"East Pole Creek Mountain"

Route: From CR18/FS520
Posted On: 5/26/2025, By: HikerGuy
Info: Essentially summer conditions. This is a good way to get this peak if you happened to have orphaned it. The route starts from a campsite off CR18/FS520. Make your way up through some meadows, then a pretty easy bushwhack through aspens, cross a small stream, then find the key elk path (37.78100, -107.39151) that will take you up to more open meadows, easy peasy from there. 6.76 miles, 3,338 feet and 4h 49m round trip. 

Route: Carson Pass
Posted On: 7/5/2023, By: kwhit24
Info: We parked/camped just below the snow blocking the top of Carson Pass about 100'down. There were a few snow fields to cross on the CT/CDT but everything has good steps. On the way up NW Pole we crossed a few more snow fields that were firm to walk on and other snow areas were avoidable. The last 20' to the summit is the only tough part. I took the Class 4 route up and down. My hiking partner went up Class 3 but down the Class 4. Very airy on the backside. From the summit we dropped west into the valley and picked our way up the north ridge of Pole. Most of the snow is avoidable. If you follow the ridge direct you may want micros. After Pole make sure to head directly south around the cliff section and take the good bench over the East Pole. There are a few more snow fields to cross but between us and the elk the steps are there. All dry up to East Pole Creek. To get back we had to retrace our steps back over Pole Creek since we didn't see a good alternative to the north with the cliff bands and steep snow. After resummiting Pole we dropped back into the valley and picked our way to the West Lost Trail Creek and Trail. There was a few hundred feet elevation lost, a lot of bushwhacking to get over to the trail, and everything was flooded/muddy from run off. If I were to do it again I would probably contour 13,000 back to the NW until I rejoined our initial route up NW Pole. Once back on the trail is was easy to get back to CT/CDT. (22.76 mi; 6,119' gain; 12:17:45 time) Start at TH 5:20am; NW Pole Creek Mtn 9:20am; Pole Creek Mtn 11:00am; East Pole Creek Mtn 11:50am; Re-summit Pole 12:35pm; Back to TH 5:35pm 

Route: From Pole Creek Mountain
Posted On: 6/23/2022, By: supranihilest
Info: From the summit of Pole Creek Mountain we scrambled down crappy, extremely loose cliffs (about Class 2+ but nothing is solid) then went more or less east across tundra and talus. There's an obvious bench below impressive volcanic cliffs and towers coming off Pole's east ridge, and a trail crosses this bench. Then it's just a walk up tundra and talus to the summit(s). We tagged both since they looked to be the same elevation. To return we crossed back over the bench then descended toward the giant block along Pole's southwest ridge. We crossed a horrible, steep slope of loose kitty litter (easier to descend grass into the bowl below the block vs staying high like we did) then took game trails over the saddle, north across a rib, then down steep grass to a creek crossing before going down "Northwest Pole"'s south ridge back to the Pole Creek trail.