Clinton Peak

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 7/9/2025, By: jberning30
Info: The snow around and just above Wheeler Lake is less avoidable than I anticipated...but the crossings were all relatively short and minimal, only postholed bad once or twice. Had extra socks with me regardless because I wear trail runners and had read the reports about the 4x4 river, I mean road! Plus the swampy/marshy areas heading up the basin! Highly recommend bringing extra socks or just wearing boots. Snowfields up the basin all avoidable. All in all, it was a beautiful day, the ridgeline itself is super fun and easy and always nice to bag 3 peaks at once. Only saw 2 other folks all day, maybe they're on here, super nice and much further along in the 14er/13er journey than I, if you guys are on here - enjoyed conversating on Traver! 

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 7/5/2025, By: skidude3892
Info: Conditions were great! Only a few bits of snow to avoid, but they were almost entirely avoidable. Didnt bring or feel like I really needed spikes. There’s still a good amount of standing/flowing water on the road, so prepare to get a little bit wet if you wear trail runners 

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 6/20/2025, By: emilysharpe24
Info: Summer Solistice! Escaped the insane heat in Denver and this was the perfect day to do this combo. Forecast called for high winds, which In reality felt amazing with the warmer forecast. The road to Wheeler Lake Was dry in some spots, but mainly a running creek for the majority of the approach to the lake. In some cases you could go around, but I didn’t mind getting my feet wet for the majority of the day. The basin above the lake leading to Clinton is still holding a good amount of snow (no traction needed) but be prepared to get your feet wet. Ridges were mainly dry and snow-avoidable:) 

Route: Monica’s Descent
Posted On: 6/15/2025, By: austin132435
Info: Went early and climbed couloir, was in fine shape. Used snowshoes in parts of basin, very hot. 

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 7/6/2025, By: infinitealpine
Info: This 4x4 road sucks for hiking. The road is still wet in a lot of places, most have side trails to avoid going through the water but I couldn't find a good detour on the last one. Kudos to you if you're able to complete this without getting your feet wet! Cross on the snow at Wheeler Lake, I tried going higher and had to backtrack. This area could benefit from a proper trail because the upper basin was really wet no matter where I went. 

Route: Monica’s Descent (partial)
Posted On: 5/31/2025, By: MidsizeAl
Info: Early start, hit the base of the couloir just after sunrise. In spite of this, the snow was very soft and did not get a good freeze overnight. Lots of recent slide activity throughout the basin. Bailed about a third of the way up off to the South on one of the cliff bands and made our way towards the standard route. Completed the traverse to McNamee and Traver and descended via the E ridge. The cornice between Clinton and McNamee has somewhat fallen, but be careful on the snow on the ridge. It was very punchy and difficult to tell what was above solid rock. Mashed potatoes the whole way back down towards the base of Clinton. Then, things got pretty spooky. We were on snowshoes headed down towards the lake around 11:30 and I heard a collapse behind me that travelled a couple hundred meters. Didn’t see anything move, but it was alarming. We moved cautiously and stuck to as low angle terrain as possible, but triggered several other audible collapses/wumphs that moved across the slope behind us. Definitely kept us on edge, especially as we traversed past the lake below the more dangerous slope angles. 

Route: South Slope
Posted On: 4/7/2025, By: notidealbutfine
Info: Started at Montgomery Reservoir. Wore ski boots for the first .5 mile, switched to skins up until the last .25 mile below the summit. Back to boots on windswept rocks to the summit. Skied from the summit back to the basin via the south slopes, then followed my skin track back to the car. Skis on 95% of the day! A snowmobile track goes almost all the way to the lake making for nice gliding. Low wind on this bluebird day! 

Route: South Slope
Posted On: 3/28/2025, By: aksean22
Info: Quick ski up Clinton yesterday from the Montgomery reservoir. Despite the forecasted warm temps there was a good freeze overnight and some cloud cover and a light breeze kept the snow locked up all morning. Good coverage from car to summit, no signs of any avy activity. Had to switch to booting in a few spots (ski crampons would've been helpful) but no postholing. 9.5 miles, 3200'. 

