Crested Butte

After hiking to Beckwith Pass earlier in the summer via 842, I put Cliff Creek on my list. Cliff Creek connects Beckwith Pass to Swampy Pass. I had wanted to hike the full trail while my parents were here, setting up a shuttle at Swampy Pass trailhead, but we got distracted by so many other hikes. So, I decided to take Eddy (borrowed dog) out for a nice Beckwith hike in a mid-August afternoon instead.

If there ever is a trail that makes me want to scream out singing, “The hills are alive…” it would be Scarp Ridge Loop. Scarp ridge is a prominent ridge line near Crested Butte that extends in a northwest direction from Red Lady (Mount Emmons) to just east of Purple Peak. The ridge can easily be reached by a loop trail that begins at the old Irwin Lodge. And, due to it’s location, Scarp’s ridge offers some spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.

Part way between Aspen and Crested Butte, beneath the slopes of East Maroon Pass, lies Copper Lake. Here’s what it’s like to hike to it!

When most people in Crested Butte talk about the “Green Lake” trail, they mean the trail that heads up just south of town, and travels steeply through a thick forest, to reach a lake at the bottom of some chutes on the south side of Axtel. But, Crested Butte has another Green Lake. This one is located near Irwin, and is cradled in a basin between the magnificent peaks of Ruby and Owen. I had been to this area many times in the spring to ski, but the lake was always largely snow-covered. It was time to see it in a different season.

The hike to Swampy Pass offers a great walk through magnificent aspen forest with occasional stunning views of the nearby Castles and Anthracites!

The loop connecting Hasley Pass & Frigid Air Pass is one of the most scenic hikes in the Crested Butte area. Full of wildflowers too!

The beautiful laccolith that stands at the end of the valley is as iconic as they come. Here’s how to hike to the top of the Peak, Crested Butte!