Little Baldy Mountain

Overview

Little Baldy is a seriously cool little peak. It sits someone isolated from its neighbors, jutting out into South Park with an impressive prominence of more than 1,000 vertical feet. Its summit area is a large plateau capped by a rocky “woopty-do” top perch and is at just the right elevation to serve up stunning views of ranges near and far.

From the summit of Little Baldy Mountain one can see of course the Tenmile and Mosquito ranges, many pieces of the Front Range, the Platte River Mountains and the Kenoshas, the Puma Hills, vast swaths of South Park, plus the Sawatch and even the Sangre de Cristos in the distance. But it’s the graceful Centennial peak Mount Silverheels that dominants the scene to the west, glistening with winter snow like a vast, white behemoth. This is a summit for lounging and snacking and taking in jaw-dropping views.

Colorado Rank: 1229^th highest peak in Colorado
Prominence: 1,002 feet
USGS Quad: Como
Trails Illustrated Map: #109 (Breckenridge, Tennessee Pass)

Rank and prominence information: Lists of John

Getting There

Little Baldy sits just a few miles to the west of US Hwy 285 in Park County. It rises above the town of Como, on the northwestern fringes of South Park. Park County 33 to Park County 50 is used to access the popular northern ridge route via the Gold Dust Trail.

Red Tape

Generally, there is little red tape governing recreational use in this part of the National Forest and there is no fee to access this area. Adhere to LNT (Leave No Trace) principals, observe fire ban when in effect and do not harass wildlife or allow your pet to do so.

Access to Little Baldy Mountain is guarded on three sides by private property. Access to Forest Service trails is granted in several places through private holdings, but be courteous and respect private property when choosing where to park and hike.

Camping & Lodging

Selkirk Campground
The National Forest Service operates one primitive campground in the area of Boreas Pass Road near Selkirk Gulch.

• 14-15 primitive campsites


• Open Memorial Day Weekend through September


• Elevation: 10,500 feet


• One vault toilet but no drinking water


• No reservations / first come, first served

Fairplay & Alma
On the south side of Boreas Pass the communities of Fairplay and Alma provide a laid-back atmosphere and more reasonable prices for lodging. Fewer hotel rooms and lodges exist on this side of the pass, but privately-owned rental cabins can allow for ample privacy with all of the comforts of home.

Detailed information about lodging in Fairplay and Alma may be found here: http://www.coloradodirectory.com/parkcounty/

Blue River & Breckenridge
On the other side of Boreas Pass, a wide variety of lodging options can be found in Breckenridge and Blue River, ranging from simple hotel rooms to luxury mountain retreats. Rates may be moderate in the shoulder season (spring and fall) and tolerable in the summer. Expect astronomical lodging rates during the winter ski season.

Detailed information on Breckenridge area lodging (including Blue River) may be found here: http://breckenridge.snow.com/info/winter/pb.ldg.asp

Weather & Seasons

Autumn would be an ideal time to visit Little Baldy Mountains as the area is ablaze in golden aspen in the Fall. Summer is a pleasant time to visit the area, as well, though the Boreas Pass Road area can get moderately busy in the tourist season. Thanks to winds howling off the Continental Divide, the north ridge of Little Baldy Mountain gets scoured of heavy snow making for a relatively avy-safe winter route in the right conditions, with the right team.

Images

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