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 5/18/2024, By: backcountrybrodes
Info: Climbed the 3 peaks and it didn't feel like enough, so I added on the south face of North Star Mtn. and then an epic glissade down. Strava says 11.4mi, 5,492ft, 8:07:20. Road is gated at the winter closure. Dug an avy pit on Clinton (see photo) - there are 3in of hard slab, followed by 8in of thin dust, followed by 4in of harder packed wet snow, followed by a paper-thin ice layer, followed by more thin dust. Wore snowshoes for 90% of the day, mashed potato snow started at around 12:30pm. If you make the decision not to pack them because the road is completely dry from the parking lot... think again because you'll be walking back to your car to get them at about 0.5 miles in haha. If I would have done anything different I would have started about an hour earlier than my actual start time of 6:15am. Saw no other hikers the entire time and I was the only one at the lot. Wildlife I saw was only birds. Sweet views out there of all the snowy 14ers nearby!!! Go get 'em! Start early finish early! 

Route: South Slope
Posted On: 5/12/2024, By: k_fergie
Info: Skied Clinton today with Breanna. Terrible flat light, great snow. Skied car to summit to car with minor billy-goating on the road between the gated winter TH and summer TH at Montgomery reservoir. The lower road will melt out soon, upper road and slopes had great coverage and will for some time 

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 4/24/2024, By: Belchfire
Info: Solo Skied the Multi-pak deal from Montgomery today. Left car at 615 on mostly frozen snow. S Clinton was wonderful (dropped about 9), N Traver was a fun little face (1015), E McNamee (11) was creamy beauty. Exit was mashed but not horrible. God bless the determination behind the 3ft snowshoer postholes. Wet slide evidence on solar aspects, great views. Everything seems to be in right now- go get it! 

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 11/12/2023, By: Sbenfield
Info: Hiked along with Traver & McN. Spikromikes were helpful up to wheeler lake (large ice sheets are slippy). From Wheeler lake I used snowshoes to access the upper bench but only since I brought them. Definitely possible without. From the upper basin, south slopes to Clinton, then traverse to McN & Traver, then descend Traver back to the basin. Watch out for the many trap doors underneath sugary snow. 

Route: South Slope
Posted On: 10/22/2023, By: 14ercooper
Info: Mostly dry, a few snowy patches above the lake, but not spikes needed (did wind up walking on the snow in spots since that was easier, but you could probably find ways around all the snow). Super pretty basin with a dusting of snow, and some great views on the way in and from the summit. Great weather for my centennial (post-LiDAR) finisher and my half-way point for summits between 13,000 and 13,999! 

Route: Ridge from Wheeler, down south slope
Posted On: 9/18/2023, By: CarpeDM
Info: The snow that fell toward the end of last week had largely melted in the key places for the North Star-->Wheeler-->Clinton loop on Sunday. Most of what remained was between Wheeler and Clinton and was not a problem. No winter gear was used (spikes, axe, etc). I was pleasantly surprised by the North Star to Wheeler ridge; it was a bit higher quality than I feared. I personally thought the route-finding was intuitive, and the 4th class move was not scary or difficult under the conditions we had 

Route: Combo Clinton/McNamee/Traver
Posted On: 7/31/2023, By: Phill the Thrill
Info: Did this in "reverse" order: Traver-McNamee/Clinton. Beautiful basin, easy hike, didn't see any other climbers at all, but I did see about a dozen Jeeps making their way to Wheeler Lake. I had thoughts of traversing from Clinton to Wheeler, but weather moved in and I bailed out. Turned out to be a good decision as I saw thundershowers over Wheeler Mountain for 60-90 minutes. Fully summer conditions now, and the road is dried out enough that you can easily avoid the dozen or so large puddles by taking the well-established detours through the willows.