Bridal Peak Trip Report 09/27/2019

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Bridal Peak - 13,514 feet
Date Posted	09/27/2019
Date Climbed	08/27/2019
Author	Hoot

A Beautiful Bridal
Bridal Peak aka “T 11” (13,510', Colorado #250) Dates: 27 August 2019 Climbers: Mark and Hoot Trailhead: Imogene Mine on FR 820 (Columbine Lake Trailhead) Distance: 8.7 miles Elevation gain: ~3100' Difficulty: Mostly Class 1 with a little easy Class 2 below the summit After a fun climb of bicentennial Lookout Peak to start off the day, Mark and I headed to our next objective, tricentennial Bridal Peak, just 1.32 miles north of Lookout. As the direct route did not look practical, we drove back down Ophir Pass Road, headed a little north on US 550 and then pulled off onto FR 820 where we stopped for an early lunch and a change of gear. I decided to wear trail runners for my first time on a Colorado 13er. As soon as we started driving up FR 820 paralleling 550, we ran into a ginormous snowball filled with trees sitting completely across the road. We sure didn’t expect that at the end of August! A look up and across 550 revealed the snow came from a big avalanche that ran across 550 in the spring. (US 550 between Ouray and Silverton was closed for 19 days this past March due to deep snow and many avalanches across the highway.) A quick check of the map showed an alternative approach to the Imogene Mine from where FR820 connects with Ophir Pass Road about 0.4 miles in from 550. We followed narrow but not too rough FR820 north from Ophir Pass Road for less than a mile to the Imogene Mine where we parked in one of the few remaining spots on the side of the road. We started hiking at 11:30 am under a beautiful blue and clear sky. From where we parked near the mine, we walked about 500 feet back down the road to a short cutoff spur just above were the Columbine Lake Trail starts at the road. The trailhead is easy to miss if you are not looking for it. The well-traveled Columbine Lake Trail begins with a bunch of switchbacks that climb through the trees. We quickly climbed 1200’ before reaching treeline and a beautiful flower-filled alpine basin. Columbine Lake Trail above the trees and switchbacks We continued on a good trail through a minor saddle and then entered the Mill Creek drainage with Columbine Lake on its upper south side and Bridal Peak on its north side. Looking back to the east provided a nice view of the Grenadiers and Wham Ridge Mark and I passed a dozen or so hikers and one intrepid mountain biker on their way back down from the lake. Our first view of Bridal from the trail (leftmost peak) At about 12,520’ we left the trail a little short of Columbine Lake and continued hiking north down across Mill Creek and then up toward Bridal’s southwest ridge. Our off-trail route across the Mill Creek drainage to Bridal’s southwest ridge The beautiful basin was filled with wild flowers and an occasional cairn along our route. On route to a weakness through the small cliff band below the ridge Lots of flora ... ... and even some fauna As we climbed, our view south toward Lookout Peak further justified our decision not to try hiking from Lookout to Bridal. Lookout Peak on the left and a difficult ridge toward “T 12” (not visible) on the right Approaching Bridal Peak and its southwest ridge Bridal’s jagged east ridge We gained Bridal’s southwest ridge above its 13,058’ saddle with “T 12” and climbed about 300 feet up easy talus to Bridal’s broad 13,510’ summit. Bridal’s easy Class 2 southwest ridge Mark and I reached the summit a little before 2:30 pm, about 2 hours and 50 minutes from the trailhead. Mark and me on Bridal Peak’s broad summit Bridal’s summit under clear skies provided amazing 360-degree views, easily among the best views I’ve had from any Colorado peak. Looking west over Lewis Lake toward the Wilsons and Lizard Head Looking northwest over Blue Lake toward Telluride Looking east at Bridal’s narrow jagged east ridge Looking south toward Columbine Lake We enjoyed Bridal’s summit for quite a while. The weather was gorgeous. On our way back down we couldn’t resist the draw of a closer view of Columbine Lake. Once below the ridge, we followed a gradually descending route toward the west end of Columbine Lake. Columbine Lake from the northwest We then descended along the lake’s north side crossing its Mill Creek outlet to reach the lake’s edge. Despite its reflected bright blue color, Columbine Lake’s water was very clear Surveying Lookout’s north face and east ridge from the lake did not reveal any likely routes for descending off Lookout to the north. The most likely route would be to scramble along Lookout’s northwest ridge toward “T 12” (13,614) and then descend the slopes east of “T 12” toward Columbine Lake, ideally on good snow. Lookout Peak (center) from Columbine Lake After enjoying the lake and talking with another hiker, we headed back down the Columbine Lake Trail, quickly rejoining our ascent route. We got back to the Imogene Mine at 5:38 pm after hiking just over five hours. The relatively easy climb of Bridal Peak turned out to be the most enjoyable hike of the ten peaks I climbed during my Colorado visit. Whether or not you have any interest in climbing Bridal, I highly recommend the hike up to Columbine Lake - in trail runners! Bridal Peak Topo My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload): Login required to view this map... Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

A Beautiful Bridal

Bridal Peak aka “T 11” (13,510', Colorado #250)
Dates: 27 August 2019
Climbers: Mark and Hoot
Trailhead: Imogene Mine on FR 820 (Columbine Lake Trailhead)
Distance: 8.7 miles
Elevation gain: ~3100'
Difficulty: Mostly Class 1 with a little easy Class 2 below the summit

