21, 2014 9:32 pm Date Climbed: Aug 6, 2011
Over the glacier and over the meadow...From Saint Mary's Lake.
BradBartick - May 18, 2014 9:34 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2014
Beautiful daySnow and some light post-holing, but no biggie and overall a good day. Great weather, temps in 50's, light breeze. Nice cornices on the summit ridge. Lots of skiers.
Kiefer - Dec 13, 2013 11:55 pm Date Climbed: Dec 13, 2013
Standard RouteAn awfully brutal day with insane winds. Wasn't all that cold really but the winds made it nigh of impossible to stop for even a quick food break.
Blue skies, hard-slab snow. Thank God this is as easy as they come. Else, with current snow conditions, might have thought twice of going for the summit.
Good day.
MadGrad96 - Nov 1, 2013 10:30 pm
James PeakEarly season practice
alpineair - Oct 28, 2013 1:59 pm
James PeakThree times so far. I see this peak almost everyday commuting.
telemarkdude - Oct 13, 2013 11:54 pm Date Climbed: Oct 13, 2013
Great Fall DayPerfect day! Nice early season dusting of snow on all the surrounding peaks gave it an alpine feel.