After a fun climb of bicentennial Lookout Peak to start off the day, Mark and I headed to our next objective, tricentennial Bridal Peak, just 1.32 miles north of Lookout. As the direct route did not look practical, we drove back down Ophir Pass Road, headed a little north on US 550 and then pulled off onto FR 820 where we stopped for an early lunch and a change of gear. I decided to wear trail runners for my first time on a Colorado 13er. As soon as we started driving up FR 820 paralleling 550, we ran into a ginormous snowball filled with trees sitting completely across the road. We sure didn’t expect that at the end of August! A look up and across 550 revealed the snow came from a big avalanche that ran across 550 in the spring. (US 550 between Ouray and Silverton was closed for 19 days this past March due to deep snow and many avalanches across the highway.)

A quick check of the map showed an alternative approach to the Imogene Mine from where FR820 connects with Ophir Pass Road about 0.4 miles in from 550. We followed narrow but not too rough FR820 north from Ophir Pass Road for less than a mile to the Imogene Mine where we parked in one of the few remaining spots on the side of the road. We started hiking at 11:30 am under a beautiful blue and clear sky. From where we parked near the mine, we walked about 500 feet back down the road to a short cutoff spur just above were the Columbine Lake Trail starts at the road. The trailhead is easy to miss if you are not looking for it.

The well-traveled Columbine Lake Trail begins with a bunch of switchbacks that climb through the trees. We quickly climbed 1200’ before reaching treeline and a beautiful flower-filled alpine basin.

19882_01 — Columbine Lake Trail above the trees and switchbacks

We continued on a good trail through a minor saddle and then entered the Mill Creek drainage with Columbine Lake on its upper south side and Bridal Peak on its north side.

19882_02 — Looking back to the east provided a nice view of the Grenadiers and Wham Ridge

Mark and I passed a dozen or so hikers and one intrepid mountain biker on their way back down from the lake.

19882_03 — Our first view of Bridal from the trail (leftmost peak)

At about 12,520’ we left the trail a little short of Columbine Lake and continued hiking north down across Mill Creek and then up toward Bridal’s southwest ridge.

19882_04 — Our off-trail route across the Mill Creek drainage to Bridal’s southwest ridge

The beautiful basin was filled with wild flowers and an occasional cairn along our route.

19882_05 — On route to a weakness through the small cliff band below the ridge

As we climbed, our view south toward Lookout Peak further justified our decision not to try hiking from Lookout to Bridal.

19882_08 — Lookout Peak on the left and a difficult ridge toward “T 12” (not visible) on the right

19882_09 — Approaching Bridal Peak and its southwest ridge

We gained Bridal’s southwest ridge above its 13,058’ saddle with “T 12” and climbed about 300 feet up easy talus to Bridal’s broad 13,510’ summit.

19882_11 — Bridal’s easy Class 2 southwest ridge

Mark and I reached the summit a little before 2:30 pm, about 2 hours and 50 minutes from the trailhead.

19882_12 — Mark and me on Bridal Peak’s broad summit

Bridal’s summit under clear skies provided amazing 360-degree views, easily among the best views I’ve had from any Colorado peak.

19882_13 — Looking west over Lewis Lake toward the Wilsons and Lizard Head

19882_14 — Looking northwest over Blue Lake toward Telluride

19882_15 — Looking east at Bridal’s narrow jagged east ridge

19882_16 — Looking south toward Columbine Lake

We enjoyed Bridal’s summit for quite a while. The weather was gorgeous. On our way back down we couldn’t resist the draw of a closer view of Columbine Lake. Once below the ridge, we followed a gradually descending route toward the west end of Columbine Lake.

19882_17 — Columbine Lake from the northwest

We then descended along the lake’s north side crossing its Mill Creek outlet to reach the lake’s edge.

19882_18 — Despite its reflected bright blue color, Columbine Lake’s water was very clear

Surveying Lookout’s north face and east ridge from the lake did not reveal any likely routes for descending off Lookout to the north. The most likely route would be to scramble along Lookout’s northwest ridge toward “T 12” (13,614) and then descend the slopes east of “T 12” toward Columbine Lake, ideally on good snow.

19882_19 — Lookout Peak (center) from Columbine Lake

After enjoying the lake and talking with another hiker, we headed back down the Columbine Lake Trail, quickly rejoining our ascent route. We got back to the Imogene Mine at 5:38 pm after hiking just over five hours. The relatively easy climb of Bridal Peak turned out to be the most enjoyable hike of the ten peaks I climbed during my Colorado visit. Whether or not you have any interest in climbing Bridal, I highly recommend the hike up to Columbine Lake - in trail runners!

My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

mountainute	very nice 9/28/2019 8:54am and very beautiful - thanks for the report. The map is a good idea. mountainute
TakeMeToYourSummit	Memory Lane! 9/28/2019 9:42am A friend & I did a similar hike back there a year ago. I like your shot of the "Bride's Teeth". Nice TR!
Chicago Transplant	What a Lake 10/2/2019 5:41pm That lake is amazing! Now I want to go back and repeat this one, it was frozen when I did Bridal.